"EU-Turkey deal hits snag
Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:59 AM GMT
'There is disappointment on the Turkish side. Chances to make important changes to the draft appear slim'
Turkish official
By Marie-Louise Moller and Emma Thomasson
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Turkey have inched towards a historic agreement on starting membership talks as an EU summit resumed with fresh compromise proposals on the crucial sticking point of Cyprus.
The 25 EU leaders agreed on Thursday on an offer to open accession negotiations on October 3, 2005, but insisted Turkey, a key NATO ally, must move towards normalising relations with Cyprus by then -- an acutely sensitive point for Ankara.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende after midnight talks failed to break the deadlock, but his delegation said they doubted the EU would back down much on Cyprus."
More:Top News Article | Reuters.co.uk
