Fule urges Turkey to implement Additional Protocol

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE • Wednesday, 27 February, 2013

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule said that Turkey must urgently comply with its obligation to fully implement the additional protocol and to make progress in normalizing its bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus.

Fule made the remark in a reply to Cypriot MEP Antigoni Papadopoulou who submitted a written question to the European Commission, urging it to take a more decisive stance toward Turkey to immediately implement the Ankara Protocol and stop the Turkish side acting provocatively towards the Republic of Cyprus.

In his reply, Fule refers to the European Commission’s conclusions, which said that Turkey’s compliance with its European obligations would give a new push to the accession procedure.

He said that if no progress is achieved in implementing its commitments, then according to the Commission, there could not be conditions to lift the measures taken in 2006.

Fule refers to the Council’s conclusions of 10th December 2012, adding that it is sad that Turkey did not make any progress towards normalizing its relations with the Republic of Cyprus.

Accession negotiations with Turkey began in October 2005. Turkey has so far managed to open 13 of the 34 chapters. Only one chapter has opened and closed, the chapter on science.

In December 2006, due to the Turkish failure to apply the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement, the European Council decided that eight relevant chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed until Turkey has fulfilled its commitment.

The eight chapters are: Free Movement of Goods, Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services, Financial Services, Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries, Transport Policy, Customs Union and External Relations.

In addition, France has frozen other five chapters, while Cyprus froze in December 2009 other six chapters. The last time that a negotiating chapter opened was during the Spanish EU presidency in June 2010.

Three more chapters could open but the Commission believes they are too difficult for the current stage of negotiations, while Turkey believes that the cost of opening them is not affordable for now. Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus` northern part since 1974 does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus and refuses to normalize relations with Nicosia.  — Copyright © Famagusta Gazette 2012 All comments are now moderated

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