EU punishes Turkey with partial freeze of membership talks

Member states of the European Union agreed on Monday on a partial freeze of accession talks with Turkey. The measure was taken because Turkey has refused to normalise relations with Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004.
      "We are unanimous in this. We do not have to come back to this any more", said Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja in Brussels on Thursday.
      After lengthy discussions presided over by EU Presidency-holder Finland, the member states agreed to freeze membership talks in areas that have a bearing on the Cyprus dispute. Under the agreement, discussions will not be held in eight sectors of politics before Turkey agrees to EU demands.
      Although an agreement was reached, the matter caused dissention in the ranks of the EU members. Cyprus, Greece, Austria, and The Netherlands all wanted to take a tougher line. Britain, Sweden, and Spain took a more moderate view.
     
Turkey feels that the measures are unfair. It has called for an end of the isolation of the Turkish-occupied North Cyprus before it will normalise its ties with the Republic of Cyprus.
      Finland presented its view on Monday. According to the Finnish statement, the unification of Cyprus should be supported under the leadership of the United Nations. The member states also promised to provide economic assistance for North Cyprus.
      Tuomioja sees Monday’s decision as a message of encouragement to Turkey.
      "Not a single member state called Turkey’s membership into question, once it meets all membership requirements.
     
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn noted that the decision was a message to Turkey that promises must be kept.
      "Failure to fulfil obligations cannot occur without consequences", Rehn said.
     
Although the current freeze is only partial, each member state can veto further negotiations. For instance, the membership talks have been on hold now at the insistence of Cyprus.
      On Monday, The Netherlands also hinted that it might block the talks.
     
Seeking a solution to the question of Turkish EU membership has been one of the big challenges of the Finnish EU Presidency. The EU’s foreign policy envoy Javier Solana was very pleased that an agreement was reached.
      "This was a very good achievement, thanks to the holder of the Presidency", Solana said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  European Union not satisfied with Turkish offer on Cyprus (8.12.2006)
  Commissioner Rehn: Cyprus failure to slow Turkey´s EU membership bid (28.11.2006)
  Talks between European Union and Turkey over Cyprus fail (27.11.2006)
  PM Vanhanen says Cyprus dispute must be resolved in early December (21.11.2006)
  Commissioner Rehn: Turkey must open its harbours to Cypriot ships (8.11.2006)