Ankara hopes Poland's EU helm will speed-up entry talks

(WARSAW) - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Monday he hoped Poland's six-month presidency of the European Union starting July 1 would speed up his country's stalled talks for entry into the bloc.

"We hope that during the Polish presidency we will discuss some issues that are important for us (...), that we will open some chapters that have unfortunately remained closed," Gul said at a joint press conference with Polish counterpart Bronislaw Komorowski.

"We hope that by the end of the Polish presidency we will be able to see that the negotiation process has significantly accelerated," said Gul, as he began a two-day official visit to Poland Monday.

Poland's Komorowski reiterated his country's "strong support" for Turkey's EU drive.

But to be successful Turkey must meet "all parameters mandatory for all member countries in all fields of economic, social and political matters," he added.

Komorowski said Poland could help Turkey turn public opinion elsewhere in the EU to favour Turkish membership of the bloc. EU powerhouses Germany and France have remained largely sceptical.

"Not long ago everyone was afraid of the 'Polish plumber', portrayed as a (cheap labour) threat to the societies and economies of EU countries. Poland can help dispel fears of a 'Turkish plumber'," he added.

EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele has admitted that negotiations with Turkey have slowed, largely due to the issue of Cyprus, whose Greek Cypriot government belongs to the EU while the breakaway Turkish Cypriot region is backed by Ankara.