European press review

Papers are divided over Monday's meeting in Luxembourg of EU foreign ministers which paved the way for accession talks with Turkey.

Some disagree on Austria's stance opposing full EU membership for Turkey, while others ponder on forthcoming membership negotiations.

Wedding bells?

Germany's Der Tagesspiegel likens the events in Luxembourg to an engagement party which went wrong.

It says the EU was like a woman who, on the eve of the celebrations, decided that more discussions were needed about the question of whether in the end the couple should perhaps only remain good friends.

On Monday Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul found himself in the role of the fiance whose feelings had been hurt Der Tagesspiegel

Meanwhile, the man was wondering whether he should turn up for the party at all, the paper continues.

"On Monday Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul found himself in the role of the fiance whose feelings had been hurt," it says.

Slovakia's Pravda sees Turkey as "a tenacious suitor". It expects the EU-Turkey "marriage contract" to take at least a decade to draft.

This will give dynamic Turkey enough time to prepare for entry, and Europe to negotiate any needed transitional period.

"It is bad luck that the lady, whose hand in marriage Turkey seeks, is going through a deep crisis," the daily added.

'Path to happiness'

Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says Vienna's demands were justified.

"You have to wonder about the obstinacy and the creative poverty of those who regard Turkey's full membership as the only path to happiness," the paper says.

It argues that close ties with Turkey could take many forms, and that it would be a "fiasco" if Europe's voters were to reject full membership after years of negotiations.

Germany's Die Welt also supports Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel's stance.

The paper argues that full membership for Turkey has no democratic legitimacy and does not make any economic sense.

"Schuessel deserves credit for having disturbed the worshipping congregation of the 'yes' camp," the paper says.

'Isolated' Austria

Austria's Der Standard says the country "asked for a lot" but "achieved little".

It believes that Vienna's insistence that an alternative to full membership should be written into the negotiations framework had isolated it within the EU.

The paper adds that, far from backing down, Austria "increased its demands even more" - a move which was met with "complete incomprehension" by its EU partners.

The way in which Austria wanted to put Turkey down at the last moment will be bad for the country in the EU Die Tageszeitung

According to the daily, in the end Austria merely managed to ensure a stronger emphasis on the EU's ability to admit Turkey.

Austria's Die Presse disagrees.

It believes that Vienna "played a high-risk game and won" because Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel's stance enjoys popular support.

"Nobody can take away from him the merit of having been the only head of government," the paper says, "to have openly expressed the deep unease of Europe's citizens over the EU's policy on Turkey."

It adds that by positioning itself as a supporter of Croatia, Austria has strengthened its role in southeast Europe.

Elsewhere, the paper notes that 80% of Austrians are opposed and only 10% in favour of full membership.

"Nowhere in Europe is the mood as bad as this," it says, "not even in Cyprus."

Germany's Die Tageszeitung warns of the consequences of Vienna's attitude.

"The way in which Austria wanted to put Turkey down at the last moment will be bad for the country in the EU and has already seriously damaged the EU's credibility," the paper says.

Germany's Berliner Zeitung describes Austria's opposition as "bizarre".

It says Vienna started the dispute "hours" before the scheduled start of the talks, after a "40-year run-up" and an explicit decision by EU heads of state and government.

'Bitter' Turkey

"For the current Turkish government", writes France's Le Nouvel Observateur magazine, "Europe represents a means of showing its attachment to constitutional and democratic values and thus of dispelling any criticism over Islamic aspirations."

But it also sees Europe as "an economic necessity", the magazine adds.

"As for nationalist Turks, they view current discussions as a humiliation," the magazine says.

"Their feeling is that whatever they do, more will always be asked of them," it adds.

Elsewhere, the magazine says that "what is graver is the risk of a eurosceptic trend developing in Turkey."

"The Turks are bitter because they do not understand the two points which have been the object of arguments since the summer: Cyprus and the question of a privileged partnership," it writes.

Blair's project

Europe "stands to gain more than it does to lose by opening membership negotiations", concludes Le Nouvel Observateur.

France's Le Figaro agrees.

It believes that failure of the 25 to have reached an agreement would have risked plunging the EU further into the crisis.

"The British presidency would itself have been struck hard, seeing a project dear to Prime Minister Tony Blair run into the ground", it says.

Slovenia's Delo is of the opinion that the decision made by the EU foreign ministers is of key importance for the EU and the British presidency.

"Britain has met one of its key goals," it states.

"Turkey's possible accession will not represent only additional expenses for the Union, but can result in an important strategic advantage, especially in the Middle East," it concludes.

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.