Cyprus, Netherlands, France block EU move on Turkey

BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (Reuters) Cyprus, the Netherlands and France have frustrated a bid by EU president Finland and the European Commission to move forward in Turkey's European Union membership talks before the year-end, diplomats said today.

The EU this week partially suspended Ankara's accession negotiations over its refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus. But ministers agreed talks on policy areas not covered by the freeze should go ahead.

Asked whether the EU would open a new subject, known as a chapter, in negotiations before Christmas, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja told a news conference: ''That would naturally be in the spirit of the decisions we have taken.'' EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn called this week for the bloc to open the next chapter, which would be on economic and monetary policy, to prove the process was not stalled.

But Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos was quoted by the Cypriot news agency as saying there was no time to open new chapters before the end of the year and that Nicosia retained its right of veto.

''Each member state continues to maintain its right to object to the opening of a negotiating chapter,'' he said.

Diplomats said the French and Dutch argued it would send a confusing message to voters if the EU rewarded Turkey by starting a new round of negotiations at exactly the same time as the bloc was punishing it by freezing part of the talks.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she expected to open one or two of the 35 chapters into which the talks were divided early in Germany's EU presidency that starts on Jan. 1.

French President Jacques Chirac reaffirmed his long-term support for Turkey's EU membership bid, in contrast to conservative presidential frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy, who is strongly opposed to admitting Ankara.

''I have always said and known that Turkey's entry would be difficult but that it was a great challenge that is necessary for the stability and development of the whole region,'' Chirac told a news conference.

''That is why I have always spoken in favour of negotiations with Turkey, while knowing very well they would be long and difficult,'' he said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair demonstrated his strong backing for Turkey by flying to Ankara for a brief visit hours after the EU's Brussels summit.

''It's very important that we maintain the momentum for Turkish accession, taking account of all the difficulties that there are,'' Blair told reporters.

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