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.

The EU executive's announcement was in line with a deal reached last December by the 25 EU leaders. The commission's plan for entry talks - which sets out the technical aspects of how the negotiations will be conducted - will need unanimous backing by EU governments before the October 3 talks can begin. But the negotiations will not inevitably lead to membership for Turkey, Rehn told a news conference.

"We have to realise the talks are open-ended and not automatic," he said.

According to the document setting out the negotiation plan, talks will be based on Turkey's "own merits and the pace will depend on Turkey's progress in meeting the requirements for membership."

The proposal reiterates the warning that EU governments can recommend the talks be suspended "in the case of a serious and persistent breach" of democratic and human rights standards. If Turkey cannot be brought into the union, Ankara "must be assured" of a special relationship with the EU by "anchoring it in European structures," Rehn said. He said that disagreement within the EU regarding Turkey is unlikely to change in the years ahead.

Bringing Turkey into the EU will be a daunting task. Talks are to focus on 35 issues, including everything from free movement of goods to food safety standards. During the talks, Turkey will have to adopt some 80,000 pages of EU rules into its national laws.Turkey is said to have made huge strides in political and economic reforms already, but more is asked of it. The EU also wants it to recognise new member Cyprus, the Mediterranean island divided between an internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish-occupied north.

Turkey's predominantly Muslim society and large population pose major hurdles. Although its current population of 71 million is smaller than that of Germany - currently 82 million - it is expected to grow to nearly 89 million by 2025. As the largest country in the EU, Turkey would have the most votes in decision-making bodies.