Gul on his meeting with Merkel; He expressed criticism over the Republic of Cyprus’ EU presidency and accused EU member states of hiding behind the Cyprus problem

According to Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (21.09.11), Turkish President Abdullah Gul has voiced criticisms over the Greek Cypriot’s upcoming rotating presidency of the European Union next year, accusing the 27-member club of contradicting with its own principles by accepting a nation with border problem.

In statements during a conversation with Turkish columnists in Stuttgart, Germany, Gul defined it as a crisis to accept a country as a member of the 27-nation union, which has a border problem and engaged in peace talks to reunify the long divided island.

The Turkish President criticized some of EU member states for what he said “hiding behind the Cyprus problem,” in not allowing Turkey to become an EU member state, adding that he told the German Chancellor that the Turkish side has always responded positively to a possible reunification and that the Greek Cypriot side must not become the EU term president.

Turkey also criticized the EU for accepting “Greek Cyprus” into the bloc a week after it rejected a UN plan for unification, claiming that Greek Cypriot’s accession to the EU made its hand stronger and intransigent in peace talks.

Noting that Merkel would attach significance to his speeches, Gul said she carefully listened to him when he told that it was a very big mistake to accept “Greek Cyprus”, which has border problems, to the EU. “A country with border problems cannot be an EU member state in EU’s basic criteria and principles,” Gul stressed.

Turkey has said it will freeze relations with the EU presidency if Greek Cyprus is given the role next July before a settlement over the island is reached.

Gul said that he told Merkel that the “Greek Cypriot administration” is representing the island without solving the border problem, recalling that he said this to her back in July 2007 and France earlier released a statement, warning against problems emanating from accepting a country with problems. “A country that has not solved its problems would join and preside over the EU. A half country would join and preside over the EU. This is a crisis,” Gul said, stressing that it is not Turkey but the 27-member bloc’s duty to question this fact.

Gul hailed his visit to Germany as useful and spoke about the importance to carry the relations to the future, urging that the positive atmosphere must continue.

Gul is currently in Germany for four-day visit to solidify Turkish-German relations.

Gul said he has discussed a wide array of issues with the German chancellor, including the regional developments. He said Merkel told him that Germany is receiving many complaints over a visa issue and pledged that the German side will work on the matter to facilitate and root out problems regarding the issue.

The Turkish President said he explained Merkel how strong the Turkish economy is and that how the EU candidate country in fact can help Germany’s and the EU’s economy.

Gul said he also discussed the visa issue, integration problems, the latest situation in the Arab and the Mediterranean and the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.