Turkey tells EU envoys Don't block our path

ANKARA, Dec 1 (Reuters) Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul urged EU member states today not to block Turkey's path and repeated Ankara's annoyance over the European Commission's call for a partial suspension of its EU entry talks.

The Commission proposed on Wednesday freezing talks on eight out of 35 negotiating areas, or chapters, until Turkey opens its ports to shipping from EU member Cyprus. EU foreign ministers are due to decide on the recommendation on December 11.

''We are not happy with this recommendation,'' Gul was quoted by Foreign Ministry officials as telling European Union ambassadors at a lunch in the capital Ankara.

''Turkey wants to reach EU standards and transform itself. Do not stop a Turkey which is trying to make this change by its own efforts,'' Gul was quoted as saying.

The officials said the envoys reassured Gul they wanted Turkey's EU accession process to continue.

''The EU has many problems to deal with, so failing to reach agreement in the Council on Turkey would send a bad signal to the outside world, and we do not want this,'' one Turkish official quoted the ambassadors as telling Gul.

Muslim but secular Turkey began its EU membership talks last year but they have ground to a virtual halt in recent months due to blocking tactics by the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government over the ports issue.

Ankara does not recognise the Greek Cypriot government, instead backing breakaway Turkish Cypriots in the north of the divided island where it also keeps about 35,000 troops.

Turkey says it will open its ports to Cypriot traffic only when the EU lifts trade barriers against the Turkish Cypriots.

The prime minister of Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, was due to hold talks later on Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in a fresh effort to close the gap between Ankara and the EU over Cyprus.

Cyprus, backed by some other sceptics on Turkey's EU bid, said on Thursday the Commission proposal to freeze eight chapters was too weak and threatened to block the whole process.

All 25 EU member states must approve the opening and closing of each chapter in the lengthy process.

Reuters PDM RN2020