Merkel supports the plan to give Turkey 18 months to resolve Cypriot customs issues

He said, the proposal to postpone talks “provides a good basis for a decision”, when EU foreign ministers meet next Monday to discuss the issue.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has criticised talks and warned the EU not to push his country away from membership negotiations.

Carl Bildt, the Swedish foreign minister, has said the Commission's recommendation risked destabilising the region.

The European Commission last week recommended that negotiations on eight of 35 policy areas should be halted because of Turkey's refusal to allow Greek Cypriot ships and planes to use its ports and airports.

Vanhanen said EU foreign ministers should decide on whether to adopt that recommendation at their meeting Monday, because he did not intend to take the issue to a summit meeting later next week.

Although he acknowledged that the negotiations were in “a difficult situation,” Vanhanen told a meeting of EU legislators that the plan to bring Turkey into the Union should go ahead.

A Weimar solution?

Greece wants the EU to give Turkey an 18 month deadline to open trade with Cyprus as part of its commitments to eventually join the bloc.

“In our opinion, there should be an 18-month timeframe,” said Dora Bakoyannis, the Greek foreign minister.

“The [negotiation] process must continue with Turkey. There must not be a complete halt in the talks,” Bakoyannis said.

The French, German and Polish leaders will meet in Germany for a summit of their so-called ‘Weimar Triangle’, with Turkey's EU ambitions high on their agenda.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany backs the plan to open Turkey's ports to Cypriot carriers as a condition for resuming full membership talks.

Ankara has refused to open its ports and airports to Cyprus, insisting that trade restrictions must also be lifted on the breakaway Turkish-Cypriot state.

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