Turkey warns of crisis with EU over Cyprus

(ANKARA) - Turkish-EU ties could hit "freezing point" if Cyprus takes over the EU presidency next year as a divided island, Anatolia news agency quoted Turkey's foreign minister as saying Wednesday.

"If the Greek Cypriot side protracts the (peace) talks and takes over the EU presidency unilaterally in July 2012, this will mean not only a deadlock on the island, but also a freezing point in Turkey-EU ties," Ahmet Davutoglu said, according to Anatolia.

A dialogue between Turkey and the Greek Cypriot presidency under such circumstances would be "out of the question," he said, adding that he had conveyed his concerns to the European Union's enlargement commissioner, Stefan Fule, in a meeting in Ankara earlier Wednesday.

"We should take the necessary precautions now to avoid such a deadlock," said Davutoglu, calling for a settlement to the 37-year Cyprus conflict by the year-end.

Turkey refuses to acknowledge the Greek Cypriot administration, which is the internationally recognised government of Cyprus, and has no diplomatic ties with it.

It is the only country to recognise the self-declared Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north of the island.

The conflict remains a major stumbling block in Turkey's struggling bid to join the EU.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon last week set an October target for Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and Cyprus President Demetris Christofias to secure a broad accord on reunification.

Peace negotiations, under way since September 2008, have so far failed to produce any tangible progress.

Ankara has said a referendum on a settlement plan should be held in early 2012 to ensure that a united Cyprus takes over the EU presidency.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at union with Greece.

Since its EU membership talks started in 2005, Turkey has opened negotiations in only 13 of the 35 policy areas that candidates must complete, with no new chapter opened over the past year.

Eight chapters remain frozen as a sanction for Turkey's refusal to open its ports to Greek Cypriot vessels under a trade pact with the EU, with France and Cyprus blocking several others.