Agence France Presse — English
September 29, 2006 Friday

Turkey has not met EU objectives on Cyprus and other issues:
commissioner

European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner
repeated on Friday that Turkey had not yet reached the objectives set
for moving its EU membership bid forward.

Speaking at a meeting in Madrid on immigration, Ferrero Waldner cited
Turkey’s failure to recognise EU member Cyprus as a major sticking
point.

The Cyprus issue has seen Ankara threatened with a suspension of its
EU accession talks if it fails to open up Turkey’s ports and airports
to Cypriot ships and planes.

"I cannot say what we are going to decide" about the matter, Ferrero
Waldner said.

Brussels is also frustrated by Turkey’s failure to guarantee free
speech by amending penal code articles that have landed a string of
intellectuals in court, notably for questioning the official line on
the 1915 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman forces.

The European Commission’s annual evaluation report on Turkey is due
on November 8 and enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn is to travel to
the country on Monday to discuss its progress towards joining the
bloc.