TURKEY RESISTS EU DEMAND CONCERNING CYPRUS
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
23/11/2006
Finland, country in chair of EU, demands that Turkey should open
its seaports and airports to the Republic of Cyprus till December 6,
2006. The leading European mass media consider the requirement as an
ultimatum, Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and foreign
minister Abdullah Gul responded to the above demand with resistance
promises.
The Turkish Public TV informed that Gul and Erdogan discussed the issue
at the parliament with state minister and negotiator Ali Babajan. In
the beginning of the discussion, Erdogan stated in response to the
journalists’ questions that their position is clear.
"When the requirements are unacceptable, we will not meet them,"
he said.
Gul added that such issues shouldn’t be settled by means of deadlines
and blackmail.
"Turkey met the commitments of the EU and its high time for EU to keep
the promise given to the Turks of Cyprus. Thus, the issues in this
direction are still being elaborated and we still have much time,"
he underscored.