Cyprus Mail, Sofia Kannas, December 9, 2004: Visiting EU president says must be some movement on Cyprus if Turkey’s EU bid is to be a success

Cyprus indicated yesterday it was not satisfied with the latest draft of the final statement for next week’s EU summit, which is due to decide on starting accession negotiations with Turkey.

“Since the draft has been leaked, I would like to express our disappointment with its contents,” Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said. “There is no substantive change.”

The draft repeats the need for Turkey to extend its customs union with the new member states, but makes explicit mention of 10 new members to ensure Turkey cannot seek to bypass Cyprus. However, it makes no mention of full recognition, on which Nicosia is insisting.

Chrysostomides was speaking as Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, flew in to Cyprus for talks with President Tassos Papadopoulos on the issue of Turkey’s accession process.

Balkenende is visiting countries seen as key to Turkey’s prospects in the run-up to next week’s December 16-17 summit.

Speaking in Athens before arriving in Cyprus, Balkenende said Turkey would have to give way on Cyprus: “I do not want to say how things will play out next week, but we cannot be satisfied with the situation that now exists,” he was quoted as saying by Dutch news agency ANP.

“The position of the EU is: there must be a movement by Turkey in the direction of Cyprus.”

The Dutch Premier’s talks with Papadopoulos yesterday afternoon were described as “a frank exchange of thoughts”.

Papadopoulos said the final decision next week would be dictated by the best interests of Cyprus: “We want Turkey to be able to help us to be positive in the process, but of course it is the decision of each individual member state to decide how its interests are safeguarded and how they are best served.” Like all the other 25 member states, Cyprus wields a veto over Turkey’s progress.

Balkenende sought to smooth over concerns that too little was being done to pressure Turkey. Even if a solution to the Cyprus problem is not part of the membership criteria for the European Union, the Turkey-EU customs union could become the “foundation stone” for reunification, he said in Nicosia.

But Chrysostomides said the third paragraph of the section on Turkey “merely repeats the wording of the previous draft with the addition that the Ankara agreement will be extended to the ‘ten new member states’.”

“There is no other change with regard to Cyprus and the problems between us and Turkey,” he noted.

The government maintains that Turkey must recognise the Republic, saying that it would be a paradox to have Ankara seeking Nicosia's positive vote for accession negotiations without recognising the Republic's existence.

“Turkey has to adopt such policies that would signify normalisation of its relations with all EU member states and has to make such moves that would be tantamount to recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, before the start of accession negotiations.”

Balkenende said it was clear that the decision to start accession negotiations with Turkey at next week’s summit would be especially significant for Cyprus “and that is why I am here as president of the European Council.”

Papadopulos added he believed the Dutch Presidency would take his view into consideration in the final draft resolution regarding Turkey’s accession.

The spokesman stressed further changes could follow before the final draft is presented to the EU leaders at their meeting on December 17.

“The final draft is subject to changes at the Council meeting as well,” he added.
Earlier yesterday, Greek Prime minister Costas Karamanlis delivered the text of Greece's positions on Turkey's EU accession course to Balkenende, who stopped off for talks in Athens on his way to Cyprus.

Talks between the two men focused on the second draft of Conclusions for the summit prepared by the Dutch EU presidency.

Balkenende travels to Turkey tomorrow.

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