Questions Surround E.U. Responsibilities in Cyprus Talks

The fact that the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy to Cyprus, Alvaro De Soto, does not seem to be placing a great deal of emphasis on the E.U.’s responsibilities makes the Turkish side even more uncomfortable. EU sources claim that they gave a written guarantee to TRNC concerning the Cyprus agreement and that the guarantee cannot be violated in the E.U. courts despite the objections of Denktas. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the Turkish and Greek sides and demanded a solution that would not require the interference of Turkey or Greece in Cyprus. The Turkish side finds E.U. Commissioner for Enlargement Günther Verheugen’s assurances concerning the possible agreement becoming basic law of the E.U. ‘irrelevant’.

The 9th protocol the Annan Plan points out two ways in which a possible agreement would become basic law of the E.U.: Acceptance of the compromise as the ‘founder agreement’ or its approval in the parliaments of the E.U. members. The fact that the E.U. appears to be shirking its responsibilities in the Annan plan is the reason cited by the Turkish side as causing its inability to concentrate on the main issues. The Turkish side pointed out that the 9th protocol of the Annan Plan is vague and they emphasized that this part could be filled in by Annan if no agreement is reached.

One case that lends weight to the Turkish sides arguments is that of Malta. In Malta, which will become a member of E.U. on May 1, even very small deviations concerning property rights had to be passed by parliaments of E.U. members before becoming basic law. With this case in mind the Turkish side emphasized that the approval of Annan Plan at the E.U. Council level only would not be sufficient. Additionally, some sources claim that the name of the country, which will be changed to the United Cyprus Republic once an agreement is reached, will not be approved by the EU Council and that this change will have to pass through the parliaments of the member countries.

The Turkish side thinks that the problem is between the E.U. and United Nations (UN) and is of no interest to Ankara. However, the fact that De Soto does not speak much of the E.U.’s responsibilities causes discomfort in the Turkish side.