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6/25/13

TURKEY: Germany, Netherlands block opening new EU policy talks with Turkey

The EU ambassadors of Germany and the Netherlands on Thursday refused to give a green light to the opening of a new negotiation "chapter" or policy area in Turkey's membership talks with the European Union.

At the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) of the EU ambassadors, 25 of the 27 countries adopted a common position to open the negotiation chapter on "regional policy and coordination of structural instruments" on June 26, while the German and the Dutch ambassadors opposed it.

"The Netherlands demand more time to discuss the issue at the national parliament where the foreign minister will also attend. It looks like Germany will block the decision," EU sources told the Anadolu Agency.

The EU ambassadors reported that the decision over the chapter on "regional policy and coordination of structural instruments" was suspended until the beginning of next week. It was expected that the decision will be discussed at the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers this coming Monday in Brussels.

If the chapter is opened it's expected that the Turkish government will give a strong response by cancelling a meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) set for June 27-28, as well as by recalling Ambassador Selim Yenel, leader of the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the EU, and suspending all high level meetings.

Read more: Germany, Netherlands block opening new EU policy talks with Turkey | Politics | World Bulletin

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