BRUSSELS, Dec 21 (AFP) - The European Union's rotating president Tuesday called on Greek and Turkish Cypriots to resume peace efforts sponsored by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, briefing leaders of the European Parliament on the results of last week's EU summit, said the 25-nation bloc had launched an "historic process of rapprochement" with Turkey.
The leaders agreed on Friday to begin accession negotiations with the Muslim-majority nation from October next year -- provided that it first gives tacit recognition of the Greek Cypriot government.
"I was very impressed by the positive developments which we have observed in Turkey and I'm convinced of Prime Minister (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's intentions to continue these developments," Balkenende said.
But he noted the requirement for Turkey to extend an EU cooperation and customs accord to cover the bloc's 10 newest member states, including the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus.
He added: "For Cyprus, we need to make sure that the opportunities available are made use of to the best possible extent.
"I think in this context the parties should make use of the good offices of Kofi Annan, who renewed his offer here just last Friday," the Dutch leader said.
But Nicosia adopted a more cautious tone as the government said it was ready to negotiate a better deal, but not at any price.
Although willing to re-engage in a UN peace process, the government says it will not accept the exact same "Annan plan" blueprint that Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected at a referendum in April.
"We are not going to make it easier for Turkey to use the Cyprus problem to shirk its (EU) obligations within the framework of the Brussels conclusions," government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides told reporters.
"The Annan plan cannot be brought before the people of Cyprus as is," he added.
The UN chief, after attending the EU summit in Brussels, said he had no plans to resume talks on Cyprus, but said his "good offices" were on hand if the island's Greek and Turkish communities want him to step in.
The two communities held referendums in late April on Annan's peace deal, designed to end the island's three-decade division following the invasion of its northern third by Turkish forces.
The Turkish Cypriot north enthusiastically backed the reunification plan but it was thrown out by the Greek Cypriots, ensuring that their internationally backed government alone could practically join the EU a week later.
In an interview with CNN-Turk television late Monday, Erdogan said Ankara was ready to back any new UN effort to resolve the Cyprus conflict based on Annan's settlement, which foresaw a loose federal government for the island.
12/21/2004 18:28 GMT - AFP