|
Brussels steps back from Turkey clash |
 |
 |
 |
|
Written by The Financial Times
|
|
Wednesday, 08 November 2006 04:05 |
|
The European Commission has stepped back from a confrontation with Turkey in a bid to give more time for diplomatic efforts to break the impasse over the country’s membership negotiations with the European Union.
In a meeting on Monday night, the top aides of the 25 commissioners supported plans to delay a Commission decision on the file, in spite of pressure from countries such as France and Cyprus to take a tough line with Ankara.
The Commission had been considering whether to recommend the partial suspension of Turkey’s membership talks because of its failure to open its ports to vessels from Cyprus, which is an EU member but does not have diplomatic ties with Ankara.
Cyprus has already said it will block all further progress in the negotiations unless Turkey accedes to the EU demand.
Markos Kyprianou, the Cypriot member of the Commission, has also argued that Brussels should spell out the consequences of Turkey’s defiance – as have his colleagues Stavros Dimas, of Greece, and Jacques Barrot, of France.
But José Manuel Barroso, Commission president, and Olli Rehn, enlargement commissioner, both believe it would be counter-productive to force a crisis so far ahead of a summit of EU leaders in December, which is likely to decide on the issue.
According to draft conclusions backed by the commissioners’ aides on Monday night, if Turkey does not relent “the Commission will make relevant recommendations ahead of the December European Council [of EU leaders]”. The draft added that if Turkey failed to open up its ports to Cyprus “the overall progress in the negotiations” would be affected.
The move, which still has to be endorsed by a meeting of the Commissioners on Wednesday, is intended to give another chance to an attempt by the Finnish presidency of the EU to broker a limited deal between Turkey and Cyprus.
Turkey says that it will not open up its ports to Cypriot ships while direct trade between the self-styled Turkish Cypriot republic and the rest of the EU is not permitted.
A meeting Finland had scheduled for last weekend to reach an accord was cancelled, largely because of the lack of enthusiasm among the Cypriot, Turkish Cypriot and Turkish delegations for the proposed compromise.
The Commission is due to release a largely critical report of Turkey’s preparations for EU membership tomorrow. But Mr Rehn welcomed a statement by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, that Ankara was considering changing a Turkish law that Brussels says inhibits free speech. |