TURKISH President Abdullah Gul has
TURKISH President Abdullah Gul has slammed the prospect of Cyprus taking over the European Union presidency next year as “half a country” leading a “miserable union”, Turkish newspapers reported on Wednesday.
His comments to Turkish journalists during a visit to Britain underscored Ankara’s frustrations with its EU accession process, which has ground to a halt over the division of the Mediterranean island and opposition from France and Germany.
Gul said the failure to open new chapters in Turkey’s negotiating process was harming the 27-nation bloc’s reputation and that it could suffer its biggest loss of credibility in 2012 when Cyprus takes over the rotating EU presidency in July.
“Now this half a country, this incomplete country will take over the EU presidency,” Gul was quoted as saying by Aksam newspaper. “There will be a half-presidency leading a miserable union. That is exactly the expression I said to EU leaders.”
Turkey has previously said it will freeze ties with the EU presidency when Cyprus takes over the role.
The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government represents the whole island in the EU, while the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the island is only recognised by Ankara.
The sides agree in principle to unite Cyprus under a federal umbrella. But there are deep disputes on how to co-govern, territorial adjustments between two future constituent states, and property claims of thousands of internally displaced people.
During a visit to Britain this week, Gul has criticised euro zone governments for failing to take courageous decisions to stop the region’s debt crisis reaching alarming levels, and said reckless countries at the heart of the crisis risked bringing down the European Union. (Reuters)
presidency next year as “half a country” leading a “miserable union”, Turkish newspapers reported on Wednesday.
His comments to Turkish journalists during a visit to Britain underscored Ankara’s frustrations with its EU accession process, which has ground to a halt over the division of the Mediterranean island and opposition from France and Germany.
Gul said the failure to open new chapters in Turkey’s negotiating process was harming the 27-nation bloc’s reputation and that it could suffer its biggest loss of credibility in 2012 when Cyprus takes over the rotating EU presidency in July.
“Now this half a country, this incomplete country will take over the EU presidency,” Gul was quoted as saying by Aksam newspaper. “There will be a half-presidency leading a miserable union. That is exactly the expression I said to EU leaders.”
Turkey has previously said it will freeze ties with the EU presidency when Cyprus takes over the role.
The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government represents the whole island in the EU, while the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in the north of the island is only recognised by Ankara.
The sides agree in principle to unite Cyprus under a federal umbrella. But there are deep disputes on how to co-govern, territorial adjustments between two future constituent states, and property claims of thousands of internally displaced people.
During a visit to Britain this week, Gul has criticised euro zone governments for failing to take courageous decisions to stop the region’s debt crisis reaching alarming levels, and said reckless countries at the heart of the crisis risked bringing down the European Union. (Reuters)
