Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country chairs the European Union until June 30, said he supports Turkey’s aspirations to join the 27-member bloc, although the process is dragging on a could take years more – if it happens at all. “I would like to repeat and resolutely and loudly say that the Czech Republic is on the side of those who support Turkey’s entry to the EU,” Klaus said after meeting his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul in Prague.

US President Barack Obama recently called on the EU to accept the southeastern European country of 71.5 million. But Turkey’s accession talks with the EU have been stalled over France’s persistent opposition to its EU membership as French President Nicolas Sarkozy adamantly insists that since Turkey is in Asia, it can’t be in Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country has a vast population of Turks and Muslims, said she also prefers that Turkey should have more of a privileged relationship than membership, also putting another obstacle in Turkey’s path.

The negotiations have been also hindered by Ankara’s refusal to recognise the Greek part of Cyprus, an island state in the Mediterranean which has joined the EU five years ago. The island has been divided between its Turkish and Greek populations since 1974 and Turkey will not allow Cypriot ships or planes in its territory, setting up the embarrassing situation of an EU candidate country not recognising a current EU member, which have proved to be irresolute.

In the four years since Turkey’s accession negotiations started in 2005, talks began on 10 of 35 chapters, which must be completed before the country’s EU entry. Also hindering Turkey is what even some of its EU supporters is a lack of freedom of the press and religious intolerance. But Klaus, a vocal EU critic, belittled the negotiations that the EU conducts with candidates such as Turkey. “Opening and closing chapters is a bureaucratic game. It is not a serious matter,” he told reporters after meeting with Gul. “I think the political will is decisive.”

Gul confirmed that a Turkish delegation is scheduled to travel to Prague for a May 8 EU summit, which is to tackle bloc’s plans to bring Central Asian gas to Europe without crossing Russia. Turkey is one of the key countries on the route of EU’s planned Nabucco pipeline that would bypass Russia if built and diversify Europe’s energy resources. Gul said that the pipeline was “important” and an intergovernmental deal on the project would be soon signed. The EU, however, has so far failed to secure sufficient supplies for the pipeline, facing a tough competition from Russia, as energy has emerged as a critical plank in the EU’s foreign relations, sometimes pitting countries against each other.