"Portugal opposes referendum on Turkey's EU bid 18/12/2004
Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes is opposed to holding a referendum on Turkey's bid to join to the European Union, Portuguese media reported on Saturday. 'Turkey's bid is not a controversial issue in Portugal, a tolerant, multicultural country open to the possibility of accepting other members,' Santana Lopes told reporters from Brussels on Friday. 'Turkey's membership will enable the EU to expand its borders in strategically important territories,' Lopes said. 'It is a country with a population of close to 70 million, which will certainly contribute to enriching the EU... the sort of multicultural Europe that we hope to develop,' he added. After a two-day summit, leaders of the 25 EU states on Friday agreed terms to begin accession talks with Ankara on October 3, with negotiations likely to last for at least a decade. Several EU member states, including Austria and France, have announced plans to hold referendums on the vast Muslim nation's EU membership bid. "
EUbusiness - Portugal opposes referendum on Turkey's EU bid
