EU agrees partial freeze of Turkey talks

Brussels, Dec 12: European Union Foreign Ministers agreed today to partially freeze Turkey's membership talks over its failure to open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus, the EU's Finnish presidency said.

Ministers voted to suspend eight of the 35 chapters or policy areas into which the talks are divided, covering trade and transport, and review Turkey's compliance annually until 2009. Other sectors of the negotiations will go ahead but not be concluded until Turkey complies with its obligations on Cyprus.

They also agreed in principle on steps to end the economic isolation of northern Cyprus, but that accord is to be confirmed in January, diplomats said.

REUTERS

Related Stories