Turkey ‘on track to sign protocol’

TURKISH Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan signalled last night that Ankara would sign the EU customs union protocol before October 3, the date it has been given by Brussels for the start of accession talks.

Speaking after a working dinner with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Erdgoan said however he did not know when Ankara would sign the protocol with the ten new member states, including Cyprus.

“The Turkish talks start on October 3 and certain steps need to be taken before that date,” he told reporters. “I can’t give you an exact time. Our experts are working on it and as soon as the completed the studies we will go ahead with the signing,” he added.

Ankara has been stalling because the signing of the protocol is an indirect recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, something it does not want to do until there is a comprehensive settlement on the island. However the EU has been urging Ankara to sign as soon as possible. Karamanlis was expected to try and push Erdogan on this issue at last night’s dinner.
In statements to reporters, the Greek Prime Minister said that the road to European accession is long and difficult and, in reference to the protocol, that there were some issues that the EU could not be flexible on

“We know that the efforts of the Turkish government are under way but of course Turkey must sign the protocol before October 3,” he said.

Karamanlis said the main aim now was to see the reunification of Cyprus and a resumption of talks based on the Annan plan “and on European principles”.

Erdogan said both sides in Cyprus should show the political will for a solution. “It is he people on the island that have to show the political will,” he said.

Both Prime Ministers also discussed other aspects of Turkey’s EU accession, the violations of Greek air space and fields of cooperation in tourism, energy and trade.

Karamanlis will meet this afternoon with President Tassos Papadopoulos, on the sidelines of the Brussels European Council meeting.
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The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.