Turkey Relies on Spanish Support to Speed EU Accession Talks

World | November 17, 2009, Tuesday

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos (C) and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu (2R) listen to a guide's explanation during a visit to the Cordoba Mosque and Cathedral in Cordoba, southern Spain, 15 September 2009. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Turkey is hoping to speed up its accession talks in 2010, once Spain assumes the rotating EU Presidency at the beginning of the year.

"We are placing a lot of hope in the Spanish presidency because Spain understands Turkey’s strategic strong points very well," Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister stated at a conference in Madrid on Monday.

Although Ankara began membership talks in 2005, only 11 of the 35 chapters, or themed conditions, have so far been opened for discussion. France and Germany in particular are opposing Turkey’s entry to the EU.

Also, the Cyprus issue threatens to stall Turkey’s progress. Obligations under the 2004 Ankara Protocol have been incorporated into the accession chapters, and the Cypriot Foreign Minister recently stated that Turkey "would negatively affect its EU accession bid if did not begin complying with its obligations to normalize relations with Nicosia in December this year."

However, at the Madrid talks, the Spanish State Secretary for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido, reiterated Spain's support for Turkey's membership, stressing the country's role as a "bridge between civilizations".

Meanwhile, on the same day, Albania took another step towards EU membership as Europe's foreign ministers officially passed its candidacy to the European Commission.