We want strong political messages to be included in the EU draft report on Turkey’s progress, and “we also want practical measures that will assist the implementation of the strategic target we have set, which is the promotion of the solution of the Cyprus problem”, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou has said.
Speaking here Thursday, and called to comment on information for a draft report that the Swedish Presidency of the EU has prepared for the Turkey’s evaluation on December, Stephanou recommended patience.
“There is a draft report. The first reading has begun in the COREPER, where the Republic of Cyprus will present its first reaction. COREPER will convene again next week, and after that the Council of Foreign Ministers will be held”, Stephanou said and noted: “We don’t have to rush, there will be reactions”.
Spokesman explained that the strong political messages the Republic of Cyprus seeks to include in the report, concern the fact that Turkey has not yet fulfill its EU obligations and that it should do it.
Regarding the reaction of Cyprus towards the not compliance of Turkey, Stephanou said that Cyprus has many alternatives.
“The National Council will convene again on December 4 to reach decisions”, he said adding that the Government does not want to be committed as regards its options, in advance.
Invited to comment on President’s Giul statement for simultaneous repeal of the “limitations”, Stephanou said that this has been a long standing position of Turkey and not of the EU. “The EU has reached decisions that bind Turkey; these are Turkey’s obligations derive from the decisions of the European Council and the counter-declaration of September 2005. Turkey has not fulfilled those obligations”, he added.
Stephanou finally stressed that Turkey is the one that has obligations towards the EU and all its member states, including Cyprus, and not the EU towards Turkey.
President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been engaged in talks since September 2008 with a view to find a mutually acceptable solution that will reunite the country, divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island’s northern third.
After Cyprus' accession to the EU Turkey refused to extent its Customs Union to Cyprus, a commitment known as the Ankara Protocol, to open its ports and airports to vessel and aircraft bearing the Cypriot flag and to normalise its relations with the Republic of Cyprus.
Turkey signed the protocol incorporating the new EU member states into the EEC/Turkey Association Agreement of 1963 and thus also into the EC/Turkey customs union of 1995 on 29 July 2005. However, at the signing, Turkey made a separate declaration of non-recognition of Cyprus.
On September 21, 2005 the EU agreed on a counter-declaration, denying that the Turkish declaration was legally valid for the EU.
The EU expects Turkey to implement the protocol in its entirety and in a non-discriminatory manner, and emphasizes how necessary it is that Turkey recognize Cyprus: failure to do so will have a negative effect on the negotiation process.
The EU will assess Turkey's progress at the December EU Council.
