The European Union told Turkey on Wednesday it must eventually recognise EU member Cyprus and said the bloc would review progress on this in 2006, removing an obstacle to opening accession talks with Ankara on Oct. 3, Reuters reported. The statement, forged after days of haggling among the EU's 25 members, responded to Turkey's refusal to recognise Cyprus, where it keeps some 35,000 troops since intervening in 1974. "The agreement ... paves the way for a smooth adoption of the negotiating framework and thus the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. The EU must still agree the negotiating framework that will provide the ground rules for opening talks with the sprawling Muslim nation of 72 million, whose potential entry has unnerved some leaders and many among the public in Europe. The declaration on Wednesday calls on Ankara to recognise Cyprus before it joins the bloc, a process which analysts say may take 10 years or probably much longer. --More 2137 Local Time 1837 GMT
