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Turkey threatens EU freeze over Cyprus dispute
Source: Agencies |
September 19, 2011, Monday
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EUROPEAN Union candidate Turkey will freeze relations with the EU if Cyprus is given the EU presidency next year, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said on Saturday.
The comments were the strongest yet by Ankara in its opposition to the Cyprus presidency and could mark the start of a new low point in ties between the EU and Turkey, which began accession talks with the bloc in 2005.
Turkey is currently locked in a dispute with Cyprus over potential offshore gas deposits.
At the end of a trip to northern Cyprus Atalay said: "If the peace negotiations there (Cyprus) are not conclusive, and the EU gives its rotating presidency to southern Cyprus, the real crisis will be between Turkey and the EU. Our relations with the EU will come to a sudden halt."
The internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south is due to take on the six-month rotating EU presidency in July.
Cyprus has been divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. UN-sponsored peace talks between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have stumbled since they were relaunched in 2008.
In July, Turkey's EU minister said freezing ties with the Greek Cypriot EU presidency was "an option," but Atalay's comments are the first time Ankara has said it would definitely halt relations.
Greek Cypriots represent the island internationally and within the EU, while Turkey is the only country to recognize the northern Turkish Cypriot state. Greek Cypriots say Turkey cannot join the bloc until the Cyprus conflict is resolved.
The rotating presidency has lost some importance since the EU's Lisbon treaty, which established a permanent head of the European Council, the body that represents all EU national governments, and a new foreign and security policy chief. But a determined country can still use the presidency to shape agendas.
Of the 35 "chapters" - policy areas of EU law required to be adopted by candidates for membership - Turkey has completed one, and 18 have been frozen because of opposition by EU member states, including Cyprus and France.
The comments were the strongest yet by Ankara in its opposition to the Cyprus presidency and could mark the start of a new low point in ties between the EU and Turkey, which began accession talks with the bloc in 2005.
Turkey is currently locked in a dispute with Cyprus over potential offshore gas deposits.
At the end of a trip to northern Cyprus Atalay said: "If the peace negotiations there (Cyprus) are not conclusive, and the EU gives its rotating presidency to southern Cyprus, the real crisis will be between Turkey and the EU. Our relations with the EU will come to a sudden halt."
The internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south is due to take on the six-month rotating EU presidency in July.
Cyprus has been divided since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. UN-sponsored peace talks between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have stumbled since they were relaunched in 2008.
In July, Turkey's EU minister said freezing ties with the Greek Cypriot EU presidency was "an option," but Atalay's comments are the first time Ankara has said it would definitely halt relations.
Greek Cypriots represent the island internationally and within the EU, while Turkey is the only country to recognize the northern Turkish Cypriot state. Greek Cypriots say Turkey cannot join the bloc until the Cyprus conflict is resolved.
The rotating presidency has lost some importance since the EU's Lisbon treaty, which established a permanent head of the European Council, the body that represents all EU national governments, and a new foreign and security policy chief. But a determined country can still use the presidency to shape agendas.
Of the 35 "chapters" - policy areas of EU law required to be adopted by candidates for membership - Turkey has completed one, and 18 have been frozen because of opposition by EU member states, including Cyprus and France.
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