EU to move forward Turkey accession talks-Rehn

STRASBOURG, France, Dec 12 (Reuters) The European Union is ready to open new policy areas in Turkey's membership talks this year to show that a partial freeze on negotiations over Cyprus will not halt the process, Enlargement Commission Olli Rehn said today.

''Turkey is ready to proceed as soon as possible ... with the opening of chapters for which technical preparations have been completed,'' Rehn told a news conference a day after EU foreign ministers agreed to suspend part of Turkey's accession process.

Member states were holding special meetings this week and some negotiating chapters would be ready to open before Christmas, he said.

Rehn praised Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's statement in response to the EU decision that Ankara would press ahead with reforms needed to qualify for membership of the bloc.

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