NICOSIA (AFP) - Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said he had invited Turkey for talks on issues that could hurt its bid to join the European Union, as Greece joined in warning Ankara it could only join if it recognizes Cyprus.
"We have sent a message to the government of our neighbouring country saying we are ready for dialogue to explain our positions," said Papadopoulos in remarks prepared for delivery at a dinner with visiting Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.
"And to say how we see the relations between Cyprus and Turkey developing before and after December 17 until Turkeys accession to the European Union, and how we see a common peaceful future as members of the Union," he added.
This is believed to be the first time that a Greek Cypriot leader has made such a move in wanting to directly negotiate with Turkey, which does not recognize Cyprus.
"Now it is up to Turkey to accept this invitation and challenge," the president said.
It was unclear where and at what level these negotiations would take place.
Earlier at a press conference with Papadopoulos, Karamanlis said Ankara must recognize the Cypriot government if it wants to secure a date for EU accession talks to begin and succeed in its four-decade quest to join the bloc.
"A country who wants to be a member of the European Union has a duty to comprehend that there are rules of behaviour. There are no exceptions. This is what is expected," he said.
On December 17, EU leaders will take a political decision on recommendations by the European Commission that accession negotiations begin with Turkey. However, membership itself would probably lie more than a decade away.
Cyprus could block Turkey`s candidacy, giving it leverage to win concessions from a country that has occupied one-third of the island since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded in response to a Athens-engineered coup to unite Cyprus with Greece.
"Turkey must show that it understands and accepts that the setting of a date for the commencement of accession negotiations entails obligations towards the European Union and each member of the European family and consequently Cyprus too," Papadopoulos said.
It is Karamanlis`s first visit to Cyprus since his election in March and the first by a Greek premier since Greek Cypriots rejected a UN reunification blueprint in April and Cyprus joined the EU on May 1 still a divided island.
After Turkish Cypriots overwhelming endorsed the UN blueprint rejected by their Greek fellow islanders, the European Commission promised to swiftly start direct trade with the breakaway north but the move has been resisted here.
The Greek premier is on a two-day visit for key talks with Cypriot leaders aimed at forging a joint strategy to Turkey`s bid to open negotiations for EU membership.
Neither leader would be drawn on whether a veto might be used against Turkey at an EU summit in December if recognition was not forthcoming.
11/12/2004 - 20:47 GMT - AFP