Deal heralds historic talks over Turkey's membership of EU

4th Oct 2005, 00:36 GMT

Overriding deep divisions and hostile public opinion, the EU launched membership talks with Turkey yesterday in an historic gesture aimed at reconciling Europe and the Muslim world. Thirty hours of wrangling in Luxembourg ended with a decision to embark on the EU's most difficult and controversial expansion yet for fear that a rebuff to Turkey might lead it to turn away from Western ideals.