BRUSSELS, Nov 29 (AFP) - The EU seems set to give Turkey a green light next month to start entry talk with the bloc, but warns it cannot guarantee the vast Muslim-majority country will eventually join, according to a draft document.
The first draft of conclusions for a crunch December 16-17 summit of EU leaders emerged as Turkey reiterated that it wants a clear date to start talks, and will accept nothing less than full membership of the bloc.
The European Union "welcomes the decisive progress made by Turkey in its far-reaching reform process" said the draft, extracts of which were obtained by AFP Monday.
It also "reiterates its determination to enable Turkey to join the European community of values" said the draft, while reaffirming the EU's "confidence that Turkey will sustain the process of reforms to that end."
But the draft reiterates that EU membership negotiations would be an "open-ended process whose outcome cannot be guaranteed before the end."
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, recommended at the start of October that the EU start membership talks with Ankara but also warned that the process was not guaranteed to result in Turkey's EU entry.
Next month's EU summit appears set to follow the commission's recommendation and give a green light for Turkey to begin EU talks, but with a series of conditions.
Only two EU countries -- Austria and Cyprus -- are known to oppose starting negotiations with Ankara, but most agree there will be a green light.
"Most of the member states would like to get a decision in December and to get a date for talks to start," said one Brussels diplomat.
But the EU draft also reiterated warnings contained in the October Commission report that EU talks with Turkey could be suspended in case of a violation of fundamental EU principles.
"The (EU) commission will, at its own initiative or at the request of at least one third of (EU) member states, recommend the suspension of the negotiation process and propose conditions for eventual resumption," it said.
In its October 6 recommendation, the EU commission said it would call for talks to be suspended "in case of a serious and persistent breach of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law on which the Union is founded.
Meanwhile Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Monday that Ankara will agree to "no alternative" other than full EU membership -- as opposed to some kind of special partnership, suggested by critics of Turkey's EU entry.
"Turkey expects a clear date for the opening of accession negotiations" Gul told reporters in Ankara, adding that the negotiations should have no "special clauses" and aim only for Turkey's full EU membership.
"There is no alternative other than full membership," Gul said.
The summit draft is due to be discussed by ambassadors from the EU's 25 member states at a regular meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, said a diplomat.
11/29/2004 14:27 GMT - AFP