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Turkey annoyed at EU but still hoping to join bloc

12 October 2011, 21:40 CET
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(BRUSSELS) - Turkey's bid to join the European Union was left in limbo Wednesday over the thorny problem of Cyprus, causing irritation in Ankara, but not despair.

In its annual progress review of countries bidding to join the 27-nation bloc, the EU executive criticised Ankara for a lack of progress in normalising ties with Cyprus.

"Regrettably, accession negotiations have not moved forward for more than one year," EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele said. "There are frustrations about this on both sides."

"Turkey, with its dynamic economy and its important regional role, continues to be a key country for the European Union," Fuele said. Turkey must "make progress towards normalisation of bilateral relations with Cyprus," he added.

In Ankara, EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis told AFP in an interview that the commission's report was not properly focused, but when asked if Turkey was still willing to join the EU, replied: "More than ever."

"This is a report and there are parts that really please me and there are parts that do not please me," he said. "I think it is time for Europe to change the lens because some of the pictures are blurred and need to focus better and some of the places zoomed into are not the actual places."

Asked about the parts that did not please him, the minister said the section concerning the government's attitude towards minorities was not "acceptable".

"My government has been the most pro-minority government in the history of this country," said Bagis.

Turning to Cyprus, Bagis said the issue "is being used as a Trojan horse by Israel as well as some circles within the EU".

Turkey has threatened to freeze relations with the EU when Cyprus, a divided Mediterranean island whose Greek Cypriot government it does not recognise, takes over the rotating presidency of the 27-nation bloc in July 2012.

The island has been divided along ethnic lines since Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third in 1974 in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at union with Greece.

"I sincerely hope that there will be a united island and we will be able to make Turkish-EU relations flourish under the presidency of the United States of Cyprus," he added.

Tensions escalated in late September in a dispute over gas exploration off the coast of Cyprus, prompting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to issue his threat to freeze relations with the EU in the second half of 2012.

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