Turkish PM: Turkey playing in the final for the EU

Speaking on his return from a three day official visit to France, Erdogan said he had sensed a growth in support for Turkey’s EU bid.
“They would not say in front of us that they are convinced but their guard has fallen,” Erdogan said.
The Prime Minister said Erdogan said that a broad range of issues had been covered during his France trip, which including a meeting with French President Jacqus Chirac, among them the question of the dispute on Cyprus and the political criteria for EU membership.
Erdogan also commented on reports carried in the media saying there was tension between himself and parliament speaker Bulent Arinc over the latter’s plan to have a housing complex built for members of parliament. The Prime Minister denied there any tension, adding that the project could be undertaken by either private contractors or the housing authority.