Germany's Fischer favors EU talks with Turkey October 3

WASHINGTON - German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Tuesday he favored going ahead with talks on Turkey's EU accession set for October 3.
Fischer, on a two-day visit to Washington, told journalists that abandoning talks with Ankara "would carry considerable risk."
Some EU officials said Dutch and French rejection of the EU constitution meant an end to EU enlargement.
Taking into account opposition to Turkey's EU membership, Fischer said that at any rate a decision on Turkey's membership would come at the conclusion of accession talks.
The decision would not come "within 15 years at the earliest," he said.
On Wednesday, Fischer meets with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as well as her predecessor, Colin Powell.

06/07/2005 23:33 GMT