TURKEY’S confirmation earlier in the week that it had agreed to the text of the EU customs union protocol may not have been controversial — at least procedure-wise — but that did not prevent politicians back home from coming to blows.
The spat ignited when DISY boss Nicos Anastassiades said on Tuesday Ankara’s signing of the protocol was enough for the European Union to begin accession negotiations with Turkey.
The conclusions of the December EU summit made no reference to Turkey’s obligation to implement the protocol before October 3, the date for the start of accession negotiations.
However, for obvious reasons, the government wants guarantees that Turkey will implement the protocol — and all that entails — if it is to consent to Turkish accession talks come October.
But to the government’s chagrin, Ankara insists that signing the protocol does not mean it will not open its harbours and ports to Cypriot ships and planes.
Anastassiades’ comments provoked an angry outburst by President Papadopoulos, who hinted that some quarters in Cyprus seemed to share Turkish intentions.
“The statements by Turkish government officials are being repeated, in Greek, by certain people inside the Republic of Cyprus,” Papadopoulos jibed.
“Is this really helpful?”
The implication — that DISY was undermining Cyprus’ cause — infuriated the opposition leader, who wasted no time hitting back.
“Our Foreign Minister himself has repeatedly said that signing is one thing, implementation another. So who in fact is expressing these views: it is me or the Foreign Minister? Are we therefore all voicing pro-Turkish positions?” wondered Anastassiades.
He went on to urge Papadopoulos to refrain from misinforming the public and “exercising foreign policy geared at internal consumption”. He added that the government should stop venting its foreign policy frustrations on the opposition.
Meanwhile in Nicosia yesterday, the EU’s ambassador to Cyprus Adrian Van der Meer clarified that the Commission dissociated the initialling of the protocol from the issue of implementation.
Although Van der Meer said the EU would like to see the Turkish ban on Cypriot vessels lifted, he added this was a “pending issue” that would resolved through negotiations between the bloc and Ankara.
“These matters are normally resolved via the proper diplomatic channels,” added the EU official when asked whether the EU had mechanisms to force Turkey to change its stance, which was, he pointed out, in violation of the 1995 customs union.
However, Van der Meer would not cite even a tentative timeframe for this process, not wishing to “raise expectations”.
He described Turkey’s initialling of the protocol as a “good sign”, adding that “we would like to see implementation proceed as soon as possible”.
Van der Meer explained that the text of the Ankara protocol could be altered in the course of negotiations.
“As you know, there is a lot at stake for us,” he said, commenting generally on Turkey’s accession.
