Czech Republic supports Turkey’s EU membership talks

However, Svoboda emphasized that the results of the process of Turkey’s convergence with the EU will be "open."

"It is clear that this process has no guaranteed outcome, just as it did not have in our case," Svoboda said, referring to the Czech Republic’s recent joining of the EU in May of this year.

When asked whether he personally supported Turkish EU membership, Svoboda did not give a direct answer, but merely stated that "foreign ministers have no private view of a matter, but are merely there to represent the government’s will."

"The government’s will is clear, and states that the process of talks will commence," he added.

Turkey has been striving for EU membership since 1963. The European Commission in early October recommended to EU member states that they start introductory talks with Turkey, though the definitive yes to starting the process should only come from prime ministers at the EU summit in December.

The Czech government has started discussions on the question, but the decision on what standpoint Prime Minister Stanislav Grossis to take at the summit has been postponed for the time being.

Svoboda said Tuesday that Turkey has the same conditions as all other EU candidates, even though no other state has been told, as Turkey was by the EC, that the process does not have a clear outcome.

"I know that the process will not be simple. But we are prepared for it," Gul said, adding that Turkey should join the EU "perhaps in ten years."

Gul also met with President Vaclav Klaus and the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, Lubomir Zaoralek, on Tuesday. He thanked all of them for the Czech Republic’s support for Turkey’s accession talks. Enditem