Misgivings as European Union forges ahead with Turkey membership talks

THE European Commission yesterday formally proposed opening membership talks with Turkey on October 3, but acknowledged there are misgivings within the European Union about Turkish membership.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Ollie Rehn said the 25-member EU executive took the decision after "a lengthy, argumentative and very political debate" reflecting lingering misgivings about bringing a relatively poor, overwhelmingly Muslim nation into the fold at a time when the EU is suffering a crisis of confidence about the future of European integration.

To allay those fears, the commission said it would spend €40 million next year to set up a Europewide debate over expansion to Croatia and Turkey, to address "misconceptions and concerns". Rehn said he could not see Turkey joining the EU before 2014.