EU tries to repair ties with Turkey after starting date ‘snub’

EU LEADERS were struggling to repair relations with Turkey at the Copenhagen summit yesterday, as the failure to give them a starting date for EU membership talks sparked bitter recriminations.

Hopes of resolving 28 years of a divided Cyprus were dashed when the Turkish Cypriot representative walked out of talks just before the 4.30pm deadline, saying he would not sign anything. This was being blamed on Turkey's fury at the EU leaders' decision not to give them a firm date for talks. They had to settle instead for a date "as soon as possible" after December 2004 if they address concerns about their human rights record. Intense pressure from the US on Turkey's behalf appeared to backfire as French President Jacques Chirac accused them of blackmail and European Parliament president Pat Cox said the US had been heavy-handed.

Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul accused Mr Chirac of trying to maintain the EU as a Christian club.