EU agrees first step in Turkey membership talks

During a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday (12 June), the Cypriot foreign minister, George Iaocovou, gave the go-ahead to open and close the first chapter of the bloc's talks with Turkey which deals with science and research, an area with almost no EU legislation.

Vienna filed five versions of a text accompanying the move, in a bid to make Cyprus drop its veto, with the final wording highlighting previous commitments by Turkey towards the island.

These include opening Turkey's ports and airspace to Cypriot traffic and recognising the Cypriot government in Nicosia.

Failure to implement its obligations in full will affect the overall progress in the negotiations," said Monday's document, adding that the EU "will, if necessary, return to this chapter."

Cyprus was the only member state which blocked the decision until the last minute, with other countries arguing Turkey should not be confronted with additional hurdles in dealing with the least controversial parts of its EU entry talks.

Czech foreign minister Cyril Svoboda said "the EU must be prepared to defend its political stance when dealing with Turkey on other serious issues, but there's absolutely nothing political about this chapter."

An Austrian presidency spokesman pointed out during the heated discussions this morning that failure to open the chapter would be "harmful" for the EU as it would undermine its image of being an "honest partner" in the negotiations with Ankara.

The EU is set to hold an association council with Turkey later this afternoon, with the country's foreign minister Abdullah Gul now on his way to Luxembourg.

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