Cyprus conflict threatens Turkey’s future in Europe

"Barring a surprise between now and April 16, Turkey’s EU prospects ended as of yesterday," Radikal’s editor-in-chief Ismet Berkan wrote.
"Now that Turkey faces the danger of isolation in Europe, it may feel forced to stand closer to the United States," he added.
Hasan Unal, a scholar of international relations at Ankara’s Bilkent University, said: "We are in a period in which the United States’ need of Turkey is growing and Turkey’s need of the United States is growing."
Washington is pressing Ankara to allow US forces to use its territory as a springboard for attacks on neighboring Iraq.
Under pressure from a firmly anti-war public opinion, the parliament rejected on March 1 a government motion calling for the deployment of US troops in the country. A second vote might be held later this month.
"The Turkish government does not seem to have any other option than passing the motion in the second vote," Berkan said.
The Milliyet daily warned that "by distancing itself from Europe, Turkey will narrow its maneuvering room against the United States."
In the run-up to The Hague meeting, Turkey lent support to hardline Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, a bitter opponent of the UN peace plan.
Ankara said Tuesday it favored the continuation of talks between the two Cypriot sides, but denounced pressure to resolve the conflict under a tight timetable linked to the EU’s enlargement plans.
The EU had hoped for a settlement ahead of the signing of Cyprus’ accession treaty next month.
Brussels warned that it would be "very difficult" to start EU entry talks with Turkey without a reunification deal on Cyprus.
Turkish Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis responded by saying the EU was applying "double standards."
"It is a contradiction that the EU is asking Turkey to resolve its problems with the Greek Cypriots, while not demanding that the Greek Cypriots resolve their problems related to Turkey before their accession," Yakis said.
Outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Gul charged that by failing to voice a strong commitment to Turkey’s EU future at the Copenhagen summit last December, the EU had missed a chance to help settle the Cyprus question.
"They made a mistake at Copenhagen … If Turkey’s road was clearly opened, the Turkish side would have been more couragous on Cyprus," Gul told Radikal.
EU leaders said in December they would decide whether to open membership talks with Turkey after evaluating its progress in December 2004.
Turkey views Cyprus, which lies just miles off its southern coast, as a strategic asset guaranteeing sea lanes in the Mediterranean and to the Middle East.
The island’s importance is expected to grow once a major oil pipeline from Azerbaijan to Turkey’s southern coast starts operating.