European Parliament postpones Turkey customs vote

The European Parliament on Wednesday postponed a vote to ratify Turkey's extended customs union with the European Union (EU) after Ankara said its signing of the protocol does not mean any form of recognition of Cyprus.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) feared that the Turkish declaration would form part of the ratification process in the Turkish parliament and thus gain legal force.

Nevertheless, in a political resolution voted afterwards, the European Parliament approved the start of accession negotiations with Turkey on Oct. 3 as scheduled.

Olli Rehn, EU commissioner for enlargement, expressed regret over the decision of the European Parliament.

"Unfortunately today's decision does not strengthen our position in urging Turkey to stick to its commitment, that is, following the signature, to ratify and implement the Protocol without delay," Rehn said in a statement.

"However, this is a postponement, not a rejection," he said.

The European Parliament voted 311-285 with 63 abstentions to postpone the vote on the parliament's approval of the Protocol to the Ankara Agreement, which extends Turkey's customs union with the EU to all its new members, including Cyprus.

"The postponement has no impact on the start of the negotiations, since the only condition related to the protocol was its signature by Turkey, which has taken place," said Rehn.

Despite Ankara's signing of the protocol in July, it still bars Cyprus from using its ports and airports.

Turkey refuses to recognize the Greek-Cypriot government which represents Cyprus in the EU.

Cyprus has been divided into the Turkish-Cypriot north and the Greek-Cypriot south since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded north of the island after a failed Greek-Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece. The Turkish-Cypriot breakaway state in the north is recognized only by Ankara.

A majority of MEPs demanded guarantees from the Turkish authorities that the declaration was not going to be part of the ratification process in the Turkish parliament, fearing that it would then have legal implications.

Although the parliament voted to support the start of accession talks on Oct. 3, a date set by EU leaders in a December summit, it said the European Commission, EU's executive body, must assess if Turkey has fully implemented the protocol by the end of 2006. If not, this could lead to halting the accession negotiations.

The parliament also wanted each negotiation session at ministerial level to be preceded by an assessment of the fulfillment of the political criteria, both in theory and in practice, "thus exerting permanent pressure on the Turkish authorities to maintain the pace of the necessary reforms."

MEPs reiterated that the accession negotiations are an open- ended process and will not automatically lead to Turkey's EU membership.

EU governments are to work out a negotiating framework, which sets basic rules for the talks. Austria wants the negotiations to lead to an alternative to membership, such as a partnership.

Ankara on Wednesday threatened to shun away from negotiations if full membership is not the goal of the talks.

Source: Xinhua