Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer warned EU leaders on Saturday that any new obstacles to the start of planned entry talks on Monday would erect a “wall of prejudice”, which would hamper the bloc’s progress. Turkey faced a nerve-racking countdown to the start of talks with the EU, with Austria sticking to a demand that the EU offer Ankara an explicit alternative to full membership. Sezer, addressing Turkish parliament, said Turkey’s ambition to become a full member of the 25-nation bloc was on an “irreversible path”. “Building a wall of prejudice before Europe will benefit no one,” he said. “Every new obstacle to be placed in front of us will in fact make up the bricks of a wall that will block Europe's own way.”Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan did not directly refer to Austria, but spoke on Friday of those in the EU who “cannot free themselves from fanaticism”. He went on to make it explicit that Ankara expected to be treated fairly by the EU, and warned of a backlash if the bloc moved the goalposts at the last minute.
