EU to open two new chapters in Turkish membership talks
(BRUSSELS) - The European Union agreed Monday to open this week two more of the 35 negotiating chapters that Turkey must complete to join the bloc, the EU's Portuguese presidency said.
The two chapters -- "Trans-European Networks" and "Consumer and Health Protection" -- will be officially opened Wednesday morning in the presence of Turkish and EU officials.
The move was made possible by the creation last week of a "reflection group" on the future of Europe. France had insisted that the committee be set up as a condition for not blocking Turkey's progress on the talks.
Since Turkey began its accession talks in October 2005, only four of the 35 chapters -- or policy areas -- have been opened.
Eight others were frozen a year ago because of Ankara's refusal to open its ports and airports to vessels and aircraft from EU member state Cyprus, with which it has a long-standing dispute over the northern third of the divided island.
Turkey's talks are expected to last at least a decade, with no guarantee of membership at the end of it all.
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