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Turkey 'will open port to Cyprus' Turkey 'will open port to Cyprus'
(40 minutes later)
Turkey has agreed to open one port and one airport to traffic from Cyprus, in an effort to break the deadlock over its EU application, Finland says. The EU is studying an offer by Turkey to open one port and one airport to traffic from Cyprus, Finland says.
Finland, the current EU president, said the offer was made on Wednesday. The proposal appears to be an attempt to break the deadlock over Turkey's EU membership application, which may soon face partial suspension.
Turkish media said the offer depended on a return compromise over northern Cyprus - but this was not confirmed. But Turkish officials say Ankara's position has not changed - the EU must first end the economic isolation of Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.
The EU - which has threatened to suspend parts of Turkey's membership talks over its refusal to recognise Cyprus - is studying the proposal. EU foreign ministers are to discuss Turkey's troubled bid on Monday.
EU ambassadors are trying to reach a common position on Turkey ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers on Monday. If they fail to reach a common position, it could be up to heads of government to decide at a summit on 14-15 December.
If they fail to do so, it could be up to heads of government to decide at a summit on 14-15 December.
Last week, the European Commission recommended freezing eight of the 35 chapters in Turkey's EU accession negotiations, because of a failure to make headway over Cyprus.Last week, the European Commission recommended freezing eight of the 35 chapters in Turkey's EU accession negotiations, because of a failure to make headway over Cyprus.
'Two-way deal''Two-way deal'
A Finnish spokesman said it was not clear whether Turkey's offer met the EU's demands, and that details, like which port and airport were involved, or when they might be opened, were still to be defined. Finland, the current EU president, said Turkey made the new approach on Wednesday.
However, Turkey's Anatolia news agency said the offer depended on the EU ending the isolation of Turkish-controlled breakaway northern Cyprus, by allowing trade through Ercan airport and the port of Famagusta. A Finnish spokesman said it was not clear whether the offer met the EU's demands, and that details, like which port and airport were involved, or when they might be opened, were still to be defined.
Turkey's Anatolia news agency said the offer depended on the EU ending the isolation of Turkish-controlled breakaway northern Cyprus, by allowing trade through Ercan airport and the port of Famagusta.
A Turkish foreign ministry source was quoted by Reuters as saying: "This is a two-way deal. We would require the same number of airports and ports to be opened on each side."A Turkish foreign ministry source was quoted by Reuters as saying: "This is a two-way deal. We would require the same number of airports and ports to be opened on each side."
Meanwhile other Turkish government spokesmen said that Turkey was not offering any more than it had done all along. Other Turkish government spokesmen said that Turkey was not offering any more than it had done all along.
Cyprus will not agree to Ercan airport being opened to international flights as part of a compromise deal, Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis told Reuters on Thursday. Cyprus says it will not agree to Ercan airport being opened to international flights as part of a compromise deal, Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis told Reuters on Thursday.
Currently the only flights to northern Cyprus are routed via Turkey.Currently the only flights to northern Cyprus are routed via Turkey.
Finland, during its EU presidency, has been trying to break the deadlock over Cyprus, in order to keep Turkey's talks on track.
It has proposed that the first step towards Turkish recognition of Cyprus should be the opening of Turkish ports to Cypriot traffic, with the EU simultaneously allowing trade through northern Cyprus.