Turkey’s offer sows confusion among EU governments: Membership talks
HELSINKI, Dec 7: A last-minute offer by Turkey to open a major port to traffic from Cyprus in a bid to avert a partial suspension of its European Union membership talks sowed confusion among EU governments on Thursday.
A spokesman for the EU's Finnish presidency said Ankara had sent a message that it would provisionally open one port and one airport, partially meeting a treaty obligation to normalise trade with all new member states that joined the bloc in 2004.
But while EU officials gave the move a guarded welcome, the Greek Cypriot government in Nicosia said it made a mockery of Turkey's EU obligations. Even Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja seemed uncertain whether it came with strings attached.
“If Turkey is ready for such an unconditional move, this positive step will influence the council discussions on the continuation of Turkey's EU accession process,” he said.
But Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas told reporters: “It's a premeditated attempt to impress, and it's a mockery of the European Union. It is devoid of any serious content.”
In Ankara, a government source said Turkey would take only simultaneous and reciprocal steps with the Greek Cypriots in opening its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus.
Turkey wants the EU to end the economic isolation of a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in northern Cyprus by allowing direct trade, which the Nicosia government has so far blocked.
Two well-placed EU sources said Turkey had offered to open one port provisionally for a year without conditions but had linked opening an airport to Cypriot flights to the opening of a port and an airport in northern Cyprus.
Turkey's reported offer came as EU ambassadors met in Brussels for a second day to discuss how to sanction Ankara for failing to meet a requirement to allow normal trade with Cyprus.
Suspicious diplomats asked to see the Turkish offer in writing, and the meeting adjourned discussion of Turkey until Friday to let envoys consult their governments.
Turkey declined official comment on what it was offering.
The EU rejects any linkage between the ports issue, which is a treaty obligation under Turkey's EU customs union, and direct trade with the Turkish Cypriot state, which was a political commitment the bloc gave in 2004.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conference Brussels was seeking clarification, but added:
“If that move can be confirmed, I think it is certainly an important step ... and in that context I certainly welcome it.”
Britain, Turkey's strongest backer in the EU, applauded Ankara's initiative as “really significant”. “It is esssential that the EU responds,” a British official said.
The Nicosia government, which officially represents all of Cyprus in the EU, said it would never consent to opening northern Cyprus's Ercan airport to flights other than to Turkey, which would bring the Turkish Cypriots huge tourism benefits.
“This can never happen,” spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said.
The executive European Commission recommended last week suspending eight out of 35 policy areas or “chapters” in Turkey's EU accession negotiations and refusing to conclude talks in any sector until it complies on trade with Cyprus.
Cyprus has been divided since Turkish troops invaded in 1974 in response to a coup by Greek Cypriot militants seeking union with Greece.
The EU admitted the divided island as a member in 2004, represented only by the Nicosia government, which Turkey does not recognise. The Turkish Cypriot administration, by contrast, is recognised only by Turkey.
