The EU Commission is scheduled to review Turkey's progress towards membership in December, including the bloc's demand that Ankara open its ports to Greek Cypriot vessels. "If one is to interpret word for word what is being said by the Turkish side, a reluctance to conform to their obligations towards the European Union is evident," Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said. "You understand that if this were to continue, there would be repercussions in December," he told journalists on Wednesday. Greek Cyprus, as an EU member, can veto applicants.
Egemen Bağış, Turkey's chief negotiator for EU talks, last month suggested that Turkey would welcome a simultaneous move by the EU to open direct trade with Turkish Cyprus. Greek Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, days after rejecting a UN plan to reunite the island. The Greek Cypriot government, not recognized by Ankara, was admitted into the EU as representatives of the entire island.
The EU suspended accession negotiations with Turkey on eight chapters in 2006 due to Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Greek Cyprus.
