ArabNews: Europe seals its historic eastward enlargement

Europe sealed its historic eastward enlargement to expand to 25 nations with a total of 450 million people last night. The deal followed frantic horse trading over the subsidies to be offered to the mainly ex-Communist countries.

After negotiations went down to the wire at the EU summit in Copenhagen, three countries — including the biggest prospective member, Poland — conceded, claiming they had squeezed more money out of EU coffers. “It was a good deal,” said the Polish Prime Minister, Leszek Miller. “In my opinion we can sell this in a referendum.”

Also, there were recriminations over the summit offer to review Turkey’s application to join the EU in December 2004, a year later than Ankara hoped. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who pressed France and Germany to speed up plans to admit Turkey, insisted the decision was “a huge step forward”.

Turkey reacted furiously to the EU decision. Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul accused the EU of “unacceptable discrimination”. “It’s impossible to accept this decision,” an aide quoted Gul as telling Blair.