What we (the EU) Say in Cyprus, Goes!
The EU Commission has finally released its 75-page progress report and 20-page strategy document on Turkey. The report is almost as long as the previous one. While preparing the report, there were obvious efforts to place important obstacles in front of Turkey.
EU Term President and Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja?s recommendation of a Cyprus solution model is now the subject of a new debate.
France had proposed holding a referendum in all countries on Turkey?s accession; however, the proposal was rejected and was not included in the report. Certainly, France?s goal is to stave off Turkey, which is a nightmare for France and a potential economic rival, before it becomes any stronger.
It?s important to examine the evaluations made immediately before and after the report by EU Commission Chairman Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament?s Turkey liaison Camiel Eurlings. The words of both as well as Tuomioja?s proposal were aimed at misleading Turkey. EU Commission Chairman Barroso, who assessed the report immediately before it was released, said that if the Cyprus problem continued, Turkish-EU negotiations would not be halted and diplomatic initiatives would be launched.
Barroso also advised Turkey to open its ports to Greek ships and planes by the end of the year. If ports aren?t opened, the issue will be taken up by the Council of Ministers to be held on Dec. 14. The aim was to frighten Turkey in hopes that it might open its ports.
The Injustice to Turkey
In a press conference held after the European Union published its progress report and strategy document, Eurlings said Turkey had to implement the additional protocol to ensure reliability to the European Union, emphasizing that they weren?t asking Turkey to recognize the Greek Republic of Cyprus. He also appealed to the union to remove the embargo on Turkish Cypriots , noting the situation for the Turkish Cypriots was extremely important to resolve the Cyprus problem.
While Eurlings was keen not to use the term ?Turkish Cyprus,? he used the term ?Turkish Cypriots? or ?the Cypriots living in places on the island where the Greek Republic of Cyprus is not sovereign.?
EU authorities had guaranteed they would lift the embargoes applied to Turks in Cyprus if Turkey accepts the Annan Plan. Although 65 percent of Turkish Cypriot voters voted ?yes? to the referendum, the EU authorities failed to keep their promises and said, ?That is a political decision, not a legal one,? as a reason for not removing the embargoes. When Turkey asked why it was carrying all the weight, EU authorities said, ?You are right legally, but we are superior politically,? which in other words meant ?Because we said so.?
As for Finland?s recommendations, EU term president and Finnish Foreign Minister Tuomioja said: ?These recommendations are your last chance on the subject of a Cyprus solution. If you miss this chance, there won?t be another opportunity like this.? But, we saw how unreliable and untrustworthy the words of these people were when new recommendations were made after both sides rejected the proposals. There was a decision made on April 26, 2004, by the EU Council that said the Council was determined to end the isolation of the Cyprus Turkish society and support the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community by reuniting Cyprus.
The fact remains that the EU council decision, dated April 26, 2004, to remove the embargo on Turkish Cypriots was placed in the 10th protocol of the 2003 Accession Agreement.
EU Continues Faulty Cyprus Policy
This is an EU Council decision; in fact, it?s a decision of the EU Council comprised of ministers and so this decision is the European Union?s institutional obligation. Trusting this EU Council obligation and the 4th article of the Financial Aid Regulations, Turkey signed the final declaration of the EU Council summit on Dec. 17, 2004, which expanded the Ankara Agreement to include 10 new members. This meant Turkey had to open its ports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes. Now the European Union is changing the game. Implementing the April 26, 2004 EU Council decision doesn?t remove the embargoes nor does it take any steps to do so. The European Union hasn?t kept its promise.
The European Union wants Turkey to comply with the Dec. 17 final declaration of the EU Council and the contents of the Accession Framework Paper, dated Oct. 3, 2005, and it is putting pressure on Turkey to open its ports to ships and planes with a Greek flag. Moreover, although the Greeks, while becoming an EU member, signed the 10th protocol and agreed to comply with U.N. Security Council decisions regarding Cyprus by a comprehensive solution and to support efforts of the U.N. General Assembly, they didn?t and they continued to prevent the economic development of Turkish Cyprus.
According to the EU Commission progress report, the recommendation for opening ports before the Dec. 14 summit is not an ultimatum. This recommendation aims for the Commission and, consequently, the European Union to put pressure on Turkey. If there is no progress on the ports issue, then there will be a recommendation at the Dec. 14 summit to freeze the negotiations on chapters related to transportation and the customs union. The summit will most likely be a difficult one with Greek Cypriots making veto threats and Turkey refusing to open it ports to carriers with Greek flags. Although efforts to halt the negotiations may intensify, the European Union will not have the courage to suspend negotiations with Turkey. The accession talks will continue with the postponement of discussions on titles related to ports.
The report evaluates how well Turkey has adopted the EU membership criteria in the political and economic fields, it includes the titles of topics confirmed for discussion, works on compatibility with EU accession and important developments made in the last year. Turkey has fulfilled all of its responsibilities. If it weren?t for the underlying ill-intentions on the committee and the creation of artificial problems with a mind to prevent Turkish membership, Turkey could become a member well before 2020. It was indicated in the report that as a result of signing the additional protocol, Turkey is responsible for enabling ?transportation? and the ?free circulation of goods? for all 10 new EU members, and that the European Union will make an evaluation during the year as to whether or not Turkey made full compliance on this matter. It is not mentioned as to what kind of precautions will be taken in case the evaluation is negative.
This approach shows that no sanctions will be made if Turkey doesn?t open its ports to ships and planes with Greek flags and that accession talks won?t break off for this reason. Another interesting part of the report is the statement to the effect that Turkey has remained bound to a comprehensive solution under the leadership of the United Nations in almost any attempt at a Cyprus solution, regardless of the source.
This description is good proof that Turkey is not in the ?no? position and that it is accepted as a party that wants a Cyprus solution. This new and positive definition in the Turkish report should be used very well. Another positive implication of the report on the Cyprus issue is the emphasis on the fact that Turkey has supported both communities of the island regarding talks on the ?technical committee? level resulting from the Gambari initiative. The mention of the 11-point plan of action on Cyprus presented by Turkey in the EU Commission progress report shows that in spite of Papadopoulos?s immediate rejection of these recommendations, they are still valid alternatives and they comprise a positive point for Turkey.
Professor Ata Atum, East Mediterranean University Faculty Member
EU Term President and Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja?s recommendation of a Cyprus solution model is now the subject of a new debate.
France had proposed holding a referendum in all countries on Turkey?s accession; however, the proposal was rejected and was not included in the report. Certainly, France?s goal is to stave off Turkey, which is a nightmare for France and a potential economic rival, before it becomes any stronger.
It?s important to examine the evaluations made immediately before and after the report by EU Commission Chairman Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament?s Turkey liaison Camiel Eurlings. The words of both as well as Tuomioja?s proposal were aimed at misleading Turkey. EU Commission Chairman Barroso, who assessed the report immediately before it was released, said that if the Cyprus problem continued, Turkish-EU negotiations would not be halted and diplomatic initiatives would be launched.
Barroso also advised Turkey to open its ports to Greek ships and planes by the end of the year. If ports aren?t opened, the issue will be taken up by the Council of Ministers to be held on Dec. 14. The aim was to frighten Turkey in hopes that it might open its ports.
The Injustice to Turkey
In a press conference held after the European Union published its progress report and strategy document, Eurlings said Turkey had to implement the additional protocol to ensure reliability to the European Union, emphasizing that they weren?t asking Turkey to recognize the Greek Republic of Cyprus. He also appealed to the union to remove the embargo on Turkish Cypriots , noting the situation for the Turkish Cypriots was extremely important to resolve the Cyprus problem.
While Eurlings was keen not to use the term ?Turkish Cyprus,? he used the term ?Turkish Cypriots? or ?the Cypriots living in places on the island where the Greek Republic of Cyprus is not sovereign.?
EU authorities had guaranteed they would lift the embargoes applied to Turks in Cyprus if Turkey accepts the Annan Plan. Although 65 percent of Turkish Cypriot voters voted ?yes? to the referendum, the EU authorities failed to keep their promises and said, ?That is a political decision, not a legal one,? as a reason for not removing the embargoes. When Turkey asked why it was carrying all the weight, EU authorities said, ?You are right legally, but we are superior politically,? which in other words meant ?Because we said so.?
As for Finland?s recommendations, EU term president and Finnish Foreign Minister Tuomioja said: ?These recommendations are your last chance on the subject of a Cyprus solution. If you miss this chance, there won?t be another opportunity like this.? But, we saw how unreliable and untrustworthy the words of these people were when new recommendations were made after both sides rejected the proposals. There was a decision made on April 26, 2004, by the EU Council that said the Council was determined to end the isolation of the Cyprus Turkish society and support the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community by reuniting Cyprus.
The fact remains that the EU council decision, dated April 26, 2004, to remove the embargo on Turkish Cypriots was placed in the 10th protocol of the 2003 Accession Agreement.
EU Continues Faulty Cyprus Policy
This is an EU Council decision; in fact, it?s a decision of the EU Council comprised of ministers and so this decision is the European Union?s institutional obligation. Trusting this EU Council obligation and the 4th article of the Financial Aid Regulations, Turkey signed the final declaration of the EU Council summit on Dec. 17, 2004, which expanded the Ankara Agreement to include 10 new members. This meant Turkey had to open its ports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes. Now the European Union is changing the game. Implementing the April 26, 2004 EU Council decision doesn?t remove the embargoes nor does it take any steps to do so. The European Union hasn?t kept its promise.
The European Union wants Turkey to comply with the Dec. 17 final declaration of the EU Council and the contents of the Accession Framework Paper, dated Oct. 3, 2005, and it is putting pressure on Turkey to open its ports to ships and planes with a Greek flag. Moreover, although the Greeks, while becoming an EU member, signed the 10th protocol and agreed to comply with U.N. Security Council decisions regarding Cyprus by a comprehensive solution and to support efforts of the U.N. General Assembly, they didn?t and they continued to prevent the economic development of Turkish Cyprus.
According to the EU Commission progress report, the recommendation for opening ports before the Dec. 14 summit is not an ultimatum. This recommendation aims for the Commission and, consequently, the European Union to put pressure on Turkey. If there is no progress on the ports issue, then there will be a recommendation at the Dec. 14 summit to freeze the negotiations on chapters related to transportation and the customs union. The summit will most likely be a difficult one with Greek Cypriots making veto threats and Turkey refusing to open it ports to carriers with Greek flags. Although efforts to halt the negotiations may intensify, the European Union will not have the courage to suspend negotiations with Turkey. The accession talks will continue with the postponement of discussions on titles related to ports.
The report evaluates how well Turkey has adopted the EU membership criteria in the political and economic fields, it includes the titles of topics confirmed for discussion, works on compatibility with EU accession and important developments made in the last year. Turkey has fulfilled all of its responsibilities. If it weren?t for the underlying ill-intentions on the committee and the creation of artificial problems with a mind to prevent Turkish membership, Turkey could become a member well before 2020. It was indicated in the report that as a result of signing the additional protocol, Turkey is responsible for enabling ?transportation? and the ?free circulation of goods? for all 10 new EU members, and that the European Union will make an evaluation during the year as to whether or not Turkey made full compliance on this matter. It is not mentioned as to what kind of precautions will be taken in case the evaluation is negative.
This approach shows that no sanctions will be made if Turkey doesn?t open its ports to ships and planes with Greek flags and that accession talks won?t break off for this reason. Another interesting part of the report is the statement to the effect that Turkey has remained bound to a comprehensive solution under the leadership of the United Nations in almost any attempt at a Cyprus solution, regardless of the source.
This description is good proof that Turkey is not in the ?no? position and that it is accepted as a party that wants a Cyprus solution. This new and positive definition in the Turkish report should be used very well. Another positive implication of the report on the Cyprus issue is the emphasis on the fact that Turkey has supported both communities of the island regarding talks on the ?technical committee? level resulting from the Gambari initiative. The mention of the 11-point plan of action on Cyprus presented by Turkey in the EU Commission progress report shows that in spite of Papadopoulos?s immediate rejection of these recommendations, they are still valid alternatives and they comprise a positive point for Turkey.
Professor Ata Atum, East Mediterranean University Faculty Member
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