Finnen sceptisch tegenover toetreding Turkije tot EU (en)

Finns are not entirely convinced that Turkey should join the EU, despite the fact that a Finnish commissioner is in charge of further enlargement.

A new poll, carried out for Finnish MTV3, shows that 47 percent of Finns are against admitting Turkey into the union, 36 percent are in favour and 18 percent are undecided.

Negotiations with Turkey are set to start on 3 October, but scepticism towards Turkish EU membership is mounting in a number of EU member states

French prime minister Dominique de Villepin earlier this month called on Turkey to recognise Cyprus before the talks are opened.

The issue is also featuring in Germany's electoral campaign.

On Friday (19 August) Elmar Brok, MEP for the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Party warned that Turkey's membership of the EU should not be used as campaign fodder for the upcoming German general elections in September.

"It's not right to use Turkey as an issue on election campaign signs and in party brochures", he told Turkish media.

The CDU party proposes that a "privileged partnership" should be given to EU candidate states such as Turkey and Ukraine instead.

Meanwhile, Olli Rehn, the Finnish enlargement commissioner, has called on member states to accept their responsibilities towards Turkey.

A meeting of EU foreign ministers to be held in Wales at the beginning of September should be the time for governments "to express their views, honour their commitments, and carry their responsibilities", Mr Rehn said.

"By responsibility, I mean that Europe needs a stable, democratic and increasingly prosperous Turkey", he added, while addressing a Hamburg audience a couple of weeks ago.

The commissioner said that Turkish enlargement is in member states' "strategic interest".

Mr Rehn also emphasized that Ankara has fulfilled all the criteria that EU leaders laid down at a summit last year for beginning membership talks with the EU.