[autom.vertaling] Cyprus een ' hindernis ' voor het bod van de EU van Turkije (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Turkey was today (5 November) told that the "anachronistic" situation in Cyprus could represent a "considerable obstacle" to its bid to join the EU.

Commission President, Romano Prodi - unveiling an assessment of Turkey's progress toward EU membership in the last year - told the European Parliament that substantial progress had been made but that failure to achieve a settlement in Cyprus may hinder Turkey's own aspirations.

"Reaching a settlement quickly is in Turkey's interest too, because this would prevent the Cyprus issue from becoming an obstacle to its own aspirations" the President said.

He later told journalists that the matter was "a considerable obstacle to Turkish accession".

No new criterion

However, Enlargement Commissioner, Günter Verheugen, was keen to point out that the EU was not creating a new criterion for Turkish accession.

"This is not a prerequisite" he told parliamentarians, "this is simply noting a fact ... this is a political message, quite a considerable one".

Despite pressure from the Turkish authorities not to link the two issues - ahead of the release of the report today - the Commission chose to use its leverage to press for a settlement to the problems which have partitioned the island since 1974.

"There is a window of opportunity after the elections in the Turkish part of Cyprus", Mr Verheugen said, referring to the upcoming elections in the north of the island which are scheduled for December.

Tightrope

Mr Verheugen said that he thought the Commission's decision to informally link Turkish accession with Cypriot politics would help the government in Ankara counteract those who "want to put a spoke in the wheel" of an agreement.

This message will be seen as a thinly veiled attack on certain elements of the military establishment in Turkey who oppose a deal.

Ankara will now be expected to redouble its pressure on Northern Cyprus' long-time ruler Rauf Denktash to accept an UN brokered agreement which has been on the table for well over a year.

However, Mr Denktash continues to view the deal as unacceptable.

Despite the fresh political pressure on the Turkish government, European diplomats have consistently questioned the government's ability to "deliver" Mr Denktash, given its fragile relationship with the Turkish military.

"We must put increased pressure on all sides", Mr Verheugen concluded.

Next year's annual report will be crucial in deciding if Turkey can begin accession negotiations in 2005.