Turkey urges EU to push for Cyprus talks

Turkey urged the European Union on Friday to push Greek Cypriots towards a reunification deal for the divided island, saying a window of opportunity in talks could close if there was no progress quickly. Leaders of the two communities resumed talks in September to end a partition sealed in 1974, but have accused each other of undermining a fragile peace process in a dispute over Greek Cypriot oil exploration.

Greek Cypriots represent the island in the European Union, which Turkey seeks to join.

"There is a major responsibility that falls on the EU in this respect and that is that the Greek Cypriots, which are members of the EU, they must be encouraged for a settlement," Turkey's foreign minister Ali Babacan said in Brussels.

"Otherwise, leaving the two leaders on their own and just waiting for them to continue to meet and meet without a calendar, and to wait until they agree, such an approach would bring about another situation where we will not get a settlement solution," Babacan told a news conference.

"There is a window of opportunity now but that window is not going to open forever."

A settlement on Cyprus has eluded diplomats for decades, most recently in 2004 when then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan drew up a plan for a settlement that was put to referendums on both sides of the island. It was approved by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by Greek Cypriots.

Turkey started EU entry talks in late 2005, but they have been hobbled by its refusal to recognise Greek Cyprus. The EU has frozen sections of its entry negotiations over Ankara's refusal to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriots.

Turkey has accused Greek Cypriot leaders of using their veto rights over Turkey's bid to join the EU to strengthen their position at the negotiating table on the issue of reunification.

Babacan was talking after Turkey's slow progress towards eventual EU membership took a small step forward as the bloc opened negotiations in two more areas of reforms needed for entry on Friday — free movement of capitals and media reform.