EU-Turkey agree to resume membership talks despite protest crackdown
25 June 2013 | 16:35 | FOCUS News Agency
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Luxembourg. Turkey and the EU mended fences Tuesday, agreeing to reopen long stalled talks on Turkey's EU membership despite strong reticence from Germany and others over Ankara's tough crackdown on anti-government protests, AFP reported.
Ireland, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said EU ministers agreed to resume membership talks with Turkey after a three-year break, but that a date to kick off the negotiations would be announced in the autumn.
European Affairs ministers meeting in Luxembourg "agree to open Chapter 22", an Irish statement said, referring to one of 35 sets of EU rules and regulations that candidates to membership of the bloc must satisfy before gaining entry to the European club.
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