04/10/2010 12:59
Negotiations on Turkey’s membership to EU suspended
The negotiations on Turkey’s membership to the European Union have been suspended, Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bağış declared Sunday.
According to Radio Mayak, the Turkish official reported that the process was interrupted due to political intrigues none of the countries claiming for EU membership has come across so far.
Since 1995 Ankara managed to start negotiations with only 13 countries out of 33. Negotiations are compulsory for a country seeking to become a full member of EU, but 17 chapters of the document are blocked due to the Cyprus problem and Turkey’s refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus which has been a member of EU since 2004. Besides, France and Germany have a special stance. They stand against Ankara’s becoming a full member of EU.