Brussels, 18/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU will tell Turkey on Tuesday 19 April that it must bring in further legislative reforms and apply the Ankara Protocol on extending the customs union to include Cyprus if it wishes to relaunch accession negotiations which have come to a virtual standstill. “By advancing in the fulfilment of benchmarks (for the opening and closing of negotiating chapters), meeting the requirements of the Negotiating Framework and by respecting its contractual obligations towards the EU, Turkey can actively accelerate the pace of negotiations”, member stats say in their joint position which will be put to the Turkish authorities at the Association Council in Brussels on Tuesday. Accession talks, which were opened in October 2005, have become bogged down. Only 13 of the 35 chapters have been opened and one single chapter - research - has been provisionally closed. In addition, no fewer than 18 chapters cannot advance: eight have been suspended since December 2006 following Turkey's failure to apply the Ankara Protocol, and 10 others have been blocked for political reasons by certain member states (Cyprus, Greece, Germany, Austria and France). Consequently, only three chapters can be opened - social policy and employment, public procurement, and competition. If negotiations are to begin on these three chapters, “further significant efforts are required” on the part of Turkey, the EU says in its joint position, a copy of which has been obtained by EUROPE. Member states regret that Ankara, in contravention of the customs union, is continuing to refuse to open its ports and airports to Cypriot planes and vessels. “In the absence of progress on this issue, the EU will maintain its measures (suspending eight chapters) from 2006” which will continue to negatively affect accession negotiations as a whole, member states note. They state, too, that the freedom of the press is a “fundamental value” and that “further legal amendments are necessary in order to ensure freedom of expression” in Turkey. (H.B./transl.rt)