PRESIDENT Papadopoulos’ upcoming meeting with Greek premier Constantinos Karamanlis in Athens is seen as crucial in determining the two countries’ stance on Turkey’s refusal to recognise the Republic of Cyprus before the start of its accession negotiations.
The unscheduled trip is taking place at Karamanlis’ invitation; Greece, which does not want its relations with Turkey affected, is weary that Cyprus may veto Turkey’s EU accession with French backing.
Greece has steadfastly supported Turkey’s EU prospects since the late 1990s, as part of a drive gradually to normalise relations between the two Aegean neighbors. On the other hand, Cyprus, as an EU member, wants to extract as many concessions from Ankara through Turkey’s accession process.
Reports said that Karamanlis hoped Greece’s and Cyprus’ foreign policies could be “aligned,” even though the two countries are clearly on opposite sides of the fence on the matter.
Recently French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that it was inconceivable for Turkey not to recognise Cyprus as it sought to join the bloc. The comments followed Ankara’s earlier move with a declaration stating its signing of the EU customs union protocol did not amount to recognition of the Republic.
It is understood that France would not go it alone in vetoing the start of Turkey’s accession talks and is seeking to build up an alliance of like-minded countries. Cyprus is the most obvious target for French diplomacy at this time.
Still, French officials have said their government’s position on Turkey’s failure to recognise Cyprus is not final. The legality of Turkey’s declaration is to be discussed at a meeting of COREPER on August 24 and at subsequent meetings right up to October 3.
The meeting between Karamanlis and Papadopoulos will take place shortly after noon. A working lunch will follow.
It comes just a day before an informal gathering of permanent EU representatives in Brussels to deliberate over the Ankara issue.
Diplomatic sources said that a veto against Ankara was highly unlikely. It’s speculated that those opposed to Turkish membership might try to push back the date of accession talks once again, and in the meantime promote a plan for a “special partnership” between the bloc and Turkey instead of full membership.
In Nicosia, diplomatic sources said the government was under no illusions that Turkey’s accession negotiations could be thwarted; therefore Cyprus would focus on making demands on the negotiating framework, i.e. the conditions Ankara must fulfill to attain full membership status.
