"Berlusconi: Italy will Strongly Support Turkey's EU Hopes
By AP
Published: Wednesday 25, 2005
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday that Italy will top the list of countries backing Turkey when Ankara starts European Union membership talks in October.
Berlusconi's statements came as Turkey's expectations on membership prospects have diminished. There is strong opposition in France and other EU countries to poor, crowded and predominantly Muslim Turkey becoming a member. "
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