J-10
03-31-2005, 06:25 AM
Turkey smooths path to EU by extending treaty to new members
By Vincent Boland in Ankara
Published: March 31 2005 03:00 | Last updated: March 31 2005 03:00
Turkey has overcome the biggest obstacle to opening accession talks with the European Union by agreeing this week to extend its existing treaty with the EU to the 10 states - including Cyprus - that joined the union last year.
The Turkish government sent a letter to the European Commission on Tuesday indicating that it agreed to the text of a protocol to its association agreement with the EU to cover the 10 new members.
However, Turkey insisted that this did not grant formal recognition to the Greek Cypriot government in the Republic of Cyprus.
The association agreement came into force in 1963 and was extended in 1996 to include a customs union.
Analysts said the government's willingness to overcome the immediate hurdle of extending the agreement, a controversial issue in Turkey, was a mark of its determination to remove all barriers to the opening of EU accession talks. Abdullah Gul, foreign minister, reiterated yesterday that EU membership was Turkey's "top priority".
Can Baydarol, a board member of the Turkey-EU Foundation, said: "The important thing for Turkey is to get the talks started; Cyprus is just a detail." The accession talks are due to start on October 3.
Cyprus remains a charged issue for many Turks. Since 1974, when Turkey invaded to quash a Greek Cypriot coup, the island has been divided between the Greek Cypriot south, with a government recognised internationally as representing the entire island, and a Turkish Cypriot enclave in the north, the government of which only Turkey recognises.
Attention will now turn to the presidential elections in the Turkish Cypriot enclave on April 17. The poll will mark the retirement of Rauf Denktash, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader, who opposes reunification.
Officials and diplomats said Ankara was putting its faith in his retirement paving the way for the revival of a stalled United Nations plan to reunite Cyprus.
Turkey is also likely to step up efforts after the election to get the EU to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.
Despite the agreed protocol, Cyprus could still trip up Turkey's hopes for a smooth EU accession process, analysts said.
Turkey must also lift its ban on Cypriot-flagged ships using Turkish ports. Krisztina Nagy, a spokeswoman for Olli Rehn, the EU enlargement commissioner, said yesterday that this ban was a breach of the customs union.
The Republic of Cyprus, a designation that incorporates the whole island, is also a party to Turkey's EU negotiations and has a veto. Cengiz Aktar, director of the European Union centre at Galatasaray University, said: "I don't see how Turkey can negotiate with 25 EU member states, one of which is its enemy. A lot will depend on how the other 24 states act."
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/86d9835a-a181-11d9-95e5-00000e2511c8.html
By Vincent Boland in Ankara
Published: March 31 2005 03:00 | Last updated: March 31 2005 03:00
Turkey has overcome the biggest obstacle to opening accession talks with the European Union by agreeing this week to extend its existing treaty with the EU to the 10 states - including Cyprus - that joined the union last year.
The Turkish government sent a letter to the European Commission on Tuesday indicating that it agreed to the text of a protocol to its association agreement with the EU to cover the 10 new members.
However, Turkey insisted that this did not grant formal recognition to the Greek Cypriot government in the Republic of Cyprus.
The association agreement came into force in 1963 and was extended in 1996 to include a customs union.
Analysts said the government's willingness to overcome the immediate hurdle of extending the agreement, a controversial issue in Turkey, was a mark of its determination to remove all barriers to the opening of EU accession talks. Abdullah Gul, foreign minister, reiterated yesterday that EU membership was Turkey's "top priority".
Can Baydarol, a board member of the Turkey-EU Foundation, said: "The important thing for Turkey is to get the talks started; Cyprus is just a detail." The accession talks are due to start on October 3.
Cyprus remains a charged issue for many Turks. Since 1974, when Turkey invaded to quash a Greek Cypriot coup, the island has been divided between the Greek Cypriot south, with a government recognised internationally as representing the entire island, and a Turkish Cypriot enclave in the north, the government of which only Turkey recognises.
Attention will now turn to the presidential elections in the Turkish Cypriot enclave on April 17. The poll will mark the retirement of Rauf Denktash, the veteran Turkish Cypriot leader, who opposes reunification.
Officials and diplomats said Ankara was putting its faith in his retirement paving the way for the revival of a stalled United Nations plan to reunite Cyprus.
Turkey is also likely to step up efforts after the election to get the EU to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.
Despite the agreed protocol, Cyprus could still trip up Turkey's hopes for a smooth EU accession process, analysts said.
Turkey must also lift its ban on Cypriot-flagged ships using Turkish ports. Krisztina Nagy, a spokeswoman for Olli Rehn, the EU enlargement commissioner, said yesterday that this ban was a breach of the customs union.
The Republic of Cyprus, a designation that incorporates the whole island, is also a party to Turkey's EU negotiations and has a veto. Cengiz Aktar, director of the European Union centre at Galatasaray University, said: "I don't see how Turkey can negotiate with 25 EU member states, one of which is its enemy. A lot will depend on how the other 24 states act."
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/86d9835a-a181-11d9-95e5-00000e2511c8.html