Another reason to shun ideas of the NAU: bad leadership by elected officials from other countries that don't have your country's best interest at heart.

Merkel says Turkey's EU talks can advance

Sun Apr 15, 4:45 PM ET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday said the European Union could open two more chapters of membership talks with Turkey by July, but warned that the country must open its ports to Cyprus.

"Under the German presidency of the EU, two more chapters could probably be opened if things go well," she said at a joint press conference here with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We are looking ahead but the outcome of this process remains open," she said, adding that it is "important that Turkey normalises ties with Cyprus".

Erdogan struck a conciliatory note after having reproached Germany in the press for failing to do enough to advance Turkey's troubled bid to join the EU on the eve of his meeting here with Merkel.

"One cannot attack a lady. We are on a long, narrow road and we have to be patient."

Erdogan added however that he felt the criticism he had voiced in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel was "legitimate".

The magazine quoted him as saying: "Seriously, I expected more from Germany. We would like a clear idea of a date, a roadmap, a calendar for negotiations."

The European Union relaunched membership talks with Turkey at the end of March after a long hiatus caused by Ankara's refusal to respect its trade obligations to Cyprus under a customs agreement with the EU.

Turkey refuses to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic until the EU lives up to its pledge to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north of the Mediterranean island, which is recognised only by Ankara.

Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats oppose Turkish membership of the EU and would prefer instead that the secular Islamic nation become a "privileged partner" of the 27-member bloc.

But she has agreed to support the EU's ongoing accession negotiations with Ankara as part of her government's coalition agreement with the center-left Social Democrats.

Merkel and Erdogan met before opening the Hanover Trade Fair where Turkey is this year's guest nation.