Brussels - Germany has lifted its objections to involving Turkey in a pre-accession European Conference due to be set up next year, writes Patrick Smyth. The decision, welcomed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, means that Greece alone is blocking the rapprochement between the EU and Turkey and will come under strong pressure before December's Luxembourg summit to lift its veto.
The conference is to be established to provide reassurances to those central and eastern European countries that are not part of the first round of accession talks. Involving Turkey is seen as a means of anchoring the country in the European fold, but the EU is still looking for commitments from Ankara on human rights and non-interference in Cyprus's accession.
Mr Andrews, attending a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, also backed British moves for a common EU code of conduct on arms exports. He said unregulated trade in arms was "an obscenity".