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Germany backs Turkey in EU entry talks

BRUSSELS, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Germany's new conservative-liberal coalition says it supports "open-ended" talks between Turkey and the European Union in Turkey's bid to join the alliance.

If that fails, officials said, Germany would favor a "privileged partnership," meaning a simple free trade area with Turkey, but no voting rights or closer integration within the union.

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The EU has opened just 11 of the 35 negotiation chapters that candidate countries must complete. Eight others have been frozen since 2006 because of Ankara's refusal to recognize EU member Cyprus.

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