The European Union pledged yesterday to open accession talks with Turkey "without delay" if the country meets strict EU human rights and democracy conditions in 2004, an EU official said.

The move should please Turkey, which grudgingly agreed at a landmark EU enlargement summit to wait until December 2004 before the EU decides whether to start negotiations. Ankara had hoped to win a firm date for opening the talks in 2003.

"The conclusions on Turkey have been improved. We have added the words "without delay" for the opening of accession negotiations," the official told Reuters.

Usually, a candidate country can expect to wait up to six months before being able to begin accession talks once the European Commission, the EU's executive, and the member states have given their green light.

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