TALKS ON TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL OPEN IF SHE RECOGNIZES INDEPENDENCE OF CYPRUS

After a final few hours of discussion, EU leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels decided to set October 3, 2005 as a date for opening membership talks with Turkey in case the latter recognizes the independence and territorial integrity of Cyprus. Today current head of the European Council, Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende started negotiations with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.