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EU agrees to start Turkey talks

EU foreign ministers have agreed on a common position to start membership talks with Turkey after Cyprus raised last-minute objections.

The agreement came after crisis talks between the Austrian EU presidency and Cyprus on Sunday night and Monday.

Cyprus wanted the EU to press Turkey to recognise Cyprus - divided since 1974 - and open its ports to Cypriot ships.

Turkey threatened to boycott the meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg unless Cyprus compromised.

The EU informed Ankara about the agreement. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who had delayed his departure, was expected to sett off to join the other foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

The EU went some way towards accepting Cyprus' demands.

The EU text reminds Turkey that "failure to implement its obligations in full will affect the overall progress in the negotiations," Reuters news agency reports.

The agreement means Turkey is on course to conclude the first and easiest of 35 EU policy "chapters" which have to be fulfilled for its membership bid to succeed. The first chapter concerns science and technology.

Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004, despite the fact that it has been divided since 1974.

The split came when Turkey occupied the northern third of the island, following an abortive Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta ruling Greece at the time.

Turkey says recognition of Cyprus is linked to a UN-sponsored peace plan to reunite the island, which Turkish Cypriots accepted but Greek Cypriots rejected in 2004.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5071806.stm