Turkey's EU accession tied to Cyprus issue: Ambassador

BRUSSELS

The economic crisis in Greece is affecting the solution process on the divided island of Cyprus, Turkey’s ambassador to the European Union, Selim Yenel has said.

Yenel said in an interview with Brussels-based online newspaper Euroactiv published on Thursday: "Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are ready to make a deal, but we don’t see the same thing on the Greek Cypriot side."

"Greece is unfortunately preoccupied with its economic situation."

"They cannot concentrate on anything else right now, and this is a negative situation for finding a solution," he said.

Yenel said there would not be progress on Turkey’s EU accession process unless the Cyprus issue was solved.

"It is in our interest and we have the incentive, because if we don’t solve it, we will not make any progress with the (EU) accession process," he told Euractiv.

Debt crisis

The Greek Cypriot Administration is a member of the EU and internationally recognized by all nations except Turkey.

Parts of Turkey's EU accession procedure - which comprises introducing reforms in economic, political, judicial and other areas under so-called "chapters" - including Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security, are still politically blocked by the Greek Cypriot administration despite the EU Commission and Parliament having called for them to be opened.

Negotiations between Turkish and Greek-Cypriots resumed after a two-year pause in February 2013 after the previous round collapsed partly because of the Eurozone debt crisis.

However, the Greek Cypriot administration suspended the most recent talks on Oct. 7 after Turkey sent a ship to explore for oil and gas off the coast of the island.