Turkije schermt met alternatieven voor het EU-lidmaatschap (en)

Turkey has said it will not have any problems in finding a new course if the EU decides against opening membership negotiations in December.

Speaking on Tuesday, Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned: "If the EU doesn't take the decision we want, Turkey won't have any difficulties in finding a new course to follow thanks to its big potential".

"The EU, which excludes Turkey in this case, will have difficulties in talking about European ideals as of that day", he added, according to Ankara Anatolia news agency.

EU leaders, including the 10 new countries which joined the EU club last Saturday, will decide in December, on the basis of a Commission's report, on whether accession negotiations with Turkey should begin.

Speaking in the meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) at the Turkish Parliament, Mr Erdogan said it would be wrong and unjust for the EU to keep Turkey waiting more.

Turkey's formal relations with the EU dates back to an association agreement in 1963 and was granted candidate country status in 1999.

However, the fear is that the EU will not deliver on its promise at a time when Turkey has reached a critical stage in its reform process.

According to Mr Erdogan, the reforms which involve significant political, constitutional and social changes would continue regardless of whether Turkey would get a date to start accession negations with the EU.

However there are concerns that if the EU delivers a negative opinion at the end of this year, the reform process might come to a halt.

"The real issue is whether the changes that are being introduced will be consolidated without a negotiating date from the EU", Kemal Kirisci, a political scientist at Bosphorus University was quoted saying by the Financial Times.

"There is great nervousness in the government, in the financial markets and in public opinion about this. Turkey is worried about whether the EU will deliver".