Commission recommends 'slowdown' in Turkey talks

The European Commission has decided to recommend that accession negotiations with Turkey be put in slow mode until Ankara decides to adhere to its pre-negotiations commitments, particularly on Cyprus.

The Commission's recommendation, coming after several warnings to Turkey in the past months, has still to be approved by member states. The issue is set to dominate discussions at the next EU summit in Brussels scheduled for mid-December.

The Commission yesterday tried to play down the decision, with Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn saying that this was not a freeze or a suspension of negotiations. But diplomats said the decision effectively means that the EU will be halting its negotiations with Ankara.

In its recommendation, approved at the end of a lengthy Commission college meeting in Brussels, the Commission said that it should not open negotiations with Turkey on chapters covering policy areas relevant to Turkey's restrictions as regards Cyprus until the Commission confirms that Turkey has fulfilled its commitments. The chapters which will not be opened are deemed crucial in the accession process and include the free movement of goods, freedom of services, agriculture and rural development, customs union and external relations.

The main row which led to yesterday's decision is the refusal of Turkey to open its ports and airspace to Cypriot vessels and planes. This goes against the so-called Ankara Protocol which Turkey agreed to implement as a condition before starting accession negotiations.

The Commission is also recommending that no chapter of the acquis shall be provisionally closed until Turkey adheres to its obligations.

Commission President José Manuel Barroso said the negotiations with Turkey must be credible if they are to continue.

"Turkey has still not implemented its obligations as it had agreed to. The Commission's recommendation is both clear and measured. The overall progress of negotiations depends on the overall progress of the respect of the obligations agreed to."

Addressing the Brussels press corps, Mr Rehn attempted to put a positive spin on the move and assure an increasingly eurosceptic audience in Turkey that the accession progress remains alive and well.

"This is not a train crash and this is not a freeze of negotiations. This is a slowing down. The train can still move on these recommendations."

He said that Europe needs a stable, democratic and increasingly prosperous Turkey but this has to be achieved by adhering to the rules of the game.

Yesterday's decision is now expected to be discussed by member states next week during a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels. However, the final decision is expected to be taken by EU leaders during the summit marking the end of the Finnish Presidency.