Nicosia warns Ankara over excluding Cyprus from customs union

Nicosia said Wednesday it would take unspecified action against Turkey if it continues to keep its ports closed to Cypriot traffic despite agreeing to include the island in an EU customs agreement.

"The government will await developments and will act accordingly within the framework of the European Union," government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

Ankara this week agreed to extend its EU customs agreement to the 10 countries that joined the bloc last year, including Cyprus whose internationally-recognised Greek Cypriot government Ankara refuses to endorse.

Chrysostomides was responding to remarks attributed to Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul that the decision did not mean that Cypriot ships and aircraft would be allowed into Turkish sea and air ports.

"There are methods by which the European Union can compel (Ankara) to respect these obligations," said Chrysostomides.

While Ankara on Tuesday initialed the customs protocol, it has yet to formally sign it, a prerequisite to Turkey beginning EU entry talks set for October 3.

The Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus in the south is internationally recognised, while the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, proclaimed in 1983 and garrisoned by the Turkish army, is recognised only by Ankara.

Turkey insists on shutting out sea and air traffic from the Republic of Cyprus before a comprehensive settlement reunifying the war-divided island is reached.

Ankara fears formal recognition would entail acceptance of Nicosia's sovereignty over all of the island.

But Nicosia sees full implementation of the protocol as powerful leverage in fresh, UN-brokered reunification talks.

Shortly before their entry into the EU last year, the Greek Cypriots rejected an UN reunification plan, even though the Turkish Cypriots gave it overwhelming support.

Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since 1974 when Turkey seized the north in response to an Athens-engineered coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.