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LUXEMBOURG (AP) - Austria stuck to its position
Monday, resisting Turkey's bid to become the first
predominantly Muslim nation to join the European
Union and forcing EU foreign ministers into a second
day of crisis talks.
The ministers spent eight hours Sunday trying to
sway Austria to endorse a negotiating mandate that
calls for starting entry talks with Turkey later
Monday. But Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula
Plassnik insisted the EU grant Turkey something
short of full membership in case Turkey cannot
assume all membership obligations.
That would add a crucial condition to the
"negotiating framework" the EU leaders agreed on in
December, which unambiguously proclaims that "the
shared objective of the negotiations is (Turkey's)
accession" to the EU.
Plassnik said her middle-of-the-night negotiations
with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw broke no
new ground, telling reporters on arrival at Monday's
talks, "We must not give up hope, but we need to
come nearer to one another."
Straw was equally somber. "I hope we are able to
make progress, but I cannot say for certain we are
able to."
As the hours ticked away to what was hoped to be the
formal start of Turkey's entry talks some said
Europe's credibility lay in the balance.
"We have a great responsibility" to Ankara, which
was given a prospect of EU membership more than four
decades ago, said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean
Asselborn. "An agreement among the EU foreign
ministers would be important for the credibility of
Europe."
Straw said he had spoken by telephone with Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara, who was
preparing to fly to Luxembourg for the entry talks.
Straw said Monday's foreign ministers meeting would
show "whether there is a will" to begin the
negotiations with Turkey, something that requires
unanimous approval of all 25 EU governments.
But the EU's last-minute fence-sitting threw that
prospect — and Turkey's quest to join the EU — into
doubt.
Turkey was made an associate EU member in 1963.
Angered by Austria's intransigence, Ankara has
threatened to boycott's Monday's opening ceremony.
"We are not striving to begin negotiations no matter
what, at any cost," Gul said in an interview
published Sunday in Turkey's Yeni Safak newspaper.
"If the problems aren't solved, then the
negotiations won't begin."
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the
EU should meet the challenge of opening up to Muslim
Turkey.
"Either it will show political maturity and become a
global power, or it will end up a Christian club,"
he said.
Still, Straw, whose country holds the rotating EU
presidency, remained optimistic. EU entry talks with
Turkey "is still not impossible," he said. "Turkey
has been given a prospect of membership for 42
years."
EU ministers expressed frustration with Austria.
"There was very little movement made," Swedish
Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds said. "They
(Austria) have to drop their demands."
"We are in a phase where negotiations are very, very
difficult. There is pressure on us," said Plassnik.
"We are in favor of starting the negotiations, no
question about it, but in order to be able to
consent, we need an improved text."
Diplomats said Austria — wary of bringing the poor,
predominantly Muslim nation of 70 million into the
union — sought to link Turkish membership to the
EU's ability to absorb the country.
AP
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