MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF TURKS OPPOSE CEDING TO EU ON CYPRUS: POLL

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Nov 8 2006

ANKARA – More than two thirds of Turks say membership talks with the
European Union should be suspended if the bloc maintains demands for
Ankara to give ground in a trade row over Cyprus, a poll released
Tuesday showed.

Only one in five of those questioned said Ankara should pursue
accession negotiations despite EU pressure over the divided island,
compared to 70 percent who said it should not.

Ten percent were undecided, according to the poll conducted among
1,100 people from October 30 to November 4 by the International
Strategic Research Organisation, an independent think-tank.

The survey was released on the eve of a critical report by the European
Commission on Turkey`s progress in membership talks with the EU that
began in October 2005.

The report is expected to stress that Turkey has still failed to open
its air and sea ports to Cyprus, an EU member it does not recognise,
as part of a customs union with the bloc.

Turkey says it will bar Cyprus from its ports until the EU delivers on
pledges to ease the international isolation of the breakaway Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Ankara.

According to the survey, 63 percent said they do not believe Turkey
and the EU will reach a compromise on the trade row over Cyprus,
compared to 26 percent who said a compromise was possible.

Opening Turkish ports to Cyprus will not ease relations between Ankara
and Brussels, 74 percent said, while only 13 percent believed it would.

The poll also confirmed the downward trend in Turkey`s once-high
enthusiasm for EU membership: only 50 percent said they support
Turkey`s accession, down from 75 percent two years ago, while 45
percent said they are opposed.

Those who believe the EU is not treating Turkey "sincerely and fairly"
total 81 percent, compared to only 2.0 percent who said it is.

Asked which countries most hampered Turkey`s accession to the EU,
39 percent named France, 21.2 percent Greece and 14 percent Cyprus.

Analysts say Turkish public opinion has gradually lost faith in the
EU since the start of accession talks, wearied by a widespread debate
on whether Turkey, a mainly Muslim country of more than 70 million,
has a place in Europe.

The pressure over Cyrpus and European calls for Turkey to recognise
the World War I killings of Armenians as genocide added to the
disillusionment, they say.