EU should play stronger role in Cyprus talks says Italian ambassador

THE EU should get more involved in the process of the negotiations for a Cyprus settlement since it is in its interest to have a functional federal state in its ranks able to take decisions and not block the union, Italian Ambassador Guido Cerboni said.
In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency on the occasion of the assumption of the EU Presidency by Italy, Cerboni said a solution to the Cyprus problem should abide by the acquis communautaire, adding that “the EU is not ‘a la carte’ so that you can just pick up what you like.”
The ambassador said he would like to see more EU involvement in the negotiations “because it is in our interest to have all of Cyprus into the EU and to have a Cypriot state which is functional in the EU, in line with the acquis communautaire.”
“I think the EU should be loud and should try to play a high-profile role, not just a role of a technical consultant or of an assistant provider as it is now. Because it is a problem regarding a member of the EU and this is something that we should consider,” he said.
He noted that the solution should abide by EU rules and principles because “at the end of the story (after the solution) Cyprus will still be a member of the EU and it is to our interest to have a well-working Cyprus federation in the Union.”
“Turkey knows very well what it should do, especially regarding the Cyprus issue and this is something that is very clear also to us,” he said. “We shall try our best to facilitate progress, but on condition of course that Turkey will be more cooperative also on the Cyprus issue.”
Asked about the possibility of opening new chapters in the framework of Turkey’s accession negotiations, Cerboni said that “we have been always favourable to the advancement of this process but of course on condition that the rules are respected.
“Opening new chapters does not depend only on our side. It also depends on the Turkish side. If they want to join the club they have to respect the rules. And the rules are very clear. First of all they should recognise Cyprus and apply Protocol 10. And this is something that no EU presidency can change,” he said.
If we had leverage on Turkey we should try to use that and convince them to be more forthcoming on the Cyprus issue, Cerboni said.
“Whether there are chapters (to be opened) on which there are no political vetoes is something we shall see,” he said, adding that the energy chapter for instance was strongly connected with the situation in this area.
“And again they know what they should do,” he stressed.
He expressed the hope the hydrocarbon reserves discovered in the area, including Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), would be a factor of stability.
“You might put on the table the hydrocarbons, the others might put on the table the water and establish a logic of cooperation that could create positive connections between the countries of the region,” he said.
He said that to his knowledge Turkish businessmen and Turkish oil companies would be ready to co-operate provided that the political issues were resolved.
“Of course it is well known that Turkey has the Barbaros ship going around. But these resources are resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, a country which is a member of the United Nations and the EU and they are resources of the Cypriots and it is up to the Cypriots to establish the rules of how to share them and to decide how to export them, how much to export and to whom,” he noted.