Brussels, 19/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Olli Rehn warned Turkey that failure to implement the additional protocol which extends the EU-Turkey Customs Union to the ten new EU Member States and the lack of progress on internal reform could have “negative repercussions” on accession talks. “We expect Turkey to respect its commitments and fully implement the additional protocol to the Ankara agreement on all EU Member States, including Cyprus. We also expect Turkey to make serious progress in its legislative and democratic reforms in order to facilitate the progress of accession negotiations,” Mr Rehn told the press on Friday, following a meeting with the chief Turkish negotiator Ali Babacan in Brussels. The application of the additional protocol, signed just before accession talks began on 3 October 2005, “is a commitment which Turkey made and must respect”, which means that Turkey must open its ports to Cypriot vessels, something it has hitherto refused to do. Mr Babacan said that there was a “difference of interpretation” between his government and the Commission on the obligations of the Ankara agreement, but that dialogue was on-going and both sides were working to find a solution. He also pointed out that Turkey had accepted the 2004 Annan plan on the reunification of Cyprus (which was rejected by the Greek Cypriots) and that the Turkish government still welcomed a “comprehensive solution”, if that was what Greek Cypriots wanted too. Mr Rehn insisted on the “sense of urgency” with regard to internal reform and he said that Turkey had to recover the impetus for reform, particularly with regard to human rights and fundamental rights, notably in freedom of expression, and worship, and cultural rights. Ankara also has to submit an action plan for the socio-economic development of the south-east of the country, said Mr Rehn.