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Miliband to repeat support for Turkish EU membership

13/05/2008

Foreign secretary David Miliband is expected to reiterate UK support for Turkey's proposed European Union membership during a visit to Ankara.

Mr Miliband is due to travel to Turkey as he accompanies the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on a four-day state visit.

The Queen was invited to the country by its president Abdullah Gul and the royal couple are due to visit the cities of Bursa and Istanbul as well as its capital.

Turkey has been a pending member of the EU bloc for more than 20 years, with its accession not likely to be completed for a further decade.

In order to join the EU, Turkey must complete negotiations with the European Commission and be accepted unanimously by member states.

But while France and Austria have hinted at putting the decision to a referendum, Britain is "strongly committed" to supporting Turkey's accession.

Speaking ahead of Mr Miliband's trip, a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman told inthenews.co.uk: "It is a symbolic visit to reiterate UK support for democratic reform and modernisation in Turkey and continuous support for its eventual accession to the EU."