NICOSIA, Nov 25 (AFP) - A majority of Greek Cypriots believe Turkey should not be given a date for European Union accession talks, according to a public opinion poll published Thursday.
The survey, carried out by the Cypriot College of Tourism and Hotel Management, shows that 63 percent of respondents do not want Turkey to receive a date, while 24 percent are in favour and 13 percent are undecided.
On the question of whether Cyprus should use the veto if other EU states backed Turkey, 59 percent of respondents were in favour, 28 percent were against and 13 percent undecided.
"The three top reasons given by Greek Cypriots for denying a date to Turkey is firstly because they want to punish it for the Cyprus problem, secondly because it doesn't meet EU criteria and thirdly, because it is not a European country," the college's Craig Webster told journalists.
Other reasons given against Turkey were "poor human rights", "it's a poor country", "lack of trust" and "not civilised".
The age group that most fervently backs the veto, at 74 percent, are those between 18 to 24.
A poll published by Simerini newspaper on Wednesday showed that 62 percent of Greek Cypriots also backed a veto unless Turkey recognised the Cyprus Republic, agreed to a gradual withdrawal of its troops from the divided island and signed the EU customs union agreement to incorporate Cyprus.
EU leaders will decide on December 17 whether to start accession talks with Turkey and Cyprus says it will wait until then before deciding what to do.
President Tassos Papadopoulos has called for bilateral talks on issues that could hurt Turkey's EU bid -- namely its refusal to acknowledge the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government.
A UN-led April referendum to resolve the island's 30-year division saw the Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly reject a peace plan and the Turkish Cypriot strongly support it.
The split result ensured that the Greek Cypriots alone joined the EU on May 1 as the internationally-recognized side of the island, leaving the breakaway Turkish Cypriots out in the cold.
More than 30,000 Turkish troops have occupied the island's northern third since 1974 when Turkey invaded in response to an Athens-egineered coup in Nicosia to unite Cyprus with Greece.

11/25/2004 15:30 GMT - AFP