Merkel bids to soothe EU-Turkey relations

German leader Angela Merkel heads to Turkey for a two day visit at a tense time for Ankara’s EU membership bid.

The chancellor starts a two day trip to Turkey on Thursday.

Berlin’s centre-right led government is sceptical about Turkey’s EU entry and has warned Ankara that it must recognise Cyprus.

“If Ankara does not comply, relevant aspects of the membership procedure will be suspended and others are likely,” FT Europe reports a German official as saying.

The German premier is also set to meet religious leaders in Turkey. Analysts say the meetings will allow the EU to pressure Anakara for greater religious freedom.

Merkel's visit comes as she prepares to take over the EU presidency in 2007, when Turkey will continue to be a hot topic.

During her six month EU presidency she will attempt to prove she can be an honest broker between Brussels and Ankara.

But in a speech in Turkey on Wednesday, European enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn fired shots across Merkel’s bow.

Rehn used his speech to warn Turkish EU membership skeptics – such as Merkel and French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy - against offering Ankara a “privileged partnership" rather than full membership.

"We should stop deceiving ourselves on the relevance of privileged partnership," he declared.

The EU enlargement chief warned that talk of a “privileged partnership” is eroding the credibility of the EU, after membership talks were opened with Ankara last year.

"It reduces the political incentive for reforms and causes a backlash among ordinary Turks," Rehn added.

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