Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
July 14 2005

Turkey: customs union will be signed, but we won’t allow Cyprus ships

By Myria Antoniadou in Brussels

TURKEY’S Finance Minister and chief negotiator with the EU, Ali
Babacan, has reiterated the protocol extending the so-called Ankara
Agreement (customs union) to all EU member states will be signed.

Replying to questions in the European Parliament Foreign Affairs
Committee, Babacan also said his country has supported and will
support efforts for a settlement in Cyprus, recalling its position in
the Annan plan referendum.
However, Turkey’s chief negotiator did not budge one iota from well
known positions and refrained from given substantive answers on
critical questions or comments by MEPs, not only on Cyprus, but also
the Armenian question, the Kurds in the south-eastern territories of
the country, religious and other freedoms and relations with Greece.

Asked by MEP Yiannakis Matsis on the opening of Turkish ports and
airports to Cypriot vessels, the Turkish official quoted a statement
made by Foreign Minister Gul last May for the `lifting of all kinds
of restrictions imposed on both sides, at the same time’.

He also reiterated Ankara’s position that this is part of services
and not the customs union, implying it has no obligation to allow
Cypriot-flagged ships to dock at its ports or airplanes land at its
airports.

However, the Commission does not share this view, as it believes
Turkey is hindering the free movement of goods.

In his 30-minute introductory speech and over two-hour long exchange
of views with MEPs, Turkey’s chief negotiator tried to convince about
the benefits to the EU from his country’s accession. He also tried to
alleviate fears regarding the economic consequences, saying that by
the time of Turkey’s accession it would have a `strong and robust
economy’, which would be an asset to the EU and its competitiveness.

The Turkish chief negotiator also made it clear Ankara would accept
nothing less than full membership to the EU, noting that it already
had a `privileged partnership’.