EU Head Office Starts Meeting on Turkey
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The European Union's head office opened a meeting Wednesday at which it was likely to recommend that Turkey begin EU membership talks with one key proviso: that negotiations be halted if Ankara backtracks on sweeping democratic and human rights reforms.
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Key facts on Turkey, which hopes to win a date from the European Union this week to begin entry talks:
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BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union's head office opened a meeting Wednesday where it was likely to recommend that Turkey begin EU membership talks with one key proviso: that negotiations be halted if Ankara backtracks on sweeping democratic and human rights reforms.    If the European Commission's expected recommendation is formally approved by the 25 EU leaders at a December summit, entry talks could begin in early 2005, capping years of lobbying by Turkish officials who say their country could form a bridge between Muslim countries and Europe...
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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s positive meetings yesterday in Brussels brought Turkey closer to its objective of becoming a member of the European Union (EU).
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EU foreign ministers met on Monday to make final preparations for a landmark decision later this week to open entry talks with Turkey amid renewed evidence of strong opposition to Turkish membership in key EU ...
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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet EU enlargement chief Guenter Verheugen this week, officials said Tuesday as Ankara seeks to defuse a spat with Brussels ahead of a crunch EU report.
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Turkey took a significant step Wednesday toward its long-cherished goal of joining the European Union when the E.U.'s executive branch proposed opening formal negotiations over membership for the predominately Muslim nation.
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BRUSSELS - EU leaders gather Thursday to make a long-awaited decision on launching entry talks with Turkey, widely expected to give the green light despite last-ditch haggling over the exact terms of the offer.
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The European Union head office will likely push for stringent and long-term conditions to membership for Turkey as part of its expected approval on Wednesday to start entry negotiations, which are likely to last at least 10 years.
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The European Union must vote to start membership talks with Turkey immediately and without attaching more conditions when its leaders meet tomorrow in Brussels, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said.
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The European Union and Turkey reached  a historic agreement on Friday on starting talks on admitting  the large Muslim nation to the bloc after overcoming last  minute haggling over Ankara's relationship with EU member  Cyprus.
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Description: This past week, the 25-member European Union agreed with Turkey to hold formal talks aimed at the possible admission of the predominately Muslim country into the European economic and political alliance.
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The European Commission says Turkey can begin talks on joining the EU - but Ankara must meet stiff conditions.
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Turkey&#39;s prime minister expressed confidence that the European Union&#39;s executive will recommend opening talks for his Muslim-majority country&#39;s membership this week, saying Sunday that admitting Turkey to the union would contribute to &quot;reconciliation
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Turkey was on course on Wednesday to get a date to start open-ended negotiations on European Union membership as final elements of a compromise package came together on the eve of a landmark EU summit.
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With the Turkish prime minister lobbying to the last minute, European Union leaders Thursday night reached a historic decision to open membership talks with Turkey late next year.
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BRUSSELS, Belgium  - European Union leaders agreed to open negotiations with Turkey next year on eventual EU membership but Turkey's prime minister said more talks are needed before his government could decide whether to accept the offer.