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Europe on collision course over Cyprus
By Myria Antoniadou in Brussels


CYPRUS’ permanent representative to the EU Nicos Emiliou warned the
ambassadors’ meeting (COREPER) in Brussels yesterday that Nicosia may be
pushed down a path it does not want to take, an indirect reference to the
possible vetoing of Turkey’s accession course.

Meanwhile Turkey appeared set on a collision course with the bloc as it resisted calls to recognise Cyprus before the key December 17 summit that will decide whether to launch EU entry talks with Ankara.

Sources in Brussels told the Cyprus Mail that Emiliou had reiterated Nicosia’s dissatisfaction with Ankara’s insistence on not recognising the Republic of Cyprus, noting it may not be a prerequisite according to the Copenhagen criteria (economic and human rights obligations) but it should be self-evident.

Emiliou, the sources said, pointed out that Nicosia could never imagine finding
itself faced with this paradox, on the one hand Turkey wanting to join the
EU and on the other refusing to recognise one of the member states being
called upon to give its approval.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said yesterday the Union “cannot be satisfied with the situation that now exists” and urged Turkey to make a move towards recognising Cyprus before the summit.

Turkey’s concerns are not confined to the Cyprus issue.

Underscoring the tensions, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan insisted EU leaders offer a clear date for talks leading to full membership without special conditions for joining.

Asked in an interview with France’s Le Monde newspaper if Turkey would recognise Cyprus, Erdogan said: “No, and we find it unjust that this question is put to us when we did all we could for a peaceful solution to be found in Cyprus.”

“Only the United Nations can ask us to recognise Cyprus and this has nothing to do with the European Union. We do not want to discuss this before December 17. The Cypriot question will not be broached until after the (summit) on December 17, not before.”

According to a diplomatic source in the Belgian capital, the Greek and Irish ambassadors backed their Cypriot colleague, while Austria also appeared to express support.

The Dutch presidency ambassador is said to have described the Cyprus issue
as very serious and sensitive, needing therefore to be handled on a higher
level. It will more than likely go directly to the heads of state, beginning
their meeting with a pre-summit dinner on December 16.

Nicosia is pushing hard to include a clear reference to the normalisation of
relations between the Cyprus Republic and Turkey in the conclusions of
December’s EU summit, expected to decide on opening accession talks with
Ankara.

The National Council met yesterday to discuss strategy for next week’s summit but government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides was not forthcoming on whether a decision had been taken to veto or not.

He said there had been an “exchange of views” and that the Council would meet again if necessary before the summit.

The Brussels sources believe Nicosia’s demands cannot be met easily as EU members do not want to impose more conditions on Turkey. It appears Cyprus will have to
accept the reference included in the second draft conclusions welcoming
Turkey’s decision “to sign the protocol regarding the adaptation of the
Ankara Agreement, taking account of the accession of the ten new members
states”, thus explicitly including the Republic of Cyprus. This is considered as an indirect recognition, but falls short of Nicosia’s expectations.

Turkish diplomats in Brussels and Ankara sounded a sombre note.

“The draft text lacks clarity, honesty and consistency ... We understand the EU has to satisfy diverse views in the text, but it must also take account of Turkish sensitivities,” one told Reuters.

“Embracing Turkey is a test of European political will, of its ability to think big,” the Turkish diplomat said.

Leaving for a NATO meeting in Brussels, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul made clear he would lobby hard for changes in the draft. “Consultations are continuing,” he said.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking in Brussels, carefully tiptoed around the issue of Turkey’s EU membership, saying it was “a matter for the European Union to decide”.

Washington strongly backs Ankara’s bid but is mindful of the backlash its heavy-handed lobbying has sparked in Europe before.

Nicosia’s demands are expected to be raised at a meeting between the Cypriot
and British Foreign Ministers, George Iacovou and Jack Straw, in Brussels
today. Britain is Turkey’s staunchest supporters and among the countries that
believes recognition of Cyprus is not a pre-requisite as it is not part of
the Copenhagen criteria.