WASHINGTON TRIES TO PREVENT BREAK IN EU-TURKEY TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 18:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States intensified its meetings with
Brussels at a critical time for Turkey-EU relations. Following the
visit of U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried in
late October, Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza held official
meetings in Brussels on Tuesday. Bryza’s visit will be followed
by the arrival of Douglas Silliman, Director of Southern European
Affairs Bureau at the U.S. State Department, in Brussels to meet EU
authorities. Adopting a cautionary policy line to avoid the impression
that it is interfering in European affairs, Washington is also trying
to prevent the interruption of membership talks with Turkey. The
United States, expressing its opposition to the Austria-backed
possible suspension of EU negotiations, urged for the continuation
of the negotiation process.

Sources note that in case the Cyprus issue remained unresolved,
it would be a better option to keep the negotiation chapters
open. U.S. authorities believe that the parties to the Cyprus issue
may come together under the auspices of EU term president Finland at
the end of November, reports zaman.com.