"Turkey plays down expectations on EU progress
Turkey appears to be playing down expectations about progress in EU talks, with Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan saying on Thursday that Turkey might not open the education and culture chapter on Monday as scheduled.
Turkey got the go ahead to start accession negotiations last October but so far only a screening process has taken place and no negotiation chapters have opened.
Next week is supposed to see the opening of the chapter on education and culture and the opening and closing of the chapter on science and research.
“Everyone should be ready for occasional slippages and problems with the EU,” Turkish Daily News reported Babacan saying in a press conference.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is supposed to travel to Luxembourg for a last minute meeting with EU foreign ministers on Monday."
More:Financial Mirror
