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    EU takes step on Turkey, low-key on enlargement
    (Agencies)
    Updated: 2005-06-13 20:39

    LUXEMBOURG - The European Union took a fresh step on Monday toward opening accession talks with Turkey but agreed to keep its commitment to further enlargement low-key after French and Dutch voters rejected the EU constitution.

    EU foreign ministers approved an protocol adapting a customs union with Turkey to the 10 new member states, including Cyprus, bringing membership negotiations with Ankara a big step closer.

    Once Turkey signs the document, as it has promised to do as soon as the final text arrives from Brussels, it will have met all conditions set by EU leaders for starting talks on Oct. 3.

    The ministers decided that this week's EU summit would reaffirm decisions taken last December to open accession talks with Turkey and Croatia but not mention either country by name or repeat the date, apparently to avoid upsetting angry voters.

    "The Council recalls the conclusions of Dec. 16-17 on enlargement and recalls the necessity to implement them as soon as possible," the draft statement said.

    That minimalist formula was an effort to bridge differences between keen enlargement supporters such as Britain which wanted to spell out the commitment to continue expansion in detail, and those such as France which sought only a general reference.

    Hostility to admitting the poor, sprawling, mainly Muslim Turkey, with a fast-growing population of 70 million, was cited as a factor in the French and Dutch referendum defeats of the charter meant to ensure an enlarged bloc can work efficiently.

    New French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy cast doubt on Paris' support for further enlargement due to the political uncertainty following the defeat of the constitution.

    "Without the treaty, it seems to me difficult to add more states when the rules of living together have not been clearly defined," he told the daily Le Figaro in an interview published on Monday.

    ANXIETY

    A senior official from one new member state said there were some signals, particularly from Austria, that it could be difficult to ratify the accession treaties of Romania and Bulgaria, due to join the bloc next in 2007.

    Some countries were raising the possibility of delaying their entry by a year, as the accession agreement allows.

    But German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer insisted the curt reference to enlargement did not signal any change of heart, saying there was no need to say something substantial.

    "It's all a question of how you say hello ... This certainly is a friendly hello," he told reporters.

    The EU's Luxembourg presidency briefly withdrew any mention of enlargement from the draft summit statement last Friday due to differences among member states.

    That triggered anxiety among the candidate countries -- Romania and Bulgaria, due to join in 2007, Croatia and Turkey, due to start talks this year, and other Western Balkans states which are more distant prospects for membership.

    Ministers agreed on Monday that some reference was essential to reassure the aspirants and financial markets.

    Member states must still approve a negotiating mandate for the executive European Commission, which could lead to more wrangling over Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus until there is a political settlement on the divided island, diplomats said.

    But Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot made clear that his country's vote should not delay Ankara's start of talks.

    Asked if talks with Turkey were still on course, he told reporters: "Yes, they are on track. If Turkey is on track, we are on track."



     
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