Brussels, 02/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said on Tuesday that he believes negotiations with Turkey should not begin on 3 October unless Turkey recognises Cyprus. “It does not seem conceivable to me that talks should open with a country that does not recognise all the members of the European Union”, he said on the EUROPE 1 radio channel. The prime minister clearly pointed out that talks might not begin on 3 October and urged Turkey to show its “real resolve to return to the negotiating process”. He stressed that France would defend its position during the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on 1 and 2 September in the United Kingdom.
After this declaration, the European Commission said it was “concerned” about keeping to the date of 3 October foreseen for launching talks. “Of course, there is a political risk”, one spokesperson said. The Commission sticks to the idea that the resolution of the Cypriot issue should unfold in a parallel process, within the context of the UN, the spokesperson said. According to the Commission, Turkey has now met all the conditions set for starting the talks, subject to the opinion of its legal service on the declaration relating to Cyprus annexed by Turkey to the signature of the protocol on extending customs union to all Member States (EUROPE 9002). It recognises, however, that the launching of negotiations is a “sovereign decision of the Member States”.