Germany seeks to put Turkey’s EU membership talks on hold

EurActiv and other news sources reported that Germany proposed on the 24 June 2013 postponing a new round of EU membership talks with Turkey by about four months to signal the Union's displeasure at Turkey's crackdown on anti-government protests earlier in June 2013.

The European Union had planned to revive Turkey's EU ambitions on the 26 June 2013 by opening a new chapter, or policy area, in the talks - the first opened since 2010.

In a Council statement on the 25 June EU foreign ministers agreed to only restart negotiations in the autumn of 2013.

ESO: Background information: Turkey's Gamble: Crackdown Threatens EU Accession Talks http://www.europeansources.info/record/turkeys-gamble-crackdown-threatens-eu-accession-talks/

EUObserver, 24.06.13: Germany keen to delay Turkey talks until October http://euobserver.com/enlargement/120625

Spiegel Online International, 25.06.13: EU Accession: Turkish Talks to Continue Despite Berlin Tiff http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/turkey-and-eu-reach-compromise-on-accession-talks-a-907723.html

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 25.06.13: Outcome of proceedings on Turkey http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/genaff/137597.pdf

BBC News, 25.06.13: EU delays Turkey membership talks after German pressure http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23044600

Deutsche Welle, 25.06.13: Germany seeks postponement of Turkey EU talks http://dw.de/p/18vLP

EUObserver, 25.06.13: No EU-Turkey talks until October http://euobserver.com/foreign/120635

EurActiv, 26.06.13: Ankara hails EU decision to unfreeze accession talks http://www.euractiv.com/enlargement/ankara-reacts-positively-eu-deci-news-528868

Blog: Erkan's Field Diary, 25.06.13: EU decides to open up a new chapter in negotiations despite some member objections http://erkansaka.net/eu-decides-to-open-up-a-new-chapter-in-negotiations-despite-some-member-objections/

Deutsche Welle, 12.07.13: Turkey. How deep is the split in Turkish society? http://dw.de/p/196pf

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