The European Union should open accession talks with Turkey on the question of energy supplies in order to boost the EU's own energy security, DPA quoted the head of the bloc's enlargement policy as saying Saturday. "I would find it very important for the EU and for Turkey to reinforce and deepen our energy cooperation. The opening of the energy chapter would facilitate that because it would speed up harmonization of rules and practices between Turkey and the EU," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said. "It's not only a matter of EU accession, which is of course important and the ultimate goal, it has substantial short- and medium-term importance in itself," he told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa at an informal meeting in the French town of Avignon. Turkey is a candidate for EU membership, but in order to join the bloc it has to bring its laws in line with EU rules on 35 separate issues - the so-called "chapters" - ranging from foreign policy and finance to environmental protection and culture. Following opposition from several EU members, notably France and Cyprus, it has only opened eight chapters, and closed one. But the August war between Russia and Georgia has brought the question of the EU's growing dependence on Russian energy supplies to the top of the agenda, with officials urging the bloc to find new routes to bring energy to Europe that do not pass through Russia. Turkey is seen as a key player in that new contest, as it is the most plausible route for gas and oil from the Black Sea region to come to the EU. Rehn said that he hoped the EU could begin talks on the energy issue with Turkey "in the course of this year."
