Drie lidstaten willen tekst over onderhandelingen met Turkije aanscherpen (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Exactly one week before entry talks with Turkey are scheduled to start, Cyprus, France and Austria are trying to achieve a last-minute toughening-up of the negotiating framework, with Vienna also seeking the opening of talks with Croatia on the same day.

The negotiating framework with Turkey stipulates the different policy area chapters Ankara has to close during the talks, and how progress should be monitored.

A draft version of the framework was proposed before the summer by the European Commission, and the text is scheduled to be finalized by the UK presidency at an EU ambassadors' meeting in Brussels on Thursday (29 September).

But already last week, the Cypriots secured the inclusion of two additional paragraphs in the text, diplomats told EUobserver.

One added paragraph reiterates that Turkey will negotiate with 25 different EU member states, meant to remind Ankara that it should recognise EU member Cyprus - which it so far refuses to do.

Another passage states that Turkey is to refrain from blocking EU member states from participating in international organisations.

This would enable Nicosia to get involved in joint EU-NATO military operations - something which Ankara has so far vetoed as a NATO member.

France has also managed to amend the text.

Under French pressure, a paragraph on the EU's own "absorption capacity" to welcome Turkey as a new member state was further strengthened.

The amended text states more explicitly that the EU's own readiness to integrate Turkey institutionally, financially, and in terms of primarily foreign policy and justice and home affairs, will be taken into account in measuring progress in the talks.

On top of this, the French are still pressuring for a tougher message to Ankara in the short statement by the UK presidency that will accompany the presentation of the negotiating framework, diplomats said.

Paris wants the statement not only to mention the technical and historical background of the talks, but also demands a more political opening preamble.

In Paris' view, the preamble should contain a reference to last week's EU counter-statement, which urges "full implementation" by Ankara of the customs agreement it signed with the enlarged EU in June.

Austria and Croatia

The UK presidency on Monday (26 September) also held special bilateral discussions with Austria, which wants the option of a loose "partnership" between the EU and Turkey to be enshrined in the framework as one possible outcome of the talks.

Austrian prime minister Wolfgang Schussel admitted over the weekend that Austria was "the only country" that supported this line, and diplomats confirmed that Vienna was "completely isolated" over the issue.

One diplomatic source said that Vienna is therefore really just seeking concessions on Croatia's EU membership bid, which Austria wants to push through.

The EU recently blocked the start of entry talks with Zagreb following what it considers to be unsatisfactory co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

But in what seems to be a move to accommodate the Austrians, member states have now agreed to reconvene the EU's task force on Croatia in the weekend before 3 October.

A UK presidency spokeswoman said that it was "likely" the meeting would be attended by UN chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte.

A breakthrough on the Croatia dossier may be in the pipeline as Ms Carla Del Ponte is currently on a fact-finding trip to Zagreb.

A positive report on her trip by Ms Del Ponte could pave the way for the EU to start entry talks with Zagreb on the same day as with Ankara - 3 October - in line with Vienna's wish.