"Turkey may join EU by 2014
Fri 3 December, 2004 14:33
ROME (Reuters) - Turkey could enter the European Union as early as 2014, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini says, reiterating Italy's support for Turkey's bid to launch EU accession talks in the first half of 2005.
'Obviously it's impossible to give a realistic idea today of the timetable in which accession talks could be concluded,' Fini told the Italian parliament on Friday.
'There is considerable consensus on a scenario that in the most favourable of hypotheses Turkish accession to the EU would be seen on January 1, 2014,' he added.
Last week, Fini said he hoped a December 17 summit of EU leaders would set a date for the start of talks with Turkey in the first half of 2005.
On Friday, Turkey also won strong expressions of support from Belgium and from the head of the European Parliament for its drive to open EU entry talks next year without further conditions.
But France, Austria and Denmark have suggested an alternative to full EU membership be spelled out."
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