La solution au problème chypriote :La clé des relations de la Turquie avec l'UE

Le manque de confiance dans la Turquie est le principal obstacle à la solution du problème chypriote et à l’adhésion finale de la Turquie à l’UE, écrit le président de la République de Chypre, Dr George Vasiliou, dans la revue trimestrielle ‘Turkish Policy Quarterly‘. L’auteur propose des initiatives de « bonne volonté » que la Turquie pourrait prendre afin de mettre un terme aux inquiétudes, justifiées ou non, à son sujet, qui compromettent son avenir. 

In December 1999 at the EU Summit in Helsinki, a decision of historic significance for Cyprus and Turkey was taken. 

 
 

9. (a) The European Council welcomes the launch of the talks aiming at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem on 3 December in New York and expresses its strong support for the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to bring the process to a successful conclusion.

(b) The European Council underlines that a political settlement will facilitate the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. If no settlement has been reached by the completion of accession negotiations, the Council’s decision on accession will be made without the above being a precondition. In this the Council will take account of all relevant factors.

The rationale behind this decision was quite obvious. As far as Cyprus was concerned the EU member countries decided that they cannot possibly offer Turkey a second veto concerning Cyprus, i.e. to maintain the island divided by continuing to occupy with 35,000 Turkish troops nearly 37 percent of the island’s territory and at the same time to essentially deny a solution by supporting the hard rejectionist policies of Mr. Denkta?. This is why it was clearly stated that they would like to see the reunification of the island before accession but if, despite their desire, this did not prove possible then the whole island would join, but the acquis communautaire would be implemented only in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Republic. 

At the same time the Decision clearly pointed that at long last the road to EU membership for Turkey was opening. Turkey would be able to start accession negotiations if it was to convince the member countries that it had adopted the Copenhagen criteria. In paragraph 12 of the Resolution it was clearly stated that:

12. The European Council welcomes recent positive developments in Turkey as noted in the Commission’s progress report, as well as its intention to continue its reforms towards complying with the Copenhagen criteria. Turkey is a candidate State destined to join the Union on the basis of the same criteria as applied to the other candidate States. Building on the existing European strategy, Turkey, like other candidate States, will benefit from a pre-accession strategy to stimulate and support its reforms. This will include enhanced political dialogue, with emphasis on progressing towards fulfilling the political criteria for accession with particular reference to the issue of human rights, as well as on the issues referred to in paragraphs 4 and 9(a). 

The significance of the Decision as far as Cyprus was concerned is difficult to overestimate. It ensured that even if a solution would not be reached Cyprus could accede, something that was not at all certain until that date. Furthermore, however, Commission officials pointed out that the EU is not willing to accept the creation of two independent states. They clearly stated: “One Cyprus and not two will be able to join the Union.”  The two communities of the island would have to agree on the elements of a solution under the auspices of the United Nations. The EU was determined not to be engaged in the efforts to find a formula for a federation. 

To read the article in full, visit the Turkish Policy Quarterly website.