Turkey must respect its EU commitments

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin warned Turkey on Monday that it would face consequences if it failed to fully open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and aircraft.

Speaking during a joint press conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, de Villepin said it “is very important that Turkey understand it must respect its commitments, respect them in spirit and in letter, otherwise the

Europeans will be obliged to draw their conclusions”.

Turkey, an EU candidate country, refuses to implement a Protocol extending the Ankara Agreement (Customs Union) to the ten new EU member states, which among others provides for the opening of Turkish ports and airports to Cypriot ships and airplanes.