Brussels, 19/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Following the victory of nationalist Dervis Eroglu in the presidential elections on Sunday 18 April in the northern (Turkish) part of Cyprus (with 50.3% of the vote, he beat the outgoing president Mehmet Ali Talat's 42.8%), the European Commission is concerned about the future of the reunification of the island - a process launched at the end of 2008 by Mehmet Ali Talat and the president of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias. At the hustings, Eroglu campaigned against reunification, preferring to call instead for a two-state solution with two separate sovereign states, an option rejected by Greek Cypriots. The new leader of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (officially recognised only by Turkey) may complicate still further the accession talks for Turkey's membership of the EU, a dozen or so of whose chapters are in deadlock at the moment for political issues directly connected with the division of Cyprus.
In a press release published on 19 April, the European Commission says “it is crucial that the settlement talks go on”. “The Commission encourages Mr Eroglu to continue in a constructive spirit the efforts towards settlement and reunification. The Commission will continue to offer full support to the leaders' efforts towards a comprehensive settlement”, explained a spokesperson for EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle at a press conference. Presidents Christofias and Talat had made good progress in their talks on a “bi-zonal and bi-communal federation”, an idea that is backed by the EU. Agreement would be in the interest of Cyprus and the EU in general, adds the Commission in a statement. “There is no alternative to a solution to the Cyprus problem. The status quo is in no one's interest. Turkish Cypriots are EU citizens and should enjoy all benefits of EU membership as soon as possible. It is in the hands of both leaders to make this happen”, adds the Commission. On Sunday, Eroglu said he would continue the talks with the Greek Cypriots, in agreement with Ankara, but was vague about the aims of the talks. I will work for a settlement that takes into consideration the rights of my community, he stated baldly. The Turkish foreign minister said that Turkey would continue to support the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community in their efforts to find a “comprehensive solution” to the Cypriot problem. “Whoever runs the negotiations, we will continue backing them”, said Ahmet Davutoglu.
If there is no unification of the island of Cyprus, then Turkey's accession talks for joining the EU will probably remain in deadlock. In its statement on Monday, the Commission commented: “Needless to say that a settlement of the Cypriot problem would remove many obstacles on Turkey's accession road”. At least 14 negotiating chapters are currently suspended because of the Cypriot issue - eight as a result of an EU Council of Ministers' decision in December 2006 (over Turkey's refusal to extend customs union to Cyprus) and six since December 2009 (decision taken by Cyprus). Adding the five chapters blocked by France because of their direct connection with Turkish accession to the EU (which France opposes), then only four chapters are currently “negotiable”, namely competition, public tender, food safety and social policy. For each of the four, however, Turkey needs to introduce new laws before the negotiations can get off the ground. The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU hopes that talks will start on one or more of the chapters by June 2010. No negotiating meetings have yet been pencilled in. (H.B./transl.fl)