Turkey won’t subject to EU conditions, it is better to leave

Turkey will abandon its bid to join the European Union if the EU imposes new conditions or tries to offer Ankara a relationship that falls short of full membership, its foreign minister was quoted as saying Friday.

"Should they (the EU) propose anything short of full membership or any new conditions, we will walk away. And this time it will be for good," The Economist magazine quoted Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as saying.

"No one should expect Turkey to make any concessions this time. We have stuck to our side of the bargain, the EU should stick to theirs," Gul said.

Turkey is due to start EU entry talks on October 3 but the 25-nation bloc must first approve a negotiating mandate. Gul was due to meet EU foreign ministers on Friday in Wales during talks dominated by Ankara's membership bid, reuters informs.

Tension rose between Turkey and the EU after Ankara said on Thursday it would not open its ports and airports to EU member Cyprus, a move the union said breached its EU customs pact.

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Wales, agreed in principle to send a firm response to Turkey's refusal to recognise Cyprus but did not call into question the planned October 3 start of membership talks, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.