Blair defends EU Turkey delay

Feelings are running high among Turks

Tony Blair has defended the delay in negotiations for Turkey's membership of the European Union.

The country has been told it must wait at least two more years to prove it can meet EU criteria on democracy and accountability.

Likely new members

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Estonia

Hungary

Latvia

Lithuania

Malta

Poland

Slovakia

Slovenia

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The Turkish prime minister has angrily accused the EU of "discrimination", after its application was opposed by France and Germany.

But Mr Blair, who has led calls for Turkish membership, said the agreement was a "huge step forward".

He admitted: "Turkey would have liked an earlier date," but added: "For 40 years Turkey has been waiting for a firm date, and this is a firm date".

He said negotiations could start sooner if Turkey met the criteria for entry.

"This is a firm date in December 2004 and it's not that negotiations may be opened if they meet the criteria... we will open negotiations," said Mr Blair.

	:	Looking to the EU
Views from candidate countries

People at EU summits "never get everything they want" but, for Turkey, this was "a huge step forward after 40 years of trying," he added.

Funding row

Mr Blair's comments come as European leaders begin a day of horse-trading in Copenhagen, as the 15 EU members and the 10 candidate states hammer the final details of the historic enlargement deal.

Late on Thursday, the EU's Danish presidency announced a funding package for the candidates, worth a total of 40.5bn euros (£30bn) over a period of three years.

The new funding deal offers the 10 candidates about 1.5bn euros more than a previous package approved in October.

It now awaits approval by the candidates countries themselves.

Poland is understood to be holding out for a better deal on agricultural subsidies.

Efforts

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, UK Foreign Secretary Straw said he was satisfied all applicant states had made sufficient economic and political progress to justify EU membership.

He said the "standard of governance in the new members is very much higher than what they otherwise be precisely because of the process of them seeking to join the EU over a number of years".

On Turkey, he said efforts to fulfil EU entry criteria had been a major engine of change for the better.

Possible timetable

December 2002: 10 countries invited to join

April 2003: Accession treaty to be signed in Athens

May 2004: New members join

Dec 2004: Turkey invited to start membership talks

2007: Bulgaria and Romania join EU

Click here for a timeline of the EU

Ankara had introduced major legislative and economic changes as well as abolishing the death penalty, Mr Straw pointed out.

"This is a pretty good deal for Turkey ... they were expecting something in 2005/2006.

"It is thanks to efforts by the UK government, but particularly by the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, that I can tell you that sentiment really has shifted in the last few days in favour of a much more positive date for Turkey (to begin negotiations) - and that is what they're going to get," he added.

Iraq

Mr Straw denied a possible war in Iraq - and America's desire to keep Turkey in the Western fold - had any influence on the UK's support for Turkey.

"Our support for Turkey's membership of the European Union pre-dates any possibility of action against Iraq by about 20 years, and we've been very actively supporting Turkey's application for membership, particularly since we came into government in May 1997," he said.

He said the UK government "wanted to see a democratic market economy Muslim country coming into the European Union".

Muslim country

Turkey had been pressing for an immediate start to its negotiations on joining the EU.

It has been kept waiting for decades because of its poor human rights record, but the newly-elected government believes a recent rush of new legislation means it deserves to begin talks soon.

France and Germany have both backed 2005 as a starting date, provided Turkey meets its obligations on human rights.

But former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who is chairing a forum on Europe's future, has made clear his view that Turkey - as an eastern, mainly Muslim country - has no place in the EU.