Politicians in Nicosia have been left stunned after the European Parliament approved a draft European Council document which all but rules out action against Turkey, irrespective of the Turkish government ignoring the Ankara Protocol that it signed in 2005.
"It is very clear that the implementation (of the accord) is an obligation for Turkey... and we will express ourselves on the issue" at a summit in December, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told a press conference.
However it seems unlikely that Turkey will face anything more than stiff worlds from EU leaders.
Despite Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou announcing in May that Nicosia did not intend to veto Turkey's EU accession process, the President this week sent a letter to EU leaders demanding the withdrawal of Turkish forces from the island and Turkey's recognition of the Republic of Cyprus.
Despite a deal in which Ankara gave a written statement promising to sign an accord extending its customs union to the 10 new EU members, including Cyprus, nothing has happened.
Turkey signed the accord before the start of talks on EU membership on Oct 3, 2005.
At the time, EU officials said that signing the customs accord granted effective recognition to the Republic of Cyprus; however Cyprus is still banned from Turkish ports and effectively unrecognized by Turkey.
Last week Turkey’s State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek made clear that Cyprus would always be a priority for Ankara, even ahead of EU membership.
"Even if we give Cyprus, new problems will arise for us. That is why I said during my speech in Cyprus ‘if you tell us to choose either Cyprus or the EU, we will choose Cyprus’."
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STRASBOURG – The European Parliament has called on Turkey to implement in full and without discrimination, its commitments stemming from the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement.
A resolution approved by the Parliament also points out that current and potential candidate countries must continue reforming to stay on track for EU membership.
The resolution highlights the importance of implementing judicial reform swiftly to improve the functioning of the Turkish state and society.
MEPs regret the limited progress made in the area of freedom of religion (non-Muslim and Alevi communities) and freedom of expression, following the unprecedented fine imposed on a media group.
The non-fulfillment of commitments stemming from the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement is also criticized in the resolution. Turkey is urged to implement it in full and on a non-discriminatory basis.
MEPs welcome Turkey's signing of the Nabucco gas pipeline agreement and call for the opening of the energy chapter in the accession negotiations. Diplomatic efforts made to normalize relations with Armenia should ratify the relevant protocols, says the resolution.
BRING IT ON!!!!
and the "veto" dont make me laugh
