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EU mulls Turkey talks suspension EU urged to freeze Turkey talks
(about 5 hours later)
The European Commission is set to recommend that parts of the EU's talks with Turkey about EU membership should be suspended, the BBC has learned. The European Commission has recommended that some elements of talks with Turkey about its hopes of joining the EU should be frozen.
The recommendations follow the breakdown of talks over the divided island of Cyprus.The recommendations follow the breakdown of talks over the divided island of Cyprus.
Turkey's refusal to recognise the Cypriot government has become an obstacle to Turkey's membership hopes.Turkey's refusal to recognise the Cypriot government has become an obstacle to Turkey's membership hopes.
The recommendations will come despite a last-ditch effort by the Finnish prime minister to rescue the Turkish talks. The recommendations come despite a last-ditch effort by the Finnish prime minister to rescue the Turkish talks.
Finland currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will visit Turkey on Friday to meet his Turkish counterpart.Finland currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, and Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will visit Turkey on Friday to meet his Turkish counterpart.
But after Finland said on Monday that talks over the Cyprus issue were deadlocked, the European Commission brought forward an announcement it was due to make next week.But after Finland said on Monday that talks over the Cyprus issue were deadlocked, the European Commission brought forward an announcement it was due to make next week.
The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels has learned from sources that the Commission is expected to recommend later on Wednesday that six of the 34 areas of negotiation between the EU and Turkey should be suspended. It said eight of the 35 areas of negotiation between the EU and Turkey should be suspended.
While this does not mean Turkey's application would be halted altogether, it could make it difficult to get full negotiations back on track, our correspondent says. Final decision awaited
Trade dispute "There is a unanimous decision by the member states to conduct accession negotiations with Turkey... Turkey has undoubtedly made progress. But it has still not implemented all obligations it has agreed to," EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement.
The final decision on whether to suspend negotiations will be made by EU foreign ministers, or by heads of government when they meet in mid-December. The EU insists that Turkey fulfils its commitment to open its ports to traffic from Cyprus, but Turkey says it will not do so until the EU eases its embargo on Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.
Turkey wants the EU to ease its embargo on Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.
The EU insists that Turkey must open its ports to traffic from Cyprus.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded to counter a Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta ruling Greece at the time.Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded to counter a Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta ruling Greece at the time.
The final decision on whether to suspend negotiations will be made by EU foreign ministers, or by heads of government when they meet in mid-December.
If they suspend some chapters of the talks, it would not mean Turkey's application would be halted altogether, but could make it difficult to get full negotiations back on track, says the BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels.