A spokesman for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel confirmed a report in Die Welt newspaper on Thursday, which said that Merkel had written a letter to the heads of conservative European governments calling for a special relationship between Turkey and the European Union -- but not full membership.

The center-left government of German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, in contrast, has strongly supported Turkey's bid for EU bid, although Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said this month that the mainly Muslim nation was not yet ready.

Merkel on the offensive

Merkel said she hoped her letter would encourage other European conservatives to back the CDU's position.

"Through this letter I would like your parties to once again consider this concept and adopt this attempt at a solution," said an extract of the letter printed in Die Welt.

Merkel said Turkey "was following the path of a remarkable program of reforms, which we must support" and stressed the country's importance as a "NATO partner and also as a model of a secular, democratic state in the Islamic world".

Among the recipients of the letter were Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his French counterpart Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

Partnership yes, membership no

"Turkey should not be turned away. On the contrary, there are many particular characteristics that accentuate a partnership," Merkel wrote in the letter.

She gave few details of the exact reasons for the CDU's opposition to Turkey being granted full membership, but she has said in the past that the country of 70 million inhabitants was not European enough in its customs and traditions.

Turkey has been an EU candidate since 1999 and argues that it has met most of the criteria to begin membership talks. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, will release its report on Turkey's progress on democratic reform on October 6, which will say whether it recommends opening accession talks.