Germany/Turkey: A future Christian Democrat government in Germany would not seek to delay the start of EU entry talks with Turkey, but the party still opposes full membership for Ankara, Wolfgang Schäuble, deputy head of the Christian Democrat (CDU) parliamentary group, told the Tagesspiegel daily.
He said a CDU government would respect agreements of previous German administrations. "This decision is not up for discussion," he told the paper.
But he made it clear that the CDU, which is favoured to return to power after an early election expected in September, was sticking to its preference for a looser form of association with Turkey it calls a "privileged partnership".
Turkey's chances of joining the EU clearly suffered a setback following Sunday's German regional election, with some commentators saying Ankara may well have to settle for less than full membership. Turkish newspapers wrote of "bad news for Turkey's EU entry" and a "political tsunami in Germany".
Turkey's foreign ministry said its relationship with Germany was "big and comprehensive" and would not be affected by the election result. But some analysts said a CDU government in Berlin would change the dynamics of Turkey's accession process, which begins on October 3rd.
Hasan Unal, professor of international relations at Bilkent University, said the CDU's "privileged partnership" would be more likely than full membership. Prof Unal is one of several Turkish academics to have discussed the idea in Ankara with an adviser to Jacques Chirac, the French president.
"A German election is likely to put in power a government with a mandate from the people that Turkey should not join the EU, and no government could step back from that mandate," he said.