Cyprus-Forum.com

[cannedmoose]

The following bulletin was posted on CNA this morning, regarding Turkey's agreement to the protocol text.

Turkey has initialed protocol, Commission Representation says
CNA - Nicosia-Cyprus - 30/03/2005 10:11:31

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1010:CYPPRESS:01

Turkey has initialed protocol, Commission Representation says

Nicosia, Mar 30 (CNA) -- The European Commission Representation in Cyprus has confirmed that Turkey marked its agreement on the draft text of the protocol prepared by the Commission services, noting this is equivalent to initialing.

In a press release, the Representation said that this means the commission can “now proceed to adopting a formal proposal to be presented to the Council in view of signature”.

The European Commission Representation also noted that as regards Turkey’s restrictions on access to Turkish ports for vessels flying a Cypriot flag or having landed in a Cypriot port, this is considered as a violation of the provisions of Decision 1/95 of the EC-Turkey Association Council establishing the Customs Union.

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http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/arti ... ewsid=9474

At the same time, TDN has published this article saying that the implications of the protocol are unclear. As a supporter of Turkish accession (eventually), I'm worried by the course that the Turkish government is adopting in its negotiations with the EU. They seem to think that they are negotiating as equals with the EU, whereas the process of accession is not one of equality - that comes with membership. Hence, if the EU is saying that the protocol or existing EU-Turkey legislation requires the opening of Turkish ports to Cyprus-flagged vessels, that's the deal.

The terminology applied by a number of European leaders to Erdogan's behaviour at the December Council again springs to mind. EU accession is not like haggling at a bazaar, you either do (or pledge to do with a defined time-lag), or you risk being shut out.[/b]