The Dutch prime minister confirmed Friday that Turkey had accepted a compromise formula on recognition of Cyprus, paving the way for talks next year on Turkish membership of the European Union. «Turkey has accepted the hand we offered to them,» Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the current EU presidency, told reporters at the end of a two-day summit. He was referring to the EU offer to begin accession talks with Turkey starting Oct. 3, 2005. Balkenende said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan «has indicated in a declaration that he is willing to sign a protocol» expanding Turkey's customs agreement with the EU to include Cyprus and nine other EU states that joined in May. --More 2225 Local Time 1925 GMT
