ROME, Oct 13 (AFP) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday they favored opening EU membership talks with Turkey without delay.
"Both of us are for opening negotiations on the basis of the recommendation of the European Commission," said Schroeder.
"From the German point of view we are opening (talks) without delay," said the chancellor during a joint press conference with Berlusconi following talks in Rome.
Turkey received a boost to its hopes of membership last week when the EU Commission in Brussels recommended a start to negotiations, but EU leaders are to make a final decision at a summit in December.
There has also been debate over when to open talks, with some suggesting a delay to later in 2005 would avoid complicating referendums on the new EU constitution.
On Wednesday in a speech in Brussels Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker threw Luxembourg's weight behind quickly opening talks.
"I want the talks to be launched in the first half of 1995. We are ready but we are at the mercy of the crocodiles," he said in a reference to the large EU countries.