TURKEY cannot have a veto over Cyprus’ EU aspirations and the island should join the Union as soon as accession talks end.
This is the view of Dutch Euro-MP Jan Willem Bertens, rapporteur of the European Parliament on Cyprus’ application.
“I and my colleagues in the European Parliament have continuously said that Turkey cannot have a veto with regard to the Cyprus accession to the Union. The European Council has expressed similar views several times and is now living up to its promise,” he said.
Cyprus is due to start accession talks with the European Council in April. Bertens was speaking to a gathering organised by Intercollege’s Research and Development Centre in Nicosia on Saturday evening.
The Liberal Group Euro-MP told an audience, which included politicians and foreign diplomats, that some national governments saw the island’s partition an obstacle to membership.
“Behind the scenes, I notice that many governments exclude accession of a divided island. But they also know that the status quo on the island is untenable.”
The European Parliament’s view is that the Union must negotiate in good faith with Cyprus. As soon as negotiations are concluded Cyprus should be allowed to join. This would be the best message of all to Turkey.
“Only if the Union will really stick to this policy will the illegal occupier, Turkey, give way and allow for a fair solution to be found.”
Bertens said Cyprus was ready for membership. “Whereas accession will be far off for all other candidates, things could go quite quickly for Cyprus, having adapted to 80 to 90 per cent of the acquis communautaire it is in a very different situation from countries which have just adapted to 15 to 40 per cent of the EU legislation.”
The EU will not succumb to Turkey’s threats. “We can’t give in to Turkish blackmail, the start of accession negotiations could well be the best way to finding a solution to the conflict on the island.”
The accession talks are a viable instrument for change on the island, he added. “If played well, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots will return to the negotiating table.
“But they will only come back if they are convinced that Cyprus will join the Union with or without the Turkish Cypriots… But this only works if the member-states are willing to keep their word and let Cyprus join with or without a solution to the conflict. If Turkey knows that they still have a veto over de facto accession of Cyprus, Turkey will still continue opposing the talks,” he said.
For its part the Cyprus government must do all its can to make UN efforts to reach a political settlement a success. And the European Union and the United States must give backing to the process through a well co-ordinated approach.
