A Turkish promise to move towards recognition of Cyprus unblocked a deal today for official negotiations on Turkey's membership of the European Union to start next year, more than 40 years after Ankara first asked to join the European club of nations.

A summit of the 25 EU leaders in Brussels agreed to open accession negotiations on October 3 next year, during Britain's EU presidency. But the leaders warned that the talks - expected to last ten to 15 years - would be open-ended and with no guaranteed outcome.

"I think it's a good day for Europe, for Turkey and for the wider world," said Tony Blair, generally considered Turkey's most powerful ally in the EU, as he left the summit this afternoon.

The landmark deal, which could change the face of both Europe and Turkey over the next two decades, came after hours of wrangling between Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, and his Dutch countepart, Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

The Turkish leader balked at an EU demand that it should recognise Cyprus before negotiations begin and initial a preliminary accord to that effect as early as today. In the end, Turkey managed to earn a delay until closer to the negotiations.

"You are choosing 600,000 Greeks (Cypriots) over 70 million Turks, and I cannot explain this to my people," one Turkish official quoted Mr Erdogan as telling Mr Balkenende.

According to Mr Blair, Turkey had said that it would be ready to sign the Ankara Agreement, which would extend the customs protocol that it has with 15 states of the EU to the ten new members that include Cyprus.

"There are various issues that are going to be resolved prior to the negotiations actually opening," Mr Blair said. "There's the indication by the Turkish Government of their readiness to sign the Ankara Agreement. That's important but of course that doesn't amount to formal legal recognition by Turkey of Cyprus.

"However I think there's a real sense of people wanting to come together and work together."

Mr Erdogan said: "The adaptation of this protocol is in no way recognition and I've put this on the record. We did not get 100 per cent, but I'd say we succeeded."

Turkish troops invaded the north of Cyprus in 1974 after a brief coup led by Greek Cypriots raised the possibility of political union with Greece. Ankara recognises only the Turkish community on the divided island, where it still has 35,000 troops.

The 25 EU leaders agreed yesterday on an historic offer to open accession negotiations on October 3, 2005, but its conditions included the demand on Cyprus and a warning that human rights abuses in Turkey would derail negotiations.

A draft released by the Dutch delegation overnight contained other conditions that have not applied to past applicant states in response to widespread public concern about the cost of integrating Turkey and risk of a mass influx of cheap labour.

It mentioned a possible permanent emergency brake on labour migration - another highly sensitive issue for the Turks - even though that clause did not mention Turkey by name. Turkey may also be excluded from the Common Agricultural Policy and from certain EU structural funds.

A major issue for many European nations is that Turkey would become the first predominantly Muslim country in the EU - although Mr Blair said today that that should not matter as long as Turkey agreed to live by European norms and human rights codes.

President Chirac of France, who faces opposition at home to Turkish membership, said: "The opening of negotiations does not, naturally, mean accession. The road will be long, and difficult, if Turkey is to be able to meet all the conditions necessary to join Europe."

All EU members are officially in favour of Turkey joining the EU, but many have particular reservations:

Turkish immigration: Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and France

Recognition of Cyprus: Greece, Cyprus;

Curbing full access to the Common Agricultural Policy: France

Limiting Turkish voting strength in the EU: Germany, France

Draining EU coffers of development funds: Poland, Spain, Greece, France, Germany

Allowing an Islamic country into Christian EU: Italy, Poland, Austria, Denmark

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