Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara will
freeze relations with the EU unless the Cyprus issue is settled.
The statement was made on Tuesday. Northern Cyprus will mark the 37th
anniversary of Turkish forces on the island on July 20, called the Day
of Peace and Freedom.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974. Southern Cyprus is ruled by Greece
(two thirds of the territory), the northern part by Turkey.
Turkey and the EU have been negotiating the peace process since 2005.
Turkey needs to fulfil 35 points of for integration, but only 13 have
been negotiated. 18 points were frozen for the position of Ankara in
the conflict.
Recep Erdogan does not want the EU to interfere in the peace process.
It should be a mediator, not a supporter of any side. The UN should
settle the problem.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned about a possible
crisis in relations between Ankara and the EU. Cyprus will chair the
EU in 2012. The European Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fule, said that now is not time for such
declarations.
