The European Union's parliament has approved a resolution in which it supports the start of membership talks with Turkey but lays down a series of provisos. The parliament says recognition as genocide of the killing of more than a million
Armenians in 1915 was "a prerequisite for accession". Euro-MPs also postponed a vote on extending Turkey's customs agreement to the ten newest member states, because of Ankara's refusal to recognise
Cyprus. The parliament's decisions do not affect the start of entry talks on 3 October but are seen as a further sign of European reluctance towards Turkey's bid.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, described the postponement of an important vote on the trade agreement as 'an own goal'.

The decision was motivated by Turkey's recent declaration that signing the protocol of the Ankara Agreement did not mean any form of
recognition of Cyprus, which became an EU member last May. Euro MPs wanted assurances that this declaration would not be part of Turkey's parliamentary ratification of the protocol. Turkey also refuses to
admit naval vessels and airplanes from Cyprus.