Saudi Press Agency
December 16, 2004 Thursday 8:01 PM EST

Riyadh, December 16

E.U. leaders confident Turkey will win

entry talks 3 Brussels Observers expect the E.U. to fudge the issue
at the summit and issue a declaration saying they welcome “the
intention” of Turkey to extend customs union.

Asked about calls by France for Turkey to recognise the killing of up
to 1.5 million Christian Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915
as a genocide, Barroso said the question would have to be up for
frank discussion.

But he underlined this should take place at a later date.

Turkey rejects the label of genocide with regard to the Armenians.

The second major summit sticking point is what wording will be used
to make clear to Ankara that negotiations will be open-ended and
their successful outcome is not guaranteed.

A senior German official said full membership for Ankara was the E.U.
goal and demands by a minority of member states, led by Austria, for
setting an option of second class membership – a so-called
“privileged partnership” – was not on the cards.

“That issue is dead,” added an E.U. diplomat.

Austria as well as France and Denmark, still remain nervous about
admitting a large, poor and mainly Moslem state with 70 million
people to what has until now been a mainly Christian club.