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Cyprus in Talks With European Union Over Refugee Summit With Turkey

Cypriot President Nicos AnastasiadesCyprus is engaged in intense consultations with Brussels ahead of Sunday’s meeting of EU heads of state with Turkey to discuss the refugee crisis, government spokesman Nikos Christodoulides said on Saturday.
He also said that so far two drafts for the EU Commission Declaration have circulated, adding that Nicosia will await the conclusion of these consultations and the end result.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit, he said Sunday’s meeting is important, pointing out that the government’s consultations with Brussels aim to secure clearly the positions of the Republic of Cyprus, in particular with regard to Turkey’s accession negotiations.
“In this context, President Nicos Anastasiades had today a telephone conversation with the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to discuss this specific issue. They had an exchange of views and they defined the framework within which Nicosia and Athens will move during tomorrow’s summit,” he said.
Replying to questions about a possible opening of negotiating chapters for Turkey, he said that Cyprus and other EU member states maintain that they cannot consent to such a move unless Ankara meets its obligations towards Cyprus, as set out in EU decisions.
He explained that each accession negotiating course is governed by a framework for each candidate country. Turkey has agreed to such a negotiating framework in 2005, he added.
“There are also Council decision, in 2006 and the Declaration of 2009 by the Republic of Cyprus which relates to specific chapters. Consequently, it is entirely up to Turkey if it wishes to proceed with its membership talks,” he pointed out.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognize Cyprus and refuses to normalize relations with Nicosia, as prescribed by EU decisions.
(Source: CNA)

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