EU close to deal on Turkey but not finalised

BRUSSELS, Dec 11 (Reuters) European Union foreign ministers were close to agreeing today to partially suspend Turkey's membership talks but differences over trade with Turkish northern Cyprus were holding up a final deal, Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga said.

The 25 ministers agreed in principle to freeze 8 of the 35 chapters or policy areas into which the accession negotiations are divided, and said Turkey's compliance would be reviewed annually in the European Commission's regular progress reports.

''We are close to an agreement but some remaining issues need to be sorted out,'' Fotyga said. She and other officials said the outstanding problem concerned ending the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriot northern Cyprus.

Reuters PDM RN2311