Rehn: We expect Turkey to make practical steps for Cyprus issue

EU Commissioner for the Enlargement Olli Rehn expects Turkey to support the ongoing Cyprus negotiations and to make practical steps in order to contribute to the creation of a favorable climate for the achievement of a solution in Cyprus.

Rehn, who was replying to a written question by Cypriot MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou, said that the coming months will be determinative for the achievement of a solution in Cyprus.

In his letter to the EU Commissioner, Hadjigeorgiou expressed concern over some statements by EU officials that Turkey should have an unhindered negotiations process, noting that they ignore at the same time the need for Ankara to meet its EU obligations.

The Cypriot MEP also pointed out that the EU must play a substantive role by exerting its pressure on Turkey for the full implementation of the Ankara Protocol and the withdrawal of Turkish occupation troops from Cyprus.

In his reply, Rehn said that the EU wishes to see the Cyprus issue solved, adding that the Commission supports the leaders of the two communities on the island and the efforts for achieving an overall settlement.

The EU Commissioner adds that in that framework, President of the European Commission Manuel Barrosso has appointed a personal EU representative to the UN Good Offices Mission to Cyprus.

Cypriot President 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.