EU 'faces backlash from Turkey'

A survey showed attitudes in the country souring towards the West.

Mr Rehn told the European Voice weekly: "If you look at the current political situation in the Middle East, in Palestine, in Lebanon, not to speak of Iraq, we don't need another nationalist or Islamist problem in the neighbourhood of Europe."

The survey revealed Turkish approval of Europe to be falling rapidly.

Just 27% of Turks have a favourable opinion of the European Union, compared to 58% in 2004, according to this year's annual global survey by the Pew Research Center.

"The ongoing frustration in Turkey over its on-again, off-again membership negotiations with the EU are vividly reflected in these data," Pew said in the poll report.

'More debate'

EU member states this week opened accession negotiations with Turkey on two new policy areas - statistics and financial control. But after French objections talks were delayed on a third topic - economic and monetary policy.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy also said he wanted to reopen the debate on Turkey's accession when the leaders of the EU member states meet in December.