Nail biting breakthrough on EU-Turkey talks

EU foreign ministers have reached a deal clearing the way for accession talks with Turkey to begin, officials announced on Monday.

Turkish membership opponents, Austria were forced to back down from their demand for a privileged partnership for Ankara - less than two hours before talks with Turkey were officially due to open.

The deal has been forwarded to Turkish negotiators for final approval as EU diplomats await a response.

The US intervened to try to rescue the membership talks as a diplomatic deadlock deepened.

British foreign minister, Jack Straw steered the "difficult" talks and told reporters the EU was "on the edge of a precipice" on Monday afternoon.

Turkish objections to a 'partnership' clause it fears could affect NATO membership piled on top of Austrian demands that left some member states fearing all hope for a last minute solution had been lost.

“I don't know if there is a possibility to meet Austria's wishes. We do not have much space to move in,” Swedish foreign minister Laila Freivalds warned as she left stalled EU negotiations in Luxembourg late on Sunday night.

Brussels promised Ankara last year that EU entry talks would get underway on October 3 2005, but Austria’s resistance over the negotiating framework made for a nail-biting ending.

Austria was left isolated within the EU on Turkish membership, which is supported by the 24 other states.

“Twenty-four member states have agreed a text, one has not,” Jack Straw insisted.

But Vienna maintained that it was speaking for those across the EU who do not support accession.

According to an Austrian poll published on Sunday, 54 per cent of EU citizens oppose Turkey joining the EU.

The figure rises to 73 per cent in Austria, where historical antagonism towards Turkish Ottoman imperialism combines with fears surrounding Muslim immigration.

Turkey rejected Austria's proposal for an explicit alternative to full membership, which it argued would give it a second-class status.

Before the breakthrough, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his party he would not compromise on the conditions for starting talks.

"We have protected and are continuing to protect our stance, which is appropriate to Turkey's national interests and political principles," he declared.

Erdogan warned the EU against passing up an opportunity to bridge a "clash of civilisations" between the Christian and Muslim worlds by scuppering Turkey's 40-year dream of membership.

"Either [the EU] will show political maturity and become a global power, or it will end up a Christian club. We will, however, be saddened at that a project for the alliance of civilisations will be harmed."

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