German government will support an EU decision next week on opening a new chapter in Turkey's EU membership talks, media reported on Sunday.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed with Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Germany's support for the progress in Turkey's accession talks, Anadolu Agency reported with reference to Spiegel.
EU ministers are set to meet in Luxembourg early this week and Turkey's EU process is among the key items on the agenda. On Tuesday ministers will discuss determining a date for opening the new policy chapter in Turkey's membership talks, the Chapter 22 on "Regional Policy."
It would be the first chapter to be opened in three years and has been widely regarded as an important step to revive Turkey's stalled EU membership process. An agreement for opening the chapter had become far from certain following the outcome of September 22 elections in Germany, but Merkel's "green light" is highly likely to clear the way for a positive decision.