Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said on Saturday that Turkey's proposal of conditional opening port and airport to Greek Cypriot traffic was a move of "disorientation".

The Turkish proposal is obviously "a move of disorientation", Papadopoulos told reporters at the Larnaca airport after winding up a state visit to China.

He said that Turkey has to meet its obligations to the EU and should not expect any exchange from the Republic of Cyprus.

"There can be no link between Turkey's (EU) obligations and developments in Cyprus," he asserted.

Turkey, which has failed to open its air and sea traffic to the Republic of Cyprus, a EU member, is faced with increasing pressure and a possible suspension of its EU entry talks at next week's EU summit.

In order to avoid the suspension and break the deadlock, Turkey sent a message to the EU at the same day of a EU ministerial meeting on Turkey, proposing to open one of its ports and an airport to Greek Cypriots on condition of lifting the siege on Turkish Cypriot Ercan Airport and Magusa port.

The proposal was rejected by Papadopoulos on Thursday when he was in Beijing for a state visit to China.

Speaking from Beijing, Cypriot President Papadopoulos said "it is not Cyprus that is being judged on Dec. 15", referring to the planned EU summit.

The European Commission last week recommended slowing down Turkey's entry talks by freezing eight of the 35 negotiating chapters, or policy areas, after Ankara refused to fully extend the customs agreement and open up its ports to Cyprus.

Turkey has argued that the "international isolation" of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north, which is recognized by Turkey only, should be first lifted.

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 2004 in the name of the whole island.

Source: Xinhua