EU resumes accession talks with Turkey
The European Union has opened a new stage of membership talks with Turkey, three months after imposing a partial freeze.
The two sides started talks in a second of 35 policy areas, which Turkey has to complete - showing that it meets EU standards - before it can join the EU.
Last December the EU froze talks in eight areas, calling on Turkey to open its ports to Cypriot ships.
Turkey said on Thursday that it would announce plans next month to carry out all the necessary reforms anyway.
"We will be announcing a program by which we will be continuing our reforms and this program will cover all the 35 chapters, even those chapters which will not be opened because of issues... relating to Cyprus," said Turkey's EU negotiator, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, BBC reports.
The two sides started talks in a second of 35 policy areas, which Turkey has to complete - showing that it meets EU standards - before it can join the EU.
Last December the EU froze talks in eight areas, calling on Turkey to open its ports to Cypriot ships.
Turkey said on Thursday that it would announce plans next month to carry out all the necessary reforms anyway.
"We will be announcing a program by which we will be continuing our reforms and this program will cover all the 35 chapters, even those chapters which will not be opened because of issues... relating to Cyprus," said Turkey's EU negotiator, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, BBC reports.
