ANKARA, Dec 18 (AFP) - Turkish newspapers Saturday hailed a historic EU decision to start membership talks with Turkey, heaping praise on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who reportedly gave his European partners a hard time with a display of macho brinkmanship.
"We Did It," trumpeted the mass-circulation Hurriyet and the conservative Yeni Safak, while the popular Sabah celebrated a "European Revolution" against the backdrop of an EU flag waving in front of a mosque minaret.
"A New Europe, A New Turkey," headlined the daily Zaman, while Posta, in a burst of patriotism, bannered : "You Are Great, Turkey."
Others remained more down-to-earth, highlighting the tough and lengthy road ahead for Turkey to adapt to EU norms inscribed in tens of thousand of pages of legislation.
"Everyone will have to work very hard," headlined the liberal daily Radikal.
The popular Vatan gave its readers some telling examples: "Garbage will be collected in separate bins for paper, plastic and glass... Farmers will have to build toilets in their fields and use gloves when milking the cows."
Erdogan, who drove a hard bargain to soften conditions for his country at the historic EU summit in Brussels Thursday and Friday was given most of the credit for the EU green light for accession talks with Turkey to start on October 3 next year.
Newspapers gave vivid accounts of how the tough-talking Erdogan, frustrated over pressure for a de facto recognition of EU member Cyprus, walked out of a meeting with the EU's Dutch presidency, bringing the summit to the verge of collapse.
"Is this the final text you are offering?... Thank you. Goodbye," he said angrily before storming out, according to Sabah.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a robust supporter of Turkey's EU bid, volunteered for the hard task of bringing Erdogan back to the negotiating table, Hurriyet reported.
"I'm not coming, because there is a group over there constantly trying to humiliate us... It's over," Erdogan was quoted as telling a desperate Blair who sat down holding his head between his hands.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi -- reported to be a personal friend of Erdogan's -- were next in line to try to soothe the furious Turkish leader.
They eventually succeeded in bringing Erdogan back to the meeting room, just as US Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned to ask for tempers to be calmed, according to Hurriyet's version of the events.
Most newspapers credited Erdogan's brinkmanship for forcing an end to the impasse.
Turkey finally agreed to sign a protocol updating its 1963 association agreement with what was then the European Economic Community to cover the 10 new members, including Cyprus, that joined the EU on May 1.
Backed by the Union's Dutch presidency, Erdogan asserted that the move does not amount to formal recognition of Cyprus.
The deal unblocked the summit, paving the way for the EU to announce its decision to invite its first Muslim-majority candidate to accession talks.
12/18/2004 08:44 GMT - AFP