EU risks upsetting Turkey with threat to call off talks

Anti-government Alevi protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Istanbul June 23, 2013. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is on the verge of scrapping a new round of membership talks with Turkey, a move that would further undermine Ankara's already slim hopes of joining the bloc anytime soon and damage its relations with Brussels.

Germany, the EU's biggest economic power, is blocking efforts to revive Turkey's EU membership bid, partly because of its handling of anti-government protests that have swept the country in the last few weeks, EU sources say.