(31/08/05) Turkije - Erkenning Cyprus was nooit voorwaarde onderhandelingen

• 2005-09-01

Recognition of Cyprus was never a precondition for opening of talks

Turkey's statement that it does not officially recognise the Republic of Cyprus is no reason for the EU to delay the beginning of accession negotiations, said Green MEPs Joost Lagendijk (Netherlands) and Cem Özdemir (Germany), before an informal meeting of European foreign affairs ministers began in Wales today.

Joost Lagendijk, chair of the European Parliament's Turkey delegation, said:
"The Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in December that enlargement of the customs union did not equal 'formal recognition', but was a step that would lead to progress on this topic. President Chirac at the time also agreed with this compromise. So they cannot suddenly change the conditions a month before the start of the negotiations."

"In the past week several conservative politicians in Europe – among them the French President and Angela Merkel, the Christian Democrat candidate for chancellor in the forthcoming German elections – have attempted to do just that, claiming that Turkey cannot being negotiations before it recognises Cyprus."

Cem Özdemir, also a member of the Turkey delegation, added:
"The politicians that now defend the Republic of Cyprus have forgotten that in May of last year, a united Cyprus was supposed to join the EU. Thanks to efforts in Ankara, a united federal state of Turkish and Greek Cypriots seemed possible. But less than a month before Cyprus's accession the Greek Cypriots denounced Kofi Annan's peace plan, while the Turkish Cypriots voted largely in favour of it. In the end only Greek Cyprus became an EU member."

"It is understandable that Turkey is reluctant to recognise Greek Cyprus before an agreement is reached on reuniting the island. Nonetheless, Turkey must respect the customs union and give Cypriot ships access to its harbours. Incidents like the one in August when an oil tanker was denied access to the Dortyol harbour are unacceptable. The Turkish government must end the embargo on ships that have ties with Cyprus."

Dossier EU-Turkije