Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said that negotiations for Turkish entry to the European Union would take a long time, adding that was impossible to proceed any faster after Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan criticised Germany for not doing more to speed things up.

"It has always been said that the overall process will be a long one and the outcome is open," Merkel told reporters at a joint news conference with Erdogan.

Erdogan's visit to Germany follows weeks of criticism from Turkey and anger that representatives from Ankara were not invited to recent EU anniversary celebrations in Berlin. Germany, home to a large Turkish immigrant community, took over the EU's rotating presidency in January.

"I seriously expected more from Germany," Erdogan was quoted as telling Der Spiegel news magazine. He called for a clear timetable for Turkish membership and said "2014 or 2015" would be a realistic and possible date. "We must be patient said Erdogan".