EU says does not want to chase Turkey from talks

BERLIN, Nov 30 (Reuters) Europe does not want to drive Turkey from the negotiating table, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said today, a day after Brussels recommended a partial freeze of Ankara's talks to join the bloc.

''This is not an opportunity to chase Turkey away from the negotiating table,'' Barroso told an open session of the Europe committee of the German parliament.

He added that this was not what the European Commission wanted.

The Commission recommended on Wednesday suspending eight chapters of the membership talks after Turkey refused to open ports and airports to traffic from EU member Cyprus.

Barroso said he expected the bloc's 25 member states to approve the recommendation with little or no changes when they meet next month.

''It's up to Turkey to show it is willing to comply with its obligations,'' Barroso said.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to press on with political reforms and said the EU decision does not amount to a real suspension of talks.

Ankara has said it will open its ports to shipping from Cyprus only if the EU fulfils a pledge to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriot northern Cyprus.

REUTERS AB RN1819