Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

'Greek Protocol' Crisis with EU Still to Be Solved - 14.02.2005




The scope of the Ankara Protocol, which stretched Turkey-European Union (EU) relations almost to breaking point at the December 17 Summit, still continues to be a matter of crisis.



Although two months have passed since the summit, it not yet clear yet how the Ankara Agreement will be implemented to 10 new EU members including the Cypriot Greek administration. The contradictory demands of Brussels increase Ankara's confusion about how to complete the process. Brussels forgot the fact that the European Parliament (EP), should sign the agreement while getting ready for the process, and it only became aware of its mistake after a reminder from Ankara. It is indicated that Brussels objected to Ankara's demand to attach a declaration to the protocol saying it does not recognize the Cypriot Greek side and upon this Ankara reminded the EU that it attached an expression to the agreement it made with Macedonia saying the EU does not recognize the country as the Macedonian Republic'.



The conflicting demands and attitudes of the EU after the December 17 Summit are as follows: The EU Commission forgot the fact that the protocol should have been signed by the EP. It is necessary for the EP to approve the agreements made with third countries. Ankara reminded this to Brussels, upon which the Commission indicated that the EP's approval would take a long time and wanted Ankara to approve the agreement immediately.



First, the EU Commission wanted the agreement to be 'initialed' by the end of February. Turkey conveyed that the regulations would not allow this and the approval of the cabinet was necessary. Then, Brussels gave up from its demand.



Turkey conveyed that the agreement would be approved by both the cabinet and the parliament, but it explained that it would attach a declaration saying, 'The Cypriot Greek side does not represent the whole island.' The EU claimed that such a declaration cannot be attached to the agreement. Upon this, Ankara reminded the EU of its agreement with Macedonia and the fact that they attached a declaration saying, 'We do not recognize the country at issue as the Macedonian Republic' to that agreement.



The December 17 Summit almost reached breaking point when the term-president the Netherlands forced Ankara to sign a document, which would mean the recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration. The crisis was overcome when Turkey promised that it would include the new members in the scope of the Ankara agreement. For the negotiations to be able to start on October 3, Turkey should include the 10 new EU members in the scope of Ankara agreement until that time.

ABHaber.com/Zaman