BRUSSELS, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department Wednesday welcomed a European Commission's recommendation that Turkey be allowed to begin talks on accession to the European Union.
"We welcome the EU's positive recommendation on Turkey," department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said. "We have long supported Turkey's eventual membership in the European Union, and would certainly welcome a European Council decision in December to set an early date to begin accession talks."
Earlier Wednesday, the EU laid out a set of strict conditions for Turkey's accession into the club.
"The Commission considers that Turkey sufficiently fulfills the political criteria (for membership talks) and recommends that accession negotiations be opened," the commission recommendation says. But it was emphatic Turkey must revised its laws concerning criminal procedures, judicial police and punishments before talks can begin.
Turkey is not expected to join the EU before 2015, but because the nation is a large and poor state, the issue has stirred considerable controversy across Europe, particularly regarding labor migration. The recommendation does not suggest a date for the start of talks, but many EU governments want negotiations to begin early next year.
