EU TELLS TURKEY TIME IS RUNNING OUT OVER CYPRUS DISPUTE
Associated Press
Oct 16 2006
LUXEMBOURG The European Union and Turkey made little headway Monday
in resolving a stalemate over Ankara’s refusal to open its ports to
Cypriot planes and ships – a decision that the EU said could lead to
a break in Turkey’s membership talks.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also criticized Turkey again
about the pace of its reforms, urging the country to "urgently" pass
laws, particularly on changing its penal code, which he said violated
European standards on human rights in freedom of expression.
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja – whose country holds the
rotating EU presidency and who was chairing talks with Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul – said talks to keep on track entry negotiations
depended on compromise.
"It takes two to tango," Tuomioja told reporters after the meeting,
adding that Gul and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders had
welcomed a new initiative by Finland to try to resolve the standoff.
"That is a good prospect, because I think it is in no one’s interest,
not in any member state of the EU, or in Turkey’s interest that we
fail," Tuomioja said.
The Finnish compromise offers to reduce restrictions on the Turkish-run
north of the island if Turkey in turn opened its ports to the Greek
Cypriots.
The proposal would open up the northern Cyprus seaport of Famagusta
to free trade with the EU. In return the Turkish side should hand
over control of the abandoned town of Varosha.
Both Greece and Cyprus, backed by other EU nations, have threatened to
block future talks if Ankara does not live up to an agreement signed
last year to extend its customs union with the Greek Cypriot part of
Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.
Turkey has refused to accept Greek Cypriot shipments until an
international embargo against Turkish Cypriots in the north of the
Mediterranean island is lifted.
Failure by Turkey to implement the deal could lead to EU leaders
suspending talks with Ankara in December.
"The problem is still there," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier said. "The continuation of the accession process hinges
on the question if Turkey is ready and capable of ratifying the …
(customs) protocol. Turkey is not ready to do this so far."
Gul said his government would work to find a solution.
"We have from the very beginning adopted a very constructive approach,
and we will continue to be constructive, but we also have to remember
that it’s important that the two communities on the island also
approach the issue constructively," Gul said.
Last week, Greece and Cyprus forced the EU to postpone the opening of
a new chapter of Turkey’s EU membership talks – on industrial policy –
until a solution to the customs dispute was found.
The dispute has also threatened ongoing efforts to reunite the two
sides of the island, which has been divided since Turkey invaded in
1974 after an attempted coup by supporters of union with Greece.
Turkey has no diplomatic relations with the island’s internationally
recognized Greek Cypriot government, and backs the breakaway Turkish
Cypriot republic in the north.
In 2004, Greek Cypriots voted against a U.N.-backed plan aimed at
reuniting the country on the eve of its entry into the EU, essentially
excluding the north from receiving EU benefits. Turkish Cypriots had
approved the reunification plan.
The EU’s enlargement chief chided Turkey on its slipping reform agenda,
and urged Gul to act urgently to change Article 301 of its penal
code – which sets out punishment for insulting the Turkish Republic,
its officials or "Turkishness."
It has been used to press charges against dozens of authors,
journalists, publishers and scholars, including novelist Orhan Pamuk,
who won the Nobel literature prize last week.
EU officials have warned that the Turkish law violates EU human rights
standards and must be scrapped if Turkey wants to join.
"It should be addressed as a matter of urgency," Rehn told Gul. "We
see that the best and surest way of erasing this serious problem is
either repealing or amending article 301."
Meanwhile, Gul reiterated Turkey’s condemnation against a French
bill that would criminalize denying the WWI killings of Armenians
was genocide. The legislation still needs approval from the French
Senate and president before it becomes law.
"This has affected negatively the prestige of France as a country
where all thoughts and opinions can be freely expressed," Gul said.
LUXEMBOURG The European Union and Turkey made little headway Monday
in resolving a stalemate over Ankara’s refusal to open its ports to
Cypriot planes and ships – a decision that the EU said could lead to
a break in Turkey’s membership talks.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also criticized Turkey again
about the pace of its reforms, urging the country to "urgently" pass
laws, particularly on changing its penal code, which he said violated
European standards on human rights in freedom of expression.
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja – whose country holds the
rotating EU presidency and who was chairing talks with Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul – said talks to keep on track entry negotiations
depended on compromise.
"It takes two to tango," Tuomioja told reporters after the meeting,
adding that Gul and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders had
welcomed a new initiative by Finland to try to resolve the standoff.
"That is a good prospect, because I think it is in no one’s interest,
not in any member state of the EU, or in Turkey’s interest that we
fail," Tuomioja said.
The Finnish compromise offers to reduce restrictions on the Turkish-run
north of the island if Turkey in turn opened its ports to the Greek
Cypriots.
The proposal would open up the northern Cyprus seaport of Famagusta
to free trade with the EU. In return the Turkish side should hand
over control of the abandoned town of Varosha.
Both Greece and Cyprus, backed by other EU nations, have threatened to
block future talks if Ankara does not live up to an agreement signed
last year to extend its customs union with the Greek Cypriot part of
Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.
Turkey has refused to accept Greek Cypriot shipments until an
international embargo against Turkish Cypriots in the north of the
Mediterranean island is lifted.
Failure by Turkey to implement the deal could lead to EU leaders
suspending talks with Ankara in December.
"The problem is still there," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier said. "The continuation of the accession process hinges
on the question if Turkey is ready and capable of ratifying the …
(customs) protocol. Turkey is not ready to do this so far."
Gul said his government would work to find a solution.
"We have from the very beginning adopted a very constructive approach,
and we will continue to be constructive, but we also have to remember
that it’s important that the two communities on the island also
approach the issue constructively," Gul said.
Last week, Greece and Cyprus forced the EU to postpone the opening of
a new chapter of Turkey’s EU membership talks – on industrial policy –
until a solution to the customs dispute was found.
The dispute has also threatened ongoing efforts to reunite the two
sides of the island, which has been divided since Turkey invaded in
1974 after an attempted coup by supporters of union with Greece.
Turkey has no diplomatic relations with the island’s internationally
recognized Greek Cypriot government, and backs the breakaway Turkish
Cypriot republic in the north.
In 2004, Greek Cypriots voted against a U.N.-backed plan aimed at
reuniting the country on the eve of its entry into the EU, essentially
excluding the north from receiving EU benefits. Turkish Cypriots had
approved the reunification plan.
The EU’s enlargement chief chided Turkey on its slipping reform agenda,
and urged Gul to act urgently to change Article 301 of its penal
code – which sets out punishment for insulting the Turkish Republic,
its officials or "Turkishness."
It has been used to press charges against dozens of authors,
journalists, publishers and scholars, including novelist Orhan Pamuk,
who won the Nobel literature prize last week.
EU officials have warned that the Turkish law violates EU human rights
standards and must be scrapped if Turkey wants to join.
"It should be addressed as a matter of urgency," Rehn told Gul. "We
see that the best and surest way of erasing this serious problem is
either repealing or amending article 301."
Meanwhile, Gul reiterated Turkey’s condemnation against a French
bill that would criminalize denying the WWI killings of Armenians
was genocide. The legislation still needs approval from the French
Senate and president before it becomes law.
"This has affected negatively the prestige of France as a country
where all thoughts and opinions can be freely expressed," Gul said.