06 05 29 - EU to open actual accession talks with Turkey on June 12- report

29 May 2006- /ISTANBUL zaman.com
Cihan News Agency-World http://www.cihannews.com

The European Union is poised to open actual accession talks with Turkey on June 12, a Turkish internet website reports on Monday.

The ABHaber (EUNews) news portal, basing its report on EU sources, claims that the EU Foreign Ministerial Council will convene in Luxembourg on June 12 to open the actual accession talks if no unforeseen eventuality arises before then.


Turkey and the European Union have been carrying out orientation meetings and screening of Turkey's legal regulations since October 3, 2005 when the EU decided to open talks with Turkey.

The EU and Turkish officials are expected to commence actual accession talks on the chapter of "Science and Technology" whose screening process has been successfully completed.

The opening of actual talks, even of a single chapter, is expected to strengthen the position of reformists in Turkey, including that of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The actual accession talks were expected to commence in the spring of 2006.

Turkey's EU accession process is expected to be long and arduous and susceptible to crises, especially on Cyprus.

Optimistic analysts predict that Turkey with its large population could enter the wealthy bloc by 2015 at the earliest.

V.V