Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News reported that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed support yesterday for reviving Turkey΄s flagging EU talks yet butted heads with Ankara on the deadlock surrounding Cyprus.
“We need Turkey΄s progress on the implementation of the Ankara protocol. Otherwise, the number of negotiation chapters that can be opened will be limited,” Merkel said alongside Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but the latter said Ankara wanted to suspend the protocol until an “embargo” was lifted on occupied cyprus”, as the breakaway regime is called. Merkel also called for greater freedom for journalists and religious groups in Turkey.
Merkel reiterated that although she was hesitating on Turkey΄s full membership in the EU, Germany wanted Turkey to continue its negotiations with the union, AMNA reported.
“If one chapter could be opened at the moment, that would be a step”, Merkel said. Asked if Turkey would implement the Ankara protocol following the elections in “Greek Cyprus”, as the Republic of Cyprus is called, Erdogan said the two issues were different.
“Turkey would like to contribute to a solution in Cyprus if the new leader of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, is agreeable to such a move”, Erdogan said, adding: “Of course, there is Greece΄s responsibility as well. The Ankara protocol must be adopted in Parliament to take effect. Turkey had taken some steps in line with this understanding but had not yet secured an end to the embargo on northern Cyprus”, Erdogan pointed out.
“Turkey wants to make an agreement with all EU member states in the framework of goodwill and is willing to boost trade with them,” he said.
EU member states decided in 2006 not to open eight chapters in Turkey΄s accession negotiations and suspended the conclusion of the remaining chapters in process on the grounds that Turkey had failed to fulfill its responsibilities stemming from the “Additional Protocol” to the Association Agreement, which, Brussels says, stipulates that Turkey must open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes. In response to the EU, Turkey says the EU should first end its blockade of “occupied Cyprus”. Erdogan thanked Merkel for the German Patriot systems deployed in Turkey as part of NATO cooperation. “We care about the support to Turkey in the context of NATO. Turkey has been a reliable partner for Germany since Cold War times,” Merkel said.
Germany wants religious groups to be able to practice their activities freely in Turkey, in Germany and everywhere, she said, adding that she would meet with representatives of religious groups in Ankara. “I΄ll do my best to clarify National Socialist Underground killings,” Merkel also said in reference to the group that killed eight Turks and two others in a series of racist murders.
Merkel said she also discussed the new judicial package with Erdogan. “I told him that we want journalists to work freely in Turkey and that there be shorter periods of detention. Erdogan offered cooperation with us. We΄ll be in contact about rough justice,” she said.
Asked about jailed journalists in Turkey, Erdogan reiterated the Turkish government΄s stance that the number of arrested journalists due to their journalistic activities did not exceed “the number of fingers on one hand.” “The reason journalists have been arrested is not their articles, but “attempts to stage a coup ? keeping illegal arms, or being a member of terrorist movement”, he added. Erdogan also said that Turkey΄s judiciary was independent, as it is in Germany. “The judiciary is not subordinate to the executive,” Erdogan said.
Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper reports that referring to the result of the presidential elections held in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus and the victory of Nikos Anastasiades, chairman of Democratic Rally Party (DISY), Erdogan said that they will see afterwards whether the newly elected President was sincere in the messages he had been sending before the elections. Erdogan alleged that the elections in “south Cyprus”, as he described the government-controlled area of the Republic, do not include the entire island. Erdogan claimed that “elections” are also held in the “TRNC”, as he called the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, and reiterated the Turkish allegation that “everyone should understand that there are two separate administrations in Cyprus”.
Capital GR
