Koehler defends open-ended talks for Turkey

"Success of the EU’s expansion eastward is very important. Therefore, negotiations with Turkey should be open-ended," Koehler was quoted as saying by Anatolia news agency after talks with visiting Polish President Aleksander Kvasnievski in Berlin.

"We need to make sure that what has been achieved will not be put in danger by steps to be taken in the future," he said.

The EU Commission said Wednesday that Turkey has sufficiently fulfilled EU criteria and recommended to EU leaders to open long-delayed entry talks with Ankara. EU leaders will have the final word on the talks at a summit on December 17.

The commission’s recommendation has intensified a debate in Europe on whether Turkey should be allowed to join. In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s government is a strong supporter of Turkey’s membership but the conservative opposition opposes, saying a "privileged partnership," rather than full membership should be offered to Turkey.

In an interview with German Focus journal, Schroeder said he backed beginning entry talks with Turkey particularly on security reasons. "For me, strategic-security factors are important. If Turkey carries out its reforms in a resolute manner, this could stabilize the country and thus we would be able to have a relationship between the enlightenment in Europe and non-extremist Islam," he said.

He agreed that the EU would expand "too much" by taking Turkey in but argued that the benefit of an increased security for Europe would be bigger than risks that could be posed by Turkey’s accession.

The chancellor also played down fears of a big influx from Turkey to EU countries in the event of Turkish accession, saying worries were exaggerated.

Claudia Roth, co-chairperson of the opposition Greens Party, called for a referendum on Turkey’s accession into the EU, echoing the ruling party in France.

She said her party was set to present a bill to Parliament later this year.