Talat: E.U. Has Begun Understanding How It Got Into Such A Serious Trouble By Accepting Membership Of Greek Cypriot Administration

The Anatolian Times

"Talat: E.U. Has Begun Understanding How It Got Into Such A Serious Trouble By Accepting Membership Of Greek Cypriot Administration
IZMIR - ''The EU has begun understanding how it got into such a serious trouble by accepting membership of the Greek Cypriot administration,'' said President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with the A.A, President Talat said, ''the Greek Cypriot administration brings the issue of opening of Turkish ports and airports onto agenda in the Turkey-the EU entry talks even on the chapters which do not concern foreign policy. Actually, it is not surprising since we expect it. We already knew that the Greek Cypriot administration would assume an extremely tough stance. It was the EU which was surprised. Now, the EU has begun understanding how it got into such a serious trouble by accepting membership of the Greek Cypriot administration.''

''If the isolation of Turkish Cypriots is not lifted, Turkey's extending its customs union to cover the ten new EU-member countries and opening of Turkish ports and airports to the Greek Cypriot traffic will not make any contribution to efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus issue,'' he said."