Turkey says Cyprus issue should not impact on EU negotiation process

The Turkish government said on Wednesday that the Cyprus issue is a political one and should not have an impact on Turkey's membership negotiation with the European Union (EU).

"The Cyprus problem is a political one and is not an obligation for the negotiation process, which is a technical one," the Turkish government said in a statement, reacting to an EU report on Turkey's progress to meeting EU conditions released in Brussels on Wednesday.

In the 2006 Turkey Progress Report and Strategy Document released by the European Commission on Wednesday, the EU's executive arm said that Turkey has not opened ports and airports to Cypriot ships and aircraft, heightening the risk of a breakdown in the Turkish drive to join the EU.

In addition, in the 75-page report, the European Commission also criticized a slowdown in reforms since Ankara began its EU accession talks last year.

Turkey agreed in 2005 to extend its customs union agreement to all 25 EU members including Cyprus. However, Ankara says it will not open its ports and airports to Cyprus until the EU makes good on its promises to end the trade embargo on the Turkish Cypriot north, recognized as a state only by Ankara.

According to local media, the EU report also pointed to the continuing political influence exercised by the Turkish armed forces, limitations on freedom of expression and the use of excessive force by the country's security forces.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Wednesday in Rome that his country is determined to meet all criteria set by the EU.

"We are determined to meet all EU criteria," Gul said at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart Massimo D' Alema before he departed from Rome, where he attended the third Turkish-Italian Forum on Wednesday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

Gul said that he has not seen the progress report yet, but said he expects it to be quite balanced.

"It will certainly talk about successes and shortcomings that Turkey is experiencing. We will correct the problems stemming from implementation," he added.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said Wednesday in Brussels that the EU expansion is not an express but "a slow, slow train coming and not precisely up around the bend."

He said that Turkey has continued political reforms even though the pace has slowed down during the past year, adding that Turkey is not backtracking on reforms.

On settlement of the Cyprus issue, Rehn recalled that Turkey is still supporting UN efforts and emphasized importance of implementation of the additional protocol to the Ankara Agreement.

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.

The internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus entered the EU in the name of the whole island.

The EU has said that Turkey, with which it began membership talks in October last year, must open its ports and airports to traffic from Cyprus this year under an agreement extending its customs union with the EU to the 10 new EU member states including Cyprus, otherwise it will end the access talks with Turkey.

Source: Xinhua