PARIS, Dec 15 (AFP) - The head of the European Commission chief said Wednesday that the time had come to say "yes" to Turkey's bid to start talks on joining the European Union, as EU leaders prepare for a summit on the issue.
"It is time, we can say 'yes' to opening negotiations with Turkey which has made enormous efforts," Jose Manuel Barroso told the French television channel France 2.
Barroso, head of the EU executive arm, added that he was against the option of offering Turkey a "privileged partnership" with the EU as an alternative if talks on full membership fail.
"It would not be fair to the Turks, if from the start one said that there is another category ... it would really be seen by Turkey as discrimination in comparison to other countries who want to join us," he added.
EU leaders are widely expected at a Brussels summit starting Thursday to give a green light to Turkey to start EU entry talks in the second half of next year, while setting a series of strict conditions.
12/15/2004 08:40 GMT - AFP