People stand facing Ataturk Cultural Center during a protest at Taksim Square in Istanbul June 18, 2013 (Photo: Reuters)
Turkey's next step forward in its stalled bid for EU membership is under threat due to reluctance from Germany and the Netherlands following Ankara's crackdown on protests, EU diplomats told AFP on Thursday.
The EU was reported weeks back to be ready to offer Turkey the opening of a new "chapter" in its eight-year negotiation process with the bloc, during an intergovernmental conference in Brussels next Wednesday, eve of an EU summit.
So far Turkey and the EU have closed, or agreed, only one of the 35 chapters -- or sets of rules and regulations -- needed to gain entry into the EU club.
With only 13 chapters in all opened for talks, and none in three years, next week's move would have marked an upswing in ties.
But at closed door talks between EU ambassadors on Thursday, "Germany and the Netherlands expressed reservations, and as we need unanimity we still have no common agreement," an EU diplomat said.
"If we have no accord on Monday morning we will have to postpone or cancel the meeting", the source said.
Despite sharp concern across the EU over the recent crackdown against protesters, the vast majority of EU nations favour Europe remaining open to Turkey's entry bid, especially at a time when it remains key in the Syria crisis unravelling on Europe's doorstep.
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel had harsh words this week on the violence, saying that "what is happening in Turkey at the moment does not mesh with our ideas of freedom of assembly."
"I am in any case shocked," she said.
EU hopes of opening so-called chapter 22 on regional development will be discussed once again by the bloc's ambassadors early Monday and, if agreed, put to the 27 foreign ministers meeting the same day in Luxembourg.
"It's a tricky question," said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. "Whatever we do some will say we're giving the wrong signal."
Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele's spokesman Peter Stano stressed that Brussels remained committed to Turkey's accession.
"The continuation of the accession process and the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms are two sides of the same coin," Stano told AFP.
But ties appear strained.
A European Parliament committee this week postponed a visit to Turkey at the last minute after Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sharply rejected criticism of his country's handling of two weeks of deadly anti-government unrest.
"This approach is unacceptable," Davutoglu said in response to a resolution by members of the European Parliament condemning the excessive use of force by police against protesters.
Turkey has applied for European Union membership and in 1999 was granted the status of an EU candidate country.
The EU opened accession talks with Turkey in 2005, but negotiations have been held up over German and French opposition as well as Ankara's refusal to recognise the divided island of Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.
Short link: