Barroso: Turkey should fulfill all EU obligations

European Commissioner President, Jose Manuel Barroso, expressed hope that Turkey will fulfill all its EU obligations, including complying with the Ankara Agreement, that provides for the implementation of a Customs Union Protocol with all ten new EU member states, including the Republic of Cyprus.
Answering a question by CNA, Barroso said that on November 8th, the European Commission will issue its progress report on Turkey’s accession course, which will be “as always, an objective, serious, honest report about the progress that Turkey is making and sometimes not making regarding negotiations with the EU”.
In an interview with BBC, Barroso referred to the political and economical criteria that Turkey has not yet satisfied.
Invited by CNA to say whether the obligations of Turkey to the EU, vis a vis Cyprus, merit any mention, Barroso said: “of course, the obligations regarding the Ankara Protocol are part of the obligations that Turkey has. I mentioned that several times. Every time I speak about Turkey I don’t mention all this”.
“What I said is that I very much hope that Turkey will fulfill all its obligations but we are somewhat disappointed with the pace of reforms in that country”, he concluded.
Barroso’s statements were made after a meeting in London with Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon.
Cyprus, which joined the EU in May 2004, has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
Turkey, a country aspiring to become an EU member state, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus and refuses to implement the EU-Turkey Customs Union Protocol, by opening its ports and airports to Cyprus.