Oostenrijk kondigt referendum aan over Turks lidmaatschap EU (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Austrian Chancellor has said his country should have a referendum on Turkish membership of the European Union.

"The people must have a say, not only the parliament", said Wolfgang Schüssel on Friday (17 December).

Mr Schüssel made the announcement directly after EU leaders, following protracted negotiations over the details, agreed that membership negotiations should begin with Turkey next year.

The Austrian leader, who has been the most outspoken critic of Turkey being a full member of the EU, said that with his decision "a lot of emotion would be taken out of the debate" as at the end of negotations the people would decide.

Vienna's announcement was symbolic of a subdued summit that was not marked by a sense of grand occasion by the decision to open talks with Turkey.

Several leaders were at pains to state that it is just the begining of a long road to membership.

European Commission President José Manuel Durao Barroso said the talks will be difficult at times while French president Jacques Chirac said, "It is possible that things go badly ... that there is crisis either on the Turkish or the European side".

For his part, Mr Chirac was the first EU leader to announce a referendum on Turkey.

In October, Mr Chirac said that the French constitution should be changed in order to allow France to have referendums on future EU enlargements - which will include Turkey.

This was a open attempt to assuage a French public that it is largely hostile to the idea of Turkish EU membership.

However, these referenda are not likely to happen for several years. EU leaders made clear that Turkey will not join the EU before 2014.