Newsroom
At Thursday's informal EU foreign ministers' meeting, High Representative Josep Borrell initially focused on Ukraine and the Middle East, almost overlooking the Euro-Turkish relations discussion with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Journalists had to remind him to address this topic.
Following the summit, Borrell noted that discussions on Euro-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue had delayed the summit's work. Although these issues are not entirely interconnected, the Cyprus issue received attention in Brussels, highlighting differences between Turkey, the Republic of Cyprus, and the EU.
The key challenge now is balancing Turkey's EU aspirations with its reluctance to address Cyprus-related responsibilities, either through constructive dialogue or implementation of obligations. Thursday's discussions suggest that the Cyprus issue could re-emerge on the EU agenda, potentially impacting relations with Turkey.
Cypriot diplomats welcomed the renewed focus on Cyprus, noting that Turkey’s stance and Cyprus's decision not to block Fidan’s attendance were pivotal. However, this is just an initial step, as a unified EU position on Cyprus is relatively straightforward, but the integration of this issue into broader Euro-Turkish relations remains complex.
Future discussions will need to address how quickly and effectively Euro-Turkish relations can progress without resolving the Cyprus issue. Borrell's report outlines potential procedural steps, such as reviving discussions on the customs union, but the real challenge will be the practical integration of Cyprus into Euro-Turkish negotiations.
As the EU and international community push for concrete actions from both Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides, the need for substantive dialogue on Cyprus is clear. While Thursday’s meeting did not produce a concrete link between Cyprus and Euro-Turkish relations, it set the stage for future, more serious discussions.
[Summary of George Kakouris' original story in Greek published in Kathimerini's Cyprus edition]
