Cyprus replies to Finnish presidency initiative

The Cyprus government has replied in writing to an initiative by Finland, the rotating EU presidency, on Turkey's EU accession negotiations, Foreign Minister George Lillikas said on Wednesday.

According to a report by the semi-official Cyprus News Agency from London, where Lillikas is paying a visit, the minister said that Cyprus supports Turkey's accession to the EU but it is not willing to undertake the cost of obligations Ankara has to meet.

He said that whereas the government has replied to the Finnish initiative, messages from Turkey continue to be unclear.

He said that Turkey's handling of the issue with a view to ending the so-called isolation of the Turkish Cypriots was "aimed at creating preconditions for recognition of the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus."

He accused the Turkish side of refusing to implement the July 8 agreement between leaders of the two communities. The agreement provides for setting up committees to examine issues that affect daily life of the people and concurrently those that concern substantive issues.

Lillikas said that while Turkey is delaying promoting the agreement, it is asking for full negotiations without any preparation, something, which the Cypriot government and the UN secretary-general believe will not succeed.

"We do not have the luxury of a new failure," he said.

Finland is working on a draft proposal, providing for opening of Turkish occupied port of Famagusta under the EU administration for 24 months in combination with the opening of Turkish ports to ships carrying the Cypriot flag and the transfer of Varosha to the UN.

Cyprus, which joined the EU in May 2004, has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek officers.

Turkey, a country aspiring to become an EU member state, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and has failed so far to implement the EU-Turkey Customs Union Protocol, which provides for opening of its ports and airports to Cyprus.

Source: Xinhua