Brussels, Belgium, Dec 10, SPA -- Turkish Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan met with top European Union officialsFriday, a week before EU leaders decide whether to openmembership talks with his country. Erdogan met with Jose Manuel Barroso, president of theEuropean Commission which recommended in October thatTurkey was ready to start membership negotiations. EU leaders had promised in 2002 to open talks "withoutdelay" if Turkey received that positive evaluation fromthe bloc's executive office. The leaders of the 25 EU nations are to make their finaldecision on when negotiations can begin at their summitnext week. Once talks begin, they are expected to last atleast 10 years.--SPA1438 Local Time 1138 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/223822