Call for French referendum on Turkey

France should hold a referendum on whether to allow Turkey into the EU, according to French finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy.

Mr Sarkozy, widely seen as a challenger to Jacques Chirac for the next French President - told French radio last night, "A decision as important as the membership of Turkey in Europe could only be taken after there had been a referendum in France".

"Turkey's accession, even in the best case scenario, will not happen for another 15 years if everything goes...