Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis called on Turkey Wednesday to fulfill its obligations towards the European Union and join the United Nations technical committees that will investigate new ways to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Speaking after her meeting in Nicosia with Cyprus Foreign Minister George Iacovou, Bakoyiannis repeated the statement made by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn that Turkey has undertaken a commitment to implement the Ankara Protocol.
“This is what the EU expects from Turkey. It is therefore important for this aim to be achieved, that Turkey comes closer to the EU,” Bakoyiannis said.
The main obstacle at present is Turkey’s refusal to open up its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and aircraft, bargaining in exchange for a better financial deal for Turkish Cypriots living in the north of the island, including their right to trade freely with the outer world.
The Greek Foreign Minister said she was optimistic that the pro-European forces in Turkey will prevail.
She said that during the discussion to set up technical committees comprising Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots as agreed in Paris in March by President Tassos Papadopoulos and UN Chief Kofi Annan, it is important that Turkey should support these committees.
Bakoyiannis added that the new momentum on Cyprus, after a lull of two years following the rejection of a UN plan by the Greek Cypriots, should be supported so the new opportunity is not lost.
Her Cypriot counterpart said that “a new climate prevails after the Paris meeting and there is an expectation from many capitals that there will soon be developments.”
“We call on Turkey to accept what is foreseen in the Paris statement and to come forward to the technical committees,” Iacovou added.
The Cypriot minister said that during their discussions they examined Turkey’s European course, noting both Greece and Cyprus supported this course.
“However, Turkey has undertaken commitments towards the 25. And there will be no concessions on these commitments,” Iacovou stressed.
Bakoyiannis reiterated that “Greece believes and has supported Turkey’s European course. It will be important for Turkey itself but mainly for the Turkish people to live in a modern, European democracy.”
Bakoyiannis said that the Annan Plan as it was proposed and rejected by the Greek Cypriots but hailed by the Turkish Cypriots, is history. However, she suggested that any new proposal for a solution should be based on UN resolutions, not ignoring the work carried out by the UN to draft the 9,500-page plan.
As regards Turkey’s EU obligations, Iacovou said that as accession negotiation chapters slowly open, obstacles are beginning to arise which have nothing to do with Cyprus.
“It is too early to draw any conclusions on Turkey’s future course. There is still a long time. We are more concerned with what is going to happen towards the end of the year regarding the implementation of Turkey’s commitments towards the 25 on Cyprus affairs,” he stressed.
Bakoyianni arrived Tuesday for a three-day official visit and met President Tassos Papadopoulos, accompanied by Ambassador Demetris Rallis, after which she stated that “cooperation between the two governments is continuous and will be intensified in the future.”
Talks will focus on the Austrian EU presidency initiative to link direct trade with Turkish Cypriots with the opening of Famagusta port and return of the fenced area of Varosha to the Greek Cypriots.
The Greek Foreign Minister also visited the war graves of Greek soldiers who were killed during the 1974 Turkish invasion and laid a wreath at the memorial within the Nicosia Prisons compound of the Greek Cypriots who fought in the 1955-1959 war of liberation from British colonial rule.
