EU to resume Turkey accession talks

A top European Union official said today that the bloc has decided to revive long-dormant EU membership talks with Turkey later this year.

Commissioner Stefan Fuele said on Twitter that a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg had decided to resume the negotiations if a report assessing Turkey’s situation – due in October – is approved.

The talks were scheduled for this week but Germany and others blocked them because of the Turkish government’s harsh crackdown on recent street protests.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said today that “a hurdle standing in the way of relations between the EU and Turkey has been overcome”.

Turkey began EU accession negotiations in 2005, but has made little progress since.