Documentos CIDOB Europa; 2

Stelios Stavridis analyses the effects of the Cyprus question on current EU – Turkey negotiations. The main argument of this paper is that Turkey is responsible for the current impasse in its negotiations with the European Union for a number of reasons, mostly having to do with its domestic context, but also because of Turkey’s refusal to recognise the Republic of Cyprus and to remove its occupying forces from the northern part of the island. Contrary to the generalised view in Spain and other countries, the author argues, Cyprus is not the obstacle: Turkey’s occupation and its failure to comply with the EU’s minimum demands (such as opening up its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and planes) are the real problem. Stavridis briefly analyses Turkey’s and Cyprus’ recent internal evolution and the EU reaction to them, to conclude that the EU is not consistent with its own standards and norms, and it is using the Southern Cypriot refusal of the Annan Plan in 2004 as an excuse to focus on Cyprus, thereby ignoring Turkey’s serious shortcomings which are, according to the author, the real problem.

Stelios Stavridis, Head of the Euro-Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Studies Unit, Institute of International Economic Relations in Athens

ISSN: 1886-2829 (print edition)
ISSN: 1886-2837 (online edition)

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