Turkey protests at British minister's remarks

Turkey has complained to Britain over remarks by the foreign secretary, Robin Cook.

In a television programe at the weekend, Mr Cook said Turkey was not a credible candidate for membership of the European Union because of its human rights record and what he called its unclear eastern border -- a reference to the Turkish military incursions against Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq.

The British ambassador in Ankara was summoned to the foreign ministry and asked for an explanation.

The BBC Ankara correspondent says the row is not an encouraging start to Britain's six-month presidency of the European Union, during which it will try to pursuade Turkey to resume its dialogue with the EU.

This was suspended by Ankara last month after it was excluded from a list of candidates for EU membership.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service