France tells Turkey to act fast on EU concerns

PARIS, Nov 8 (Reuters) The European Union should review the timetable for Turkey's EU membership bid unless Ankara moves fast to meet European Commission demands on Cyprus, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said today.

The European Commission earlier announced that it was giving Turkey until mid-December to open its ports to ships from Cyprus or face unspecified consequences for its EU negotiations.

''It is clear that Turkey is not fulfiling its obligations,'' Douste-Blazy told parliament, adding that if it failed to do so before the end of the year ''it seems to me necessary to review Turkey's European Union membership timetable.'' Reuters AKJ DB2052