Turkish euphoria at last week’s historic decision to open talks on European Union accession was tempered on Sunday when Cyprus warned that it could still veto membership.
Less than a day after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was fêted for returning with a deal from Brussels, the Greek Cypriot leader threatened to derail the process if Ankara does not expand its customs union with the EU to include the island.
”The Republic of Cyprus has the right not to consent to the start of the entry talks,” President Tassos Papadopoulos said in a televised address.
Turkey has to bring Cyprus into the customs union by October 2005, when accession negotiations are due to begin. This would overturn 30 years of Turkish refusal to acknowledge Cyprus’s internationally recognised, Greek-led government.
The issue was the potential deal-breaker at the EU summit opening the talks last week.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that arrangements concluded with the EU were with the bloc as a whole and did not amount to implicit recognition of Cyprus.
Since invading Cyprus in response to a coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece 30 years ago, Turkey has maintained about 35 000 troops in the north, territory it seized during the military operation.
A senior government member told The Guardian newspaper: ”We want to solve this issue but the problem is if we recognise Cyprus, the Greek Cypriots will demand that we stop recognising the north, that we withdraw our troops and that we pay compensation to those who suffered in 1974.”
The veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash warned that any moves towards recognition would amount to Turkey ”accepting being an occupier and the approval of Greek Cypriot massacres”.
Turkish officials say full recognition can come only when the island is reunified. A United Nations-brokered deal — which foresaw Greek and Turkish Cypriots cohabiting in a loose federation — was rejected in a referendum by the Greek Cypriots.
”Until now the government’s opponents have held back, not wanting to rock the boat ahead of the EU summit,” said Suat Kiniklioglu at the Ankara Centre for Turkish Policy Studies. ”But now the daggers will be out.”
On Sunday, Nicolas Sarkozy, the head of France’s ruling UMP party, reaffirmed his stiff opposition to Turkey’s application.
In Italy, meanwhile, tens of thousands demonstrated in Milan against Turkish membership.
”Turkey’s entry into Europe is … a Trojan horse in the heart of the West,” said Roberto Calderoli, a minister. — Guardian Unlimited Â