The decisions of Cyprus and France to block the opening of European Union accession talks with Turkey on a number of issues are "fundamentally unacceptable," dpa cited Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt as saying Saturday after talks with EU counterparts. Turkey will have to bring its laws into line with EU rules in 33 areas, the so-called "chapters," if it is to join the bloc. EU states have agreed to freeze talks on eight chapters until Turkey opens its ports to Cypriot vessels, but France and Cyprus have unilaterally blocked a number more. "It is, of course, fundamentally unacceptable that countries for their own political reasons block the accession process: that is contrary to the spirit of Europe," Bildt said, without naming France and Cyprus directly. Turkey has so far opened 13 chapters and completed one. Diplomats refuse to say how many fields France and Cyprus have blocked, but warn that Turkey could soon run out of chapters to open unless France or Cyprus can be persuaded to change tack. "It is certainly an issue that we will return to," Bildt said.
