EU presidency calls for continued membership talks with Turkey

Jan 7, 2008, 14:18 GMT

Ljubljana - The country tasked with setting the European Union's agenda for the next six months, Slovenia, called on Monday for continued EU accession talks with Turkey.

'We are in favour of continuing negotiations with Turkey, but we need the total support of all EU member states,' Slovene Prime Minister Janez Jansa told a group of EU correspondents who had travelled to Slovenia for the start of its EU presidency.

Turkey is an official candidate for EU membership, but its bid to join the bloc is opposed by several current members, most notably France.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has repeatedly said that he thinks Turkey should not become a full member of the union, but should be offered a 'privileged partnership' instead. France is set to take over the EU presidency on July 1.

To qualify for EU membership, Turkey has to bring its legislation in line with EU laws in 35 areas known as the 'negotiating chapters.' So far, only six of the chapters have been opened.

Shortly after his election in May, Sarkozy said France would only approve the opening of negotiating chapters if the EU set up a 'group of the wise' to discuss broad issues concerning the bloc's future.

EU leaders agreed to his proposal last year. However, at a subsequent meeting of EU foreign ministers, French officials insisted that the word 'accession' be dropped from a document referring to the status of Turkey's talks - a move fiercely criticized in Turkey as an attempt to back out of talks.