Deal reached on EU-Turkey talks

BBC:

The Turkish government has accepted the terms set by the European Union for membership negotiations to begin.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Ankara had reached agreement on a draft deal, and was flying to Luxembourg for the start of the talks.

The move follows more than 24 hours of fraught discussions among EU nations.

Members agreed on the terms of entry talks, after Austria withdrew a demand that Turkey should be offered an option short of full membership.

Turkey had flatly rejected such an option.

Mr Gul told reporters at Ankara airport that an "historic point has been reached today", adding that Turkey "has embarked on a new era".

"The text sets out very clearly the prospect of full membership. There is no alternative option (mentioned)," he went on.

Meanwhile, in Luxembourg, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who led what he called "a pretty gruelling 30 hours of negotiations", called it a "truly historic day for Europe and the whole of the international community".

He warned it would be a "long road ahead", with negotiations expected to take about 10 years, but added, "I have no doubt that if bringing Turkey in is the prize, it is worth fighting."

Mr Straw said he hoped Mr Gul would arrive in time to open the talks formally before midnight (2200 GMT).

Before the late breakthrough, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had insisted he would not compromise on his stance, "which is appropriate to Turkey's national interests and political principles".