VARIOUS: Turks unhappy with EU decision to seek partial freeze in accession talks

The European Commission dealt a sharp blow on Wednesday (November 29) to Turkey's hopes of joining the European Union, recommending a partial suspension of entry talks after Ankara refused to open its ports to Cyprus. The EU executive proposed freezing eight of the 35 policy areas or "chapters" into which the negotiations are divided and said no chapter should be concluded until the Cyprus trade dispute was resolved. But Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan put a brave face on the move, insisted it did not amount to a real suspension and vowed to press on with political reforms. Turkish financial markets also shrugged it off with the lira currency and share prices ending the day higher due amid relief that the Commission had not called for a wider freeze. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said: "We recommend that no chapter be closed until Turkey has fulfilled its commitments. The European Union is a community of law. Failure to meet legal obligations cannot remain without consequences." EU foreign ministers will decide whether to back the recommendation on Dec. 11. Rehn said Turkey could yet score "a golden goal" by complying before then. This seems very unlikely, however, not least because Erdogan faces elections next year and does not want his increasingly nationalist public opinion to perceive him as weak on Cyprus, seen in Turkey as an issue of national honour. "If EU insist on this recommended decision the talks could be a bit slowed down. But it is not a question to suspend or to stop it," Erdogan told a news conference. The Commission move came after the latest round of talks on the Cyprus stand-off failed on Monday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the European Commission decision showed Turkey had to honour its agreement with the EU to open its ports to Cyprus. She also urged better checks on Turkey's progress in the talks and a review in about 18 months. But British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ankara's strongest backer, said the EU should not send a negative signal to Turkey as this could be "a serious mistake for Europe long-term". The sectors to be frozen concern free movement of goods, the right to establish a business and freedom to provide services, financial services, agriculture, fisheries, transport policy, customs union and foreign relations. Commission sources said the list was based on legal advice on which chapters were relevant to the Cyprus issue but the number also reflected political reality in the member states. So far, Turkey has provisionally concluded just one chapter -- science and research -- since it began talks last year. Turkey invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 in response to a Greek Cypriot coup backed by Greece and it does not recognise Cyprus. Ankara is alone in recognising a breakaway Turkish Cypriot mini-state in the north of the island. Turkey has said it will open its ports to shipping from Cyprus only if the EU fulfils a pledge to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriot northern Cyprus, which the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government in Nicosia has blocked. Turkish officials had expected only three or four chapters to be suspended but there was some comfort that Brussels did not seek a total freeze and set no new deadline to comply on Cyprus.

ITN Source | November 30, 2006

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