PARIS, Aug 2: France raised a potential new hurdle on Tuesday to Turkey starting European Union membership talks in October, saying Ankara must recognize Cyprus first. The executive European Commission and EU President Britain said the 25 EU leaders had never made recognition a prerequisite for opening negotiations and the Cyprus question should be dealt with separately in a UN framework.

A Turkish official said the call by French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was an attempt to violate commitments the EU had made to Ankara last year, but he voiced confidence that President Jacques Chirac would keep his word to Turkey. Greece meanwhile upped pressure over the divided island by postponing a planned visit to Turkey by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.—Reuters