BRUSSELS, June 13 (UPI) -- French officials reportedly have said they plan to block talks between the European Union and Turkey on economic issues.
Allowing Turkey to join the union is one of the union's most controversial issues of the moment. Germany hoped to make progress during its presidency, while Portugal, which is next in line for the presidency, also hopes to move closer to Turkish membership, the EU Observer reported.
France is adamantly against Turkish membership.
"I believe that Turkey does not have a place in the European Union," the new president, Nicolas Sarkozy, said during his visit to Brussels last month.
Sarkozy said he plans to put forward a plan for a Turkish relationship with the union in December, hoping to keep the issue out of next week's summit meeting. But enlargement criteria could be a critical area of discussion next week.
