Brussels, 15/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 15 March, the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, remained firm with regard to opening new EU accession chapters for Turkey. Ankara is linking management of the migration crisis to its EU accession process and would like to open five chapters, all of which are being blocked by Cyprus (see EUROPE 11506). These five chapters are Chapters 15 on energy, 23 on fundamental rights and the judicial apparatus, 24 on security, freedom and justice, 26 on education, and 31 on foreign policy.
“The Republic of Cyprus does not intend to consent to the opening of any chapter if Turkey does not fulfil its obligations as described in the negotiating framework and Ankara protocol”, Anastasiades stated at the end of a press conference in Nicosia with European Council President Donald Tusk. In Anastasiades's view, the migration crisis is in no way linked to the revitalisation of Turkey's accession negotiations. “It is counterproductive, not to say unacceptable, to shift the burden of responsibility for the migration crisis onto the shoulders of the Republic of Cyprus”, he added.
Tusk stated that he was not in Nicosia to put pressure on Cyprus. “The current dynamics offer an opportunity to re-energise relations between the European Union and Turkey. But let me be clear in this respect. The European Union is a union of 28 member states. Cyprus is as important as Germany, France, the Netherlands or any other member state. No third country can ever be more important to me than any of our member states”, he said. He added that the rules on EU accession have not changed. “The same strict conditionality applies and moving forward will still require the agreement of all 28”, he stated. The opening of EU accession chapters is decided by unanimity.
Anastasiades warned that the European partners should understand that the possible acceptance of Turkey's demands without implementation of longstanding obligations by Turkey would constitute, with Anastasiades's consent, “acceptance that the Republic of Cyprus is indeed defunct”. Turkey uses this term to describe the Republic of Cyprus.
Link between reunification of Cyprus and opening of chapters. “Confrontation with the Turkish government, particularly in this critical phase of the negotiation (ed: for the reunification of Cyprus) is the last thing we need”, Anastasiades said. Tusk stated that “all EU actions are directed at facilitating these negotiations”.
Meanwhile, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders underlined that “smart synchronisation” of the reunification process and the opening of chapters was needed. “It is up to Tusk, the Cypriot government, the Turks and Greeks, and the leaders to make positive steps on this at the end of the week”, he said at the end of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Earlier in the day, in an EPP video, Cyprus's Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulidis had stated that the best solution was for each party to be patient until there was a solution to the Cypriot issue. “And then the chapters will automatically be unblocked, and other issues such as relations between the EU and NATO will be unblocked”, he added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)