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Cyprus hurdle


ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

A historic agreement to start membership talks between the European Union and long-time aspirant Turkey was hanging last night on the last obstacle, Cyprus.

Defying pressure from EU counterparts, Turkish government leaders attending decisive talks in Brussels stood firm on rejecting what they saw as a “concession” by extending any form of recognition to the Greek Cypriot administration. But the EU presidency announced the union expected Turkey to sign a protocol extending its 1963 Association Agreement to Greek Cyprus by the time the talks start.
Meeting at a lengthy dinner last night, EU leaders reached an agreement to offer Turkey Oct. 3 as a start date for the long-delayed accession talks and that the aim of the talks would be Turkey’s membership. They agreed, though the negotiations would be open ended, with no guaranteed outcome -- as recommended in an Oct. 6 report by the EU Commission.
To the discontent of the Turkish side, there was also an agreement by midnight that the summit statement should say that if membership talks fail, a way must be found to anchor Turkey to the European structure. Turkey has said it would not agree to a “watered down” membership goal.

Sources said there was also no agreement on whether to put permanent restrictions on labor migration from Turkey even after membership takes place, a condition that Turkey sees as “discriminatory.”
On Cyprus, there was no consensus on the issue, with Greek Cypriots reportedly insisting on a guarantee that Turkey would extend recognition to their government before the start of accession talks and with debates continuing in Brussels to find a midway formula. However, according to some speculation in the corridors of the summit hall, the Greek Cypriot side was under intense European pressure to agree to a verbal Turkish commitment.

Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos declined to rule a veto in or out. However, he appeared isolated in the EU with most members furious at its rejection of a U.N. peace plan in April 2004 and in no position to frustrate the general will.
The formula that EU officials were working on is for Turkey to extend its 1963 Association Agreement to the ten new members of the union, including Greek Cyprus.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog<breve>an said discussions would continue overnight and predicted the issue would be resolved by 1 p.m. Friday, the closure time of the two-day European summit. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, the summit chairman, was to put the EU's terms to Erdog<breve>an over breakfast today before the leaders approve a final statement at a session starting at 10:15 GMT.
Erdog<breve>an hinted that Turkey was ready for gestures but emphasized the manner of doing that was what mattered. "We are always ready to take new steps on Cyprus, but what is important is the manner of the step," he told reporters. "The weighting of the wording is important now."

The prime minister did not elaborate but said, "It is impossible for us to take steps that are against our national interests."
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül more clearly ruled out recognition of Greek Cyprus, "directly or indirectly" as a condition for starting negotiations to join the European Union.

"The recognition of Cyprus either directly or indirectly is out of the question," Gül told Turkish reporters at a Brussels hotel where he is staying, while the EU leaders were meeting for the critical dinner.

In a sign of tension, the EU side emphasized Turkey had to take a step on Cyprus. Earlier in the day, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urged Turkey to "go the extra mile" to show Europeans it was ready for membership talks.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after talks with Erdog<breve>an prior to the dinner that he believed Turkey would extend its existing EU pact to the bloc's 10 new member states, including Greek Cyprus, giving it de facto recognition, before starting talks next year.
However, a Greek official told reporters after Erdog<breve>an met Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis that Erdog<breve>an had stuck to his public position that he would have difficulty doing so on Cyprus. "Negotiations are very tough," the Greek official said.
Turkey has insisted in the past that recognition of Greek Cyprus depends on a settlement to reunite the east Mediterranean island under a U.N. peace plan that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots accepted but Greek Cypriots rejected in April.
"I believe a deal on a date to start negotiations next year is achievable but I don't know if it will be achieved at this stage," said a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose government is a firm backer for starting talks.
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