BRUSSELS, June 30 (UPI) -- European Union administrators are warning Turkey faces a big challenge in seeking entry into the alliance.
Indeed, European Commission members said Wednesday Turkey may have to settle for something less than full membership, and talks could last until 2014, the Financial Times reported Thursday.
Olli Rehn, enlargement commissioner, said Turkey would face the "most rigorous" test of any EU candidate to date, while several of his colleagues called for a "privileged partnership" instead of membership.
Under the commission proposals, which will have to be backed by all 25 EU member states if talks are to begin on schedule Oct. 3, Turkey will have to make real changes rather than promise reforms.
Turkey will sign a customs agreement that recognizes Cyprus "within the next few weeks," the commission said, a step that was seen as one of the main obstacles for talks to open.
Recent rejections by Dutch and French voters of a proposed EU constitution are being interpreted, at least in part, as expressions of anxiety about Turkey's admission.
