Turkey rejects any changes to EU agreement

A Turkish official today said Turkey had rejected proposed changes to its framework agreement to opening accession talks with the European Union.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that “the EU has proposed some changes to the framework document. Our minister has rejected them all.”

Accession talks are scheduled to open later today, but Austria has insisted Turkey be offered a partnership, not full membership.

“The responsibility is with the EU ... If there is no result, there will be no departure from here,” Tan said.

Officials have said that Turkey’s delegation to open EU accession talks, which is to be led by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, will not depart from Turkey until the minister has seen and approved the EU accession framework that lays out the plans for negotiations.