"Turkish surprise move confuses EU diplomacy"...""unclear" language of the Turkish proposal"...

gogu wrote:

http://euobserver.com/9/23059




Turkish surprise move confuses EU diplomacy


07.12.2006 - 17:37 CET | By Mark Beunderman


EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Turkey's last-ditch offer to open one port and one
airport to Cypriot traffic appears only to have complicated EU efforts to
find a common stance on the fate of Ankara's membership talks.

EU member states' representations in Brussels signalled confusion on
Thursday (7 December) over a morning proposal from Ankara to start allowing
trade from EU member state Cyprus, in a bid to avert a partial freeze of its
EU membership negotiations.


The "unclear" language of the Turkish proposal prompted the Finnish EU
presidency to shift a meeting of member states' EU ambassadors on the issue
to Friday, with the specifics of the plan still unclear on late Thursday
afternoon.

"This can either be the golden goal or a trick cigar," one EU diplomat
stated.

Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja in a statement confirmed that Ankara
intends to "provisionally open a major sea port to Cypriot vessels,"
partially fulfilling a key obligation under the so-called Ankara protocol
which prohibits blocking trade from EU member states.

"Turkey's initiative is a positive step towards full implementation of the
Ankara protocol, but still needs clarification," Mr Tuomioja said referring
to a second part of the plan in which Ankara also signalled it would open an
airport to Cypriot commercial flights.

Some diplomats said that Ankara apparently made the opening of one airport
conditional on a parallel move by Cyprus to allow the opening of one airport
in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus which is under an international trade
embargo.

While Finnish presidency sources said they were still seeking clarification
from the Turks, both the presidency and the European Commission reacted
cautiously but positively to Ankara's willingness to open at least one port
without conditions.

"If Turkey is ready for such an unconditional move, this positive step will
influence the Council's [member states'] discussions on the continuation of
Turkey's EU accession process," said Mr Tuomioja with the commission calling
it an "important step" if confirmed.

A diplomat from a large western member state suggested the European
Commission should look at Ankara's proposal as early as Thursday night
before member states' ambassadors meet again on Friday.

He added that Brussels might need to "reconsider" its recommendation made
last week to partially freeze Turkey's membership talks.

The commission is recommending the suspension of the opening of eight
chapters of Turkey's 35-strong EU negotiations book while talks on the
remaining chapters could continue - as a sanction for Turkey's refusal to
implement the Ankara protocol before the end of the year.


Continuing rift



The commission proposal forms the basis for discussions by EU foreign
ministers at a key meeting next Monday, which are expected to reveal deep
divisions between those member states taking a soft line on Turkey and those
wanting to push a harder line.

Turkey's latest move seems to have done little to bridge these divides, with
diplomats saying that Cyprus suspects Turkey of wanting to derail Monday's
EU foreign ministers meeting with an eleventh-hour partial concession.

According to DPA press agency, a Cypriot spokesman said Nicosia would in any
case not allow the opening of any airport in the North of the island, while
a Greek foreign ministry spokesman said the opening of just one port is not
enough.

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the other hand said
Turkey appeared to be showing a "cautious readiness to make concessions."

In a strong positive reaction, a British official told Reuters "We have been
pressing the Turkish government to implement its obligations. A unilateral
move would be courageous and positive. It is essential that the EU
responds."

--

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