Foreign ministers eye emergency Turkey talks

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 15/09/05

Foreign affairs ministers could convene an emergency meeting at the end of September, if diplomats fail to agree next week on a response to Turkey's refusal to recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

After more than two hours of talks EU ambassadors ended a meeting in Brussels yesterday (14 September) without agreement on how to proceed.

Despite some progress, discussions appear to be bogged down by competing national interests and conflicting agendas, with diplomats up against a 3 October deadline to begin membership talks with Turkey.

According to diplomats, there is a growing consensus that diplomatic recognition of Cyprus will not be a precondition for Turkey starting membership talks next month, but for actually joining the EU.

"The tendency was definitely towards [asking Turkey for the] normalising [of] relations in the course of accession talks and at the latest on accession," said one diplomat.

"We want a recognition from Turkey as soon as possible," said one Cypriot diplomat indicating that there would be no demand for full recognition before membership negotiations begin.

There also appeared to be consensus on the need for Turkey to implement a customs agreement allowing Cypriot access to ports and airports.

According to one diplomat, the EU is likely to set a 2006 deadline for implementation, with Turkey's failure to meet the deadline resulting in a halt to some parts of the membership process.

But despite the apparent progress, efforts to achieve a deal have been complicated by discussions over the future enlargement of the EU, once again calling into question Ankara's ability to begin membership talks next month.

Wednesday's discussions also focused on establishing the framework for Turkey's membership talks, which is needed before negotiations can start. "It is a complex of problems," said one diplomat.

During the talks Austria strongly backed Croatia's membership ahead of Turkey's and argued for introducing the option of a 'privileged partnership', rather than full membership, as a possible result of negotiations.

Ankara has long described such a proposal as unacceptable.

Meanwhile French representatives pressed for a reaffirmation that talks would be "open-ended".

The UK presidency is now expected to hold talks bilaterally with EU members and an emergency meeting of foreign ministers could be convened on 26 September to un-block the talks. Ambassadors are expected to return to the subject next week.