Now or never for accord on Cyprus
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 28, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - While declaring his country’s strong commitment to Turkey becoming a full member of the European Union, the U.K. foreign secretary said yesterday that this year was the year for a settlement to the Cyprus dispute.
The United Kingdom’s support for Turkey’s EU accession was reinforced by the queen’s visit last year, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said, but the Cyprus issue remains a stumbling block.Â
"We want the Cyprus settlement as soon as possible," Miliband told reporters at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet DavutoÄŸlu, in Ankara. "The people of Cyprus have a lot to gain from a solution and a lot to lose from the status quo."
Turkey began EU membership negotiations in 2005, but progress has since largely ground to a halt because of strong opposition in some member countries, including France, Germany and Austria, and disagreements over the divided island of Cyprus.
"We will support negotiations by Cyprus for Cyprus. The status quo is not sustainable," said Miliband. "This year is the year the issue can be resolved."
DavutoÄŸlu agreed that the year 2009 would be a window of opportunity for a settlement to the Cyprus dispute and warned the Greek Cypriots not to use their membership in the EU to achieve their own interests but instead think of a common peaceful future for the island.
With the European Parliament’s elections set for next month, Britain’s far-right National Party has centered its campaign on its opposition to Turkey’s EU membership. Ankara has taken the diplomatic initiative and urged police to take action in the face of a racist campaign conducted through distributed brochures.
In response to a question, Miliband said the British National Party was an extremist party with terrible echoes in the past that had been rejected by a vast majority of the British people. He said Britain has citizens of all races working together and laws protecting freedom of speech while forbidding the inciting of hatred and racism.
"It is important to separate racist views from general views," said Miliband. "Our position [on Turkish membership in the EU] is clear."
Asked to evaluate Turkey’s performance in implementing reforms, the British foreign secretary said the Turkish government had an ambitious reform agenda, "but it is not for me to give grades."
"The U.K. remains strongly committed to this vision of Turkey becoming an equal member of the EU. We sent a loud message that it is an important time for imagination and confidence, not for hesitation and blame," Miliband said. "We know there is a long road to accession. Britain can talk about its own rocky roadÉ but it is important to drive forward in the face of challenges."
One of the chiefs of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, came up with a so-called "Scottish model" and said Britain did what the Scottish people wanted by giving them a parliament. In reply, Davutoğlu said Turkey had an established democracy and parliamentary system, refusing to elaborate further.
"We want the Cyprus settlement as soon as possible," Miliband told reporters at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet DavutoÄŸlu, in Ankara. "The people of Cyprus have a lot to gain from a solution and a lot to lose from the status quo."
Turkey began EU membership negotiations in 2005, but progress has since largely ground to a halt because of strong opposition in some member countries, including France, Germany and Austria, and disagreements over the divided island of Cyprus.
"We will support negotiations by Cyprus for Cyprus. The status quo is not sustainable," said Miliband. "This year is the year the issue can be resolved."
DavutoÄŸlu agreed that the year 2009 would be a window of opportunity for a settlement to the Cyprus dispute and warned the Greek Cypriots not to use their membership in the EU to achieve their own interests but instead think of a common peaceful future for the island.
With the European Parliament’s elections set for next month, Britain’s far-right National Party has centered its campaign on its opposition to Turkey’s EU membership. Ankara has taken the diplomatic initiative and urged police to take action in the face of a racist campaign conducted through distributed brochures.
In response to a question, Miliband said the British National Party was an extremist party with terrible echoes in the past that had been rejected by a vast majority of the British people. He said Britain has citizens of all races working together and laws protecting freedom of speech while forbidding the inciting of hatred and racism.
"It is important to separate racist views from general views," said Miliband. "Our position [on Turkish membership in the EU] is clear."
Asked to evaluate Turkey’s performance in implementing reforms, the British foreign secretary said the Turkish government had an ambitious reform agenda, "but it is not for me to give grades."
"The U.K. remains strongly committed to this vision of Turkey becoming an equal member of the EU. We sent a loud message that it is an important time for imagination and confidence, not for hesitation and blame," Miliband said. "We know there is a long road to accession. Britain can talk about its own rocky roadÉ but it is important to drive forward in the face of challenges."
One of the chiefs of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, came up with a so-called "Scottish model" and said Britain did what the Scottish people wanted by giving them a parliament. In reply, Davutoğlu said Turkey had an established democracy and parliamentary system, refusing to elaborate further.