Turkey’s chances of joining EU at risk

EUROPEAN Union ministers have clashed over whether to revive membership talks with Turkey, with several countries joining Germany in arguing it would send the wrong signal to reward Ankara after a crackdown on protests.

The objections of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and others make it likely the EU will cancel or postpone talks scheduled for tomorrow.

There were plans to brea the new life i nto Turkey’s EU ambitions tomorrow with the opening a new chapter, or policy area, in its membership talks.

However, Germany is blocking the plan over Turkey’s handling of antigovernment protests after police used teargas and water cannon to disperse a demonstration against the redevelopment of an Istanbul square. Two weeks of clashes with police have left four people dead.

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger signalled strong support for Germany’s stance when he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg yesterday.

He said: “We are waiting for signals from Ankara that they are really going to give people in Turkey their rights. They have to think about the behaviour of their police.”

Foreign ministers from Germany and Turkey discussed the issue in Qatar at the weekend and held talks by phone yesterday.