ISTANBUL - The Turkey-Europe Foundation Executive Board said on Friday about Regular Progress Report of the European Union (EU) Commission for Turkey, ''the EU's approach about Cyprus is considered an unfortunate attempt in the current stage of Turkey-EU relations.''
Releasing a written statement, the Turkey-Europe Foundation Executive Board noted that the Progress Report included objective observations and positive assessments.
Emphasizing that Turkey should maintain its efforts to implement the EU criteria in all fields, the statement said, ''the part of the Progress Report contradicts with objective expectations. The report establishes a direct relation between solution of the Cyprus question and opening of accession talks between Turkey and the EU. A criterion, which was not envisaged at the EU Summit in Helsinki in 1999, and which was not included in the Copenhagen Criteria, has been tried to be brought onto agenda as a political condition.''
''The EU's approach about Cyprus is considered an unfortunate attempt in the current stage of Turkey-EU relations. However, it is a fact that finding a solution to the Cyprus question cannot be delayed any longer independently from Turkey-EU relations,'' it said.
The statement added, ''the Cyprus question should not constitute an obstacle to setting a date at the EU Summit in December of 2004 to open accession talks with Turkey. The Turkey-Europe Foundation has announced 2004 as 'Europe Year'. 2004 should be the year of a great progress in relations between Turkey and the EU.''
(UK-AÖ) 07.11.2003