Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-11-Speech-2-194"
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"en.20030311.9.2-194"2
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".
Mr President, Mr Alavanos, when I visited Ankara at the end of January I left the Turkish authorities in no doubt about the possible consequences of a failure of the Cyprus talks. In my discussions with the Prime Minister and the leader of the AK party and also with other leading figures in Turkish politics, I made it clear that the Commission is expected to issue an opinion and a recommendation at the end of 2004 stating whether or not Turkey meets the political criteria for accession and, if so, recommending when accession negotiations with Turkey should start.
I have to say very clearly that the Cyprus problem is part and parcel of these political criteria for accession. We have also expressed this unequivocally in the accession partnership with Turkey. Today, what I can say, with all due caution, is that if, at the end of 2004 – when the Commission has to table its report and recommendation – the situation in Cyprus were to remain unchanged, that is be exactly the same as it is today, then we would have a situation where a country, namely Turkey, wished to negotiate accession with us but did not recognise one of our Member States, namely Cyprus. I find it very difficult to imagine how, in such a situation, the Commission could issue a positive opinion on starting accession negotiations with Turkey.
I apologise for my inability to be any clearer, and, indeed, for my not wishing to be any clearer, but I think that what I have said is clear enough. If you consider what I have just said in connection with what I have said about the protocol, then this means that there is obviously still an opportunity for a solution to be reached between now and the end of 2004. That is why both the United Nations and the European Union are saying that yesterday's failure does not mean that the Cyprus problem is a closed book, but that as soon as the political situation allows, obviously, talks about the plan can be resumed. It is very important for the United Nations plan to remain on the table.
Allow me to make one further point: the most recent version of the United Nations plan was an extremely favourable offer, especially for the Turkish Cypriots. I am firmly convinced that there will never be a better offer or a better solution for the Turkish Cypriots than this one. That is why it is extremely important from the point of view of the Turkish Cypriots for the United Nations to say that the plan will stay on the table. We can only warmly welcome this."@en1
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