Turkey, EU give assurances on Cyprus to clear way for entry talks in October

AP Worldstream
Apr 26, 2005

CONSTANT BRAND

The European Union and Turkey assured one another Tuesday that they
would live up to commitments on the divided island of Cyprus meant to
clear the way for Ankara to start entry talks with the EU later this
year.

EU and Turkish leaders met for a last round of talks before the
expected launch of EU entry negotiations Oct. 3, discussing penal code
reforms and the sensitive issue of expanding Ankara’s EU customs
agreement to include Cyprus.

Cyprus, divided since 1974 between the Turkish Cypriot north and Greek
Cypriot south, joined the EU last May. However, European nations, the
United States and others do not recognize the breakaway Turkish
Cypriot state in the north, and EU laws and benefits only apply to the
Greek Cypriot south.

On Tuesday, Turkey’s foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, demanded that the
EU carry out a long-delayed promise to offer economic deals and
financial aid to the north. “There are certain mutual expectations,”
Gul told reporters afterward.

The EU had promised to end its economic isolation of the north with a
trade facilitation agreement and aid worth A‚¬259 million (US$336
million) _ a reward for Turkish Cypriots’ approval of a U.N.-drafted
reunification plan in a referendum last year.

However, Greek Cypriots, who rejected the plan in a separate vote,
have blocked the aid, fearing the package could lead to de facto
recognition of the breakaway state.

Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn of Luxembourg, which currently holds
the EU presidency, told reporters he “issued an apology” on behalf of
the EU for not yet implementing the 2004 measures, which were drafted
before Cyprus joined the EU on May 1 last year.

“It is not yet possible to put them into practice,” Asselborn said,
but added that the EU “must do everything it can to implement them.”

Meanwhile, Gul assured the EU that Turkey “is ready to sign” a deal to
expand Ankara’s EU customs agreement to include Cyprus, a key
requirement to starting membership talks _ and the most sensitive
issue ahead of entry talks.

Many EU countries see the move as de facto recognition by Turkey of
the Greek Cypriot government.

However, Turkey and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn say the
protocol does not give such recognition, and is simply the extension
of a customs union offered to the 10 new member states _ including
Cyprus _ that joined last year.

Gul also added that Turkey stood ready to relaunch reunification talks
on Cyprus.

EU officials said Asselborn and Rehn went over a list of reforms
Turkey must implement before negotiations begin. Rehn said that while
progress on reforms has been “significant, it is essential now to keep
up the momentum.”

He mentioned that Turkey’s penal code reforms need to be put back on
track so they are implemented in time.

Gul said Turkey “was aware how important implementation is,” and said
his government would ensure that all EU demands are met on
time. “There should be no suspicion whatsoever,” he said.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Monday it expects a “long
negotiating process,” and reiterated that France would bring up the
Armenian killings during World War I.

Armenia accuses Turkey of genocide in the killings of up to 1.5
million Armenians as part of a campaign to force them out of what is
now eastern Turkey.

France’s parliament also calls the killings “genocide” _ a term Ankara
has refused to use to describe the Armenian deaths. “We will pose this
question and we want a response” from Turkey on the issue, Barnier
said.

Gul said Tuesday that recognition of the killings as genocide “was an
issue of internal politics.” Earlier this month, Gul said his
government was calling on Armenia to jointly research the killings.