Cruciale EU-Turkije top uitgesteld wegens problematische relatie Turkije-Cyprus (en)

The beleaguered Turkish EU membership talks were dealt another blow on Thursday (2 November) after emergency talks to try and unblock the impasse were cancelled.

Finland, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, had called the meeting in the hope that it could forge a breakthrough between Turkey and Cyprus before the European Commission publishes its progress report on Ankara next week (8 November).

The commission's report is expected to be highly critical on issues such as human rights and the apparent slowdown in Ankara's approach to Brussels-pushed reform.

It is also expected to strongly condemn Turkey for not applying an EU-wide customs agreement to Cyprus and instead keeping its port and airports closed to Cyprus. Turkey has refused to apply the agreement until the EU commits to ending the economic isolation of northern Cyprus.

Finland, which has been carrying out extensive behind-the-scenes diplomacy to avoid a complete derailment of the talks, has worked out a three-point plan it hopes will resolve the stalemate.

The plan involves Turkey opening up some ports to Greek Cypriot traffic, the Famagusta port in Northern Cyprus being administered by the EU, and Varosha, a neighbouring town deserted after the Turkish invasion in 1974, being handed over to the UN to allow Greek Cypriots to return.

However, Helsinki's last minute discussions due to start on Sunday ran into opposition when Turkey learned that Greece would not be attending the talks.

"Finland worked with goodwill but the groups they invited did not want to attend such a meeting," said Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul, according to Bloomberg.

Leader of the Turkish Cypriots Mehmet Ali Talat also criticised the Finns for not involving the UN.

"A comprehensive solution can only be found through UN processes. We are calling for the lifting of the isolation of Turkish Cypriots not in return for anything given to Greek Cypriots," Mr Talat said.

Reacting to the cancelled talks, Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja told the Financial Times "It would have been helpful, particularly for Turkey, if we could have achieved a solution or at least shown that negotiations were under way.

"It would have taken the edge off some of the quite justified criticism," he said referring to commission's progress report on Wednesday.

The cancelled talks are a further blow to the laboured membership talks between Brussels and Ankara.

If the sticking points are not resolved by the end of next month - the deadline the EU has set for Turkey to apply the customs agreement - then there is a real risk the talks will grind to a complete stop, with Cyprus, as any other member state, having the right to veto them.

Brussels, though critical of Turkey, has repeatedly indicated it wants to avoid this worst-case scenario.