Turkey Must Open Ports To Cyprus; European Union Must Not Allow Defiance To Continue

TURKEY MUST OPEN PORTS TO CYPRUS; EUROPEAN UNION MUST NOT ALLOW DEFIANCE TO CONTINUE -- (House of Representatives - December 07, 2006)

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, over the next couple of weeks the world will see how serious Turkey takes its accession talks with the European Union. We will also learn if the European Union is serious about ensuring Turkey complies with promises it made in order to begin those talks last year.

Last month, Turkey's accession talks took a turn for the worse when it broke a promise to begin trading with EU Member Cyprus. Back in July of 2005, Turkey agreed to open its ports and airports to 10 new European members, including Cyprus, as one of the conditions for beginning membership talks with the EU. Talks began later that year, but to date Turkey has refused to begin trading with Cyprus.

Turkey simply cannot be allowed to defy established European Union conditions without facing penalties. It must open its ports and airports to Cyprus ships and airplanes under the conditions it agreed to back in 2005. Cyprus is a Member of the European Union, and if Turkey is really interested in joining the Union, it cannot be unwilling to trade with one of the EU members.

Fortunately, Mr. Speaker, the European Union has taken note of Turkey's defiance. Late last month, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn recommended a partial suspension of eight of the 35 policy areas included in the EU accession talks. Foreign ministers of the European Union will decide next week whether to back those recommendations.

I want to commend Commissioner Rehn for taking this action and strongly recommend that the foreign ministers approve it so that Turkey knows that the European Union is serious about living up to the promises it made before this process began.

In response to the European Union's action, Turkey came back with a proposal earlier this week that would allow ships from Cyprus into Turkey ports only if they are air carrying Cypriot goods. Turkey also demanded again, separate from the promises they made in 2005, that one of the ports in the illegally occupied north be opened for international traffic. The Cypriot Government correctly called this latest proposal a mockery of the European Union and the EU official said the proposal is not yet suitable to end the stalemate. Turkey should not simply be able to renegotiate promises they have already made.

Mr. Speaker, I am also baffled by some editorial pages here in the U.S. and around the world and some world leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who have chosen to take the collective opinion that the European Union action was taken only to embarrass Turkey and to put another roadblock up in front of it, making it more difficult, if not impossible, for them to join the European Union. This thinking is dangerous.

Turkey said it would open its ports and airports to Cyprus and has yet to do it. What is the European Union supposed to do, just allow this to continue without any penalties? It is not as if the accession talks have come to a close. The talks will continue with only eight of the 35 policy areas being frozen until Turkey agrees to open its ports.

This is a fair recommendation that must be approved by foreign ministers next week. If the recommendation is rejected, Turkey will come away believing that it can get away with breaking promises in the future without any penalties, and that is dangerous for a country that still must make major strides in human rights and other areas before it meets the criteria to join the European Union.

Some world leaders seem to think that Turkey should not have to make some of the same concessions that other countries made in order to join simply because of its strategic position in the world. I reject this notion. I believe that the relationship between Cyprus and Turkey is one that must seriously be addressed by the European Union before Turkey is allowed to join.

Today, Turkey continues its 30 year illegal occupation of the northern third of Cyprus. Not one country other than Turkey recognized the occupied section as its own nation. Turkey simply will not be able to join the European Union without finally conceding this land back to its rightful owners.

I strongly urge the European Union foreign ministers to send a strong message to Turkey that it must comply with promises it made before the accession talks began. They can do this by passing Commissioner Rehn's recommendations next week and not allowing Turkey to renegotiate issues concerning Cyprus.

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