Cyprus to judge Turkey based on its EU accession progress: FM

Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas said on Tuesday that the government of Cyprus will judge Turkey's European course based on the degree of fulfilling the EU obligations it undertook by expressing its wish to become a full EU member state.

Lillikas told reporters that "The Republic of Cyprus will judge Turkey not based on the ideas set out by the Finnish EU Presidency or any other future ideas that may be put on the table, but will judge Turkey based on the degree of fulfilling the EU obligations it undertook."

Asked whether Cyprus would continue to block the opening of new EU of Turkey negotiating chapters, Lillikas said that "this policy is valid until the conclusion of the discussions for Turkey's assessment", adding that the three opened negotiating chapters has been suspended.

"We will evaluate our policy again after the conclusion of Turkey's assessment", he continued.

The European Commission's progress report on Turkey will be issued on Wednesday.

Lillikas noted that until now, Turkey has given no signs as to the fulfillment of its EU obligations.

He reminded that the Finnish EU Presidency has invited Cyprus and Turkey for negotiations from Nov. 5 to 6 in Helsinki but the meeting never had happened as Turkey refused to participate.

Furthermore, he said that the EU is now focusing on assessing Turkey's EU bid and not on solving the Cyprus problem.

Commenting on the same issue, Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardes said that the government would welcome the fulfillment of the EU obligations by Turkey, so that Ankara averts a negative criticism by the EU.

Pashiardes also said that Ankara's stance left no room open for the European Commission to avoid a negative criticism in its assessment regarding Turkey's EU progress.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

Turkey, a country aspiring to become an EU member state, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and refuses to open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessel and aircraft.

Source: Xinhua