BRUSSELS, Oct. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The European Union's (EU) excutivearm, the European Commission (EC), recommended Wednesday that the EU open membership negotiations with Turkey, but the report did not propose a date for the start of the talks.

    EC President Romano Prodi and European Commissioner for Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, Wednesday afternoon presented to the European Parliament the recommendation report adopted by the EC Wednesday morning.

    "Turkey has substantially progressed in its political reform process, in particular by means of far-reaching constitutional and legislative changes adopted over the last years," said the report.

    "In view of the overall progress of reforms ...the EC considersthat Turkey sufficiently fulfills the political criteria and recommends that accession negotiations be opened," concluded the report.

    However, the report also warned that much more work has to be done to meet the criteria for EU membership set at the Copenhagen EU summit in 1993.

    It said the talks are an "open-ended" process whose outcome will not necessarily lead to Turkey's entry into the EU.

    In addition, the EC warns of suspension of the talks if Turkey seriously breaches EU principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

    Prodi told the European Parliament that the EC had nodded a "yes" with "provisos" in assessing Turkey's case for membership.

    "We must take the time needed to make sure all the important reforms adopted become day-to-day reality for Turkish citizens," he warned.

    "Taking all the relevant factors into account, we believe that Turkey's accession to the EU may make a positive contribution to the EU," said Prodi.

    The EU summit to be held in December will decide whether and when to start entry talks with Turkey.

    Turkey expressed its desire to join the European Economic Community, the EU's predecessor, in 1963 by signing the so-called Association Agreement.

    It took until 1999 for the EU to grant Turkey EU membership candidacy. But Ankara was denied the opportunity to start accession talks after failing to meet the Copenhagen criteria on democracy and human rights reforms. Enditem