Turkey Increases Pressure Over Cyprus's EU Accession

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

04 November 2002

In the run-up to the Turkish elections, the country has stepped up pressure on the European Union not to admit Cyprus to its number before agreement is reached between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders, warning of the possibility of a permanently divided Island.

Speaking to the EU Observer news service on Friday, Turkish Ambassador to the EU, Oguz Demiralp warned that despite the slow progress of the talks between the two sides: 'It is a very serious issue. The EU should not admit Cyprus if there is no settlement on the Island.'

Speaking to the Financial Times last week, AKP party leader, Abdullah Gul, whose party was ahead in the opinion polls prior to Sunday's elections, seconded this, arguing that the EU should give the new Turkish government time to consider its options with regard to the Cyprus problem.

He also warned against rebuffing Turkey again in its own attempts to become an EU member at the next round of accessions, arguing that it would give credence to the beliefs of 'anti-European circles' who believe that: 'no matter what we do, we can't get into the EU because it's a Christian club.'

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