By Daisy Ayliffe - 2nd October 2005
Europe’s foreign ministers have failed to end a Sunday stalemate over Turkey's EU entry bid at an emergency meeting in Luxembourg.
Late-night talks have ended without agreement on a negotiating framework to open talks with Turkey – discussions that are due to begin on Monday.
Austria is pushing for the EU to include a “favoured nation” status for Turkey, explicitly spelling out the option of less than full membership.
Ankara continues to reject this proposal, and has threatened to walk away if offered a second class deal.
Turkish entry talks are due to begin at 5.00pm on Monday October 3 2005.
Foreign ministers will continue talking right up to the last minute in an attempt to hammer out a deal.
Parallel discussions over Croatia's EU application have been delayed so officials can focus efforts on Turkey.
UK foreign minister Jack Straw expressed the British EU presidency’s disappointment as he left Sunday’s failed talks.
“Twenty-four member states have agreed a text, one has not,” Straw told reporters.
“It's a frustrating situation, but I hope and pray that we may be able to reach an agreement.”
Straw has warned Vienna that keeping Turkey out of the EU would widen the "theological-political divide" between Christian and Muslim nations.
“Turkey has done everything it has been requested to do," Oguz Demiralp, Turkey's EU ambassador said following the break up of Sunday’s talks.
“It's now up to the EU. It's no longer our problem.''
Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds expressed further anguish as she left on Sunday,
“I don't know if there is a possibility to meet Austria's wishes. We do not have much space to move in.”
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