(Cihan) - The European Union Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) Wednesday reached a consensus on opening one negotiation chapter with Turkey before the end of this year, reports Trend.
On December 15, EU leaders suspended eight chapters of accession talks with Turkey due to the Eu hopeful country's refusal to open its ports and airports to EU member Greek Cyprus but they said talks should move forward in other areas.
Turkey and supporting EU members were expecting at least four chapters to be opened but, as always, Greek Cyprus' wishes were once more granted.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) decided to send Turkey an invitation letter for the opening of the enterprise and industrial policy chapter only.
The European Union and particularly Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, wanted to open some of the chapters until the end of the year to give Turkey a message that the EU process was still on track.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in a news conference on Tuesday, listed some of the chapters the government expected to be included in further negotiations with the bloc and said: "We expect some chapters to be opened quickly during Finland's presidency. These chapters are education and culture, financial services, enterprise and industrial policy, economic and monetary policy. Everything is ready with these chapters. Negotiations on these can start immediately."