BERLIN, Dec 15 (AFP) - Germany believes the European Union will offer Turkey negotiations for full membership -- and nothing but full membership -- at a summit this week, a senior government official said Wednesday.
The source said that options such as a formulation in which a "privileged partnership", which countries like Austria have called for, as opposed to membership in the EU would not be presented as an alternative in the text.
"That hasn`t got a chance," the official said.
"You will not find the concept of a privileged partnership in the text."
The official said that the option of a privileged partnership was only supported by a "very, very small minority", and added that France was definitely not part of that minority.
"France is in favor of the start of membership negotiations with Turkey," the source said.
"France is also against other options" in the final text, the source added.
EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to decide Turkey`s future in the bloc and are expected to set a date for accession talks to begin, but with membership being unlikely for at least a decade.
The German source said he believed a firm date for the start of negotiations would be set and that it would likely fall during the second half of 2005.
Germany, which has the largest Turkish immigrant population in the EU at 2.8 million, has spearheaded efforts to bring Turkey into the fold.
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in a newspaper column published Friday that Ankara`s bid for EU membership represented "one of its biggest challenges since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989".
Fischer set out the main reasons in Bild newspaper on Wednesday why EU leaders should give the predominantly Muslim nation the go-ahead to enter membership talks.
"If, as seems highly likely, EU leaders give the go-ahead on Friday... a new chapter will be written in the history of Europe," Fischer wrote.
"Turkey belongs to Europe. Seen from a historical point of view, Christianity and Western values have left their mark on Turkey just as much as Islam and Oriental traditions," he added.
Fischer said that admitting Turkey to the European club could create a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.
"A tolerant, modern and moderately Islamic Turkey at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East would have a big effect on the whole Islamic world."
But Fischer warned that stopping short of offering Turkey full EU membership would be seen by most Turks as an insult.
"Slamming the door of the EU in Turkey`s face would only strengthen those in Ankara who reject Europe and democratic traditions. No one can want that and no one has the right to want that," he added.
12/15/2004 12:48 GMT - AFP