German Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized Turkey’s position on a Cyprus settlement and promised to put a lot of restrictions in the negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU.
“We see that you are taking many steps and we also see that the Turkish side is not responding accordingly to these steps,” Merkel said after talks with President of Cyprus Dimitris Christofias in Nicosia, the divided capital, RIA Novosti reported quoting the press service of the Cyprus Government .
Chancellor said that her government wants Turkey’s EU entry talks to continue “irrespective of what the decision will be at the end,” but warned they won’t conclude unless the country opens its ports to Cypriot trade.
Merkel explained that they put a lot of restrictions in the accession of the negotiations, while Turkey fails to implement the Ankara protocol.
Cyprus de facto is divided between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, and to the north of the island is occupied by Turkish troops. The international community recognizes the Republic of Cyprus, whose government are Greek Cypriots, and does not recognize the self-proclaimed republic in the north. The leaders of the Cypriot communities are negotiating the reunification of the island, but without significant progress. Turkey has formally supported the process, but also supports Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.
One of the conditions of Turkey’s accession to the EU is recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of XX century.