The
Republic of Cyprus and Turkey
Amidst suggestions that
Turkey was being offered second class EU membership
and a high profile conflict concerning the ‘excessively
tough’ conditions of membership, it was
the long standing Cyprus issue which nearly scuttled
Turkey’s forty one year journey towards
membership.
Though a compromise was eventually reached, the talks saw heated exchanges between
Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkey’s Premier Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
Ultimately however, Turkey’s
hand was substantially weakened by the fact that
the Greek controlled Republic of Cyprus obtained
full EU membership on May 1st 2004, entitling
it to a seat at the table and the ability to veto
Turkey’s membership and the associated terms.
President Papadopoulos had initially called for
full recognition of the Republic of Cyprus by
Turkey, but eventually settled for an extension
of the so-called Ankara Protocol; an agreement
regarding Turkey’s stance towards the new
European Union member states.
Though short of full diplomatic acknowledgement,
it was nevertheless a bitter pill for Ankara to
swallow.
Almost a year later,
on October 3rd 2005, membership negotiations between
The EU and Turkey were symbolically commenced.
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Continuing
Negotiations
As an associate member since 1963 and official
candidate state of the European Union since 1999,
Turkey’s journey to full EU membership accession
would seem to be progressing according to plan.
In further developments, Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited the participation
of representatives from Turkey, Greece and both
communities of Cyprus to resume negotiations aimed
at finding a resolution to the Cyprus conflict.
These negotiations recommenced during 2006 and
are overseen by the United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan.
A spokesman for Kofi Annan has confirmed that the
United Nations will continue its labours towards
a resolution of the Cyprus issue.
In the mean time, Ankara has stated that
its ports and airports would be opened to Greek
Cypriot carriers on the condition that the Republic
of Cyprus would lift restrictions placed on Turkish
Cypriots. Although welcomed by the European Union
and the United Nations, this new Turkish initiative
was immediately rejected by Cypriot President Papadopoulos
and the Cypriot government as merely being a rehash
of earlier schemes.
It is to be hoped that progress can be made when
negotiations continue later this year. |
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