EU Commission’s Turkey Report: Resumption Of Cyprus Talks Would Strengthen Cooperation

Fileleftheros newspaper reported under the headline “Open Support For Hahn’s Mandate – European Commission To Announce Close Cooperation With EU Official” that the European Commission’s Turkey report was discussed and approved at the General Affairs Council.

According to the newspaper, the Council’s assessment of the report, included in the conclusions to be forwarded to member states and governments, underlined that the document sends clear messages to Turkey on the Cyprus issue, the rule of law and violations of sanctions.

“The Resumption Of Negotiations On The Cyprus Issue Will Further Strengthen EU–Turkey Cooperation”

The conclusions stated that a constructive approach by Turkey in various areas would lead to progress in cooperation, stressing that the resumption of negotiations and the achievement of progress on the Cyprus issue are of great importance for further strengthening EU–Turkey relations.

The conclusions also emphasised that Turkey must fulfil all its obligations stemming from its accession process, including those contained in the Ankara Additional Protocol, towards all member states, noting that “the recognition of all member states remains of paramount importance”.

The document called on Turkey to “normalise its relations with the Republic of Cyprus” and asserted that Turkey must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all EU member states.

Reaffirming the EU’s full commitment to supporting a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue within the agreed United Nations framework, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and EU principles and norms, the conclusions stressed that Turkey’s active contribution to the settlement process is of critical importance.

The Council welcomed the appointment of a Personal Envoy by the UN Secretary-General and stated that the EU stands ready to assume an active role under the UN framework, using all appropriate means at its disposal.

The newspaper reported that the conclusions also highlighted the Council’s readiness to cooperate with the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, while referring to Varosha and condemning all unilateral actions by Turkey in the area.

Noting that the conclusions also included extensive references to Turkey’s relations with Greece, violations of sanctions against Russia and issues related to the rule of law, the newspaper stated that, in light of the conclusions and the enlargement report, support for Johannes Hahn’s mandate as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus is expected to increase at the European Council meeting.