STRASBOURG, Dec 15 (AFP) - The European Parliament called on EU leaders Wednesday to begin membership talks with Turkey "without undue delay," in a symbolic expression of support for Ankara on the eve of a Brussels summit.
The decision, by 407 votes to 262 with 29 abstentions, sends a strong but non-binding message to the 25 EU heads of government, expected to give the green light that Turkey has long sought at a summit Thursday and Friday.
The parliament "calls upon the European Council (of EU leaders) to open the negotiations with Turkey without undue delay," said a report approved by the EU legislative assembly.
The European Union (EU) is widely expected to give Ankara the go-ahead at their Brussels summit, but set a series of strict conditions and warn that the whole process could take at least a decade.
But there has been discord over when the talks should start, with some countries pushing for them to begin in the second half of 2005, rather than in the first half of next year as called for by the Turkish government.
At a summit in Copenhagen two years ago EU leaders agreed that, if they gave the green light, they would call for negotiations to start "without delay."
But France in particular has sought to delay the start of talks, fearing notably that it will cloud public opinion in the run-up to a referendum on the EU's new constitution expected in the first half of the new year.
12/15/2004 12:51 GMT - AFP