Turkey wants 3 chapters to open in French presidency

Negotiations are expected to start on chapters on "free movement of capital", "energy" and "education and culture", officials told the Anatolian Agency on Monday.  Â

A chapter on "social policy and employment" may also be opened to negotiation later on, same sources added.Â

France is one of the biggest opponents to Turkey's EU membership. Paris had blocked opening of some chapters in Turkish negotiations, saying they are directly related to the "accession". France also attempts to remove the word "accession" from every document relating to Turkey.

Ankara slams France for its approach and insists the EU to stick to its promises. However France is expected to open new chapters during its presidency just to show that it does not want a full-stop in negotiations and that it wants to keep it on track.

The EU opened the negotiations on two chapters, "company law" and "intellectual property law", in June, bringing the number of policy areas Turkey has opened since it began accession talks in 2005 to eight.

Although the opening of two new chapters signals progress in membership negotiations, 15 of 35 chapters remain suspended. The EU had suspended eight chapters in December 2006 due to Turkey's refusal to open its ports to Greek Cypriot vessels before the Union ends its isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

Photo: AFP