"Turkey Sees No Imminent Deal on EU Talks Issue
ANKARA, 27 August 2005 — Turkey does not expect EU foreign ministers to reach agreement on a negotiating mandate for its talks to join the European Union when they meet in Wales on Sept. 1-2, Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan said yesterday. But Babacan said Turkey was optimistic that it will start talks to join the European Union on schedule on Oct. 3 despite growing opposition within the bloc to Ankara’s membership bid.
“There is only a weak chance of getting a final decision (on the text) on Sept 1-2... (But) we want the negotiation framework document to be signed before Oct 3,” he said. Some EU member states, notably France, are wary about taking in the large, relatively poor, Muslim country, though Turkey is not expected to join the bloc before 2015 at the earliest."
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