" Europe Asks Turkey to Hold Membership Talks Next Year
By SUSAN SACHS
Published: December 17, 2004
RUSSELS, Dec. 17 - Despite widespread public opposition, the European Union's political leaders today invited Turkey to start talks next year on joining the organization.
The 25 prime ministers and presidents offered Oct. 3, 2005, as the starting date, and said they expected Turkey to start normalizing its trade relations by then with its longtime adversaries in Cyprus.
Prime Minister Recip Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who bargained hard for a precise date for the talks, was preparing to return home to Ankara to begin the task of selling the European Union offer to Turks."
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