European Union leaders Thursday were confident that Turkey will win a date for starting membership talks with the 25-nation bloc - but they cautioned Ankara's historic accession was far from being a done deal. As leaders opened a long-awaited summit, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is one of Ankara's strongest backers, said he was sure Turkey would get a green light. "I assume we will decide negotiations begin in 2005," Schroeder told reporters. Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern was also upbeat: "I think it will be a positive decision," he said. But Ahern stressed the talks - widely expected to last up to 15 years - were only the first step of a long journey for Turkey. Asked about whether Turkey's failure to recognise European Union (E.U.) member Cyprus was a problem, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson said there was no need for such a move by Ankara at this stage. "Turkey meets conditions for starting membership ... they have prepared well," said Persson. --More 2255 Local Time 1955 GMT
