Turkish Diplomat Quits Over Slow Progress On EU Talks

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

09 August 2005

It emerged at the weekend that the diplomat responsible for the coordination of membership talks between Turkey and the European Union, Murat Sungar, has resigned.

Although Mr Sungar reportedly stated that he was quitting for personal reasons, the Turkish media cited his increasing frustration with the slow progress of the pre-talk negotiations as a key factor in his departure.

Although Turkey has fulfilled each of the criteria put in place by the European Commission for the commencement of membership talks in October, speaking on French radio earlier this month, France's Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin cast doubt on the possibility of the talks beginning if the country fails to recognize Cyprus as a full and equal member of the Union.

The Turkish authorities recently signed a protocol extending the 1963 customs agreement with the European Union to the ten new member states. However, as expected, the government attached a proviso to the agreement stressing that it did not imply a recognition of the legitimacy of the Greek-Cypriot government's claim to represent the whole island.

M. de Villepin stated last week that: "It seems to me inconceivable that such a negotiation process can begin with a country which does not recognise every one of the members of the European Union, that is to say the 25." He continued: "There is a principle there that seems to me must be defended, and is one France will make clear to Turkey as well as to other European Union countries during the next meetings."

The EC has stressed that the talks should go ahead as planned. However, France (in common with all EU member states) has the power to veto the start of the talks, if such a move is not taken by Greece or Cyprus itself.

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