Brussels, Belgium – European Union foreign ministers will hold emergency talks this weekend aimed at overcoming Austrian objections to starting entry talks with Turkey, after their envoys failed to reach agreement Thursday, diplomats said.
Austria held to its position that Turkey be offered the option of a lesser partnership rather than full membership in negotiations scheduled to start Monday.
All 25 EU nations have to agree on a negotiating mandate before talks can begin with Ankara.
The deadlock will put further strain on ties with Ankara, which is growing increasingly restless over attempts by several EU nations to put the brakes on opening negotiations.
A British EU presidency spokesman confirmed the EU foreign ministers will hold talks Sunday in Luxembourg on the eve of the planned opening of negotiations with Turkey.
“Twenty-four EU countries could accept the text,” said the British official, who refused to be named because of the sensitivity of the talks.
He added that bilateral talks would continue between London and Vienna to try to get Austria to back down from its demands.
Britain and other EU nations fear that adding changes demanded by Austria will unravel a deal cautiously agreed upon between EU leaders in December, when they decided to open talks with Turkey, with the only goal of full membership.
“It’s not a question of drafting, but it’s a political issue,” said an EU diplomat.
Austria is the most ardent opponent of Turkey’s membership, arguing that the country is too big and not ready to join the EU.
Diplomats said Britain and other member states were unlikely to yield to demands to drop guarantees in the EU’s negotiating mandate – which lays out the rules and a loose time frame – that the goal of those talks is full membership.
