Malta drawn into spat between EU and Turkey

EU ambassadors yesterday again failed to agree on the way forward on the opening of accession talks with Turkey which should commence on Monday.

The British presidency had no option but to convene an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers on Sunday, hours prior to the opening of accession negotiations.

Negotiations with Turkey cannot start unless an agreement is reached on Sunday.

Malta was drawn into the dispute between the two sides as the diplomatic climate between the EU and Turkey gets stormier.

In an interview on the Turkish national television NRT, the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, Bulent Arinc, accused the EU of discrimination alleging that the EU dealt differently when negotiating with three other countries, including Malta.

He accused the EU of using a discriminatory, hypocritical and double standards attitude. He said that "one has only to look at the different way the EU dealt with Malta, Bulgaria and Romania and how it is dealing with Turkey."

The Turkish Speaker said the EU was trying to test Turkey's patience.

Council sources told The Times that Malta is supporting the opening of accession negotiations. The only country that is opposing the deal is Austria. Vienna is insisting that Turkey be offered a privileged partnership and not full membership.

The impasse is putting strains on the British EU presidency which yesterday sought to rope in Austria to avoid a last minute crisis.

The European Parliament decided on Wednesday to postpone a vote on the approval of the protocol extending Turkey's association agreement with the EU to the 10 new member states. This was one of the main conditions imposed on Turkey in order to start negotiations.

At the same time, Parliament adopted a resolution so that accession negotiations with Turkey can start as scheduled on Monday.