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| EU partially freezes Turkey talks | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| EU foreign ministers have agreed to slow down talks on Turkey's membership because of its failure to open its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic. | EU foreign ministers have agreed to slow down talks on Turkey's membership because of its failure to open its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic. |
| The decision means that talks in eight policy areas will be suspended, while talks in other areas will continue. | The decision means that talks in eight policy areas will be suspended, while talks in other areas will continue. |
| However, none of the chapters will be signed off until Turkey complies. | However, none of the chapters will be signed off until Turkey complies. |
| Member states went into the talks divided on how harshly to penalise Turkey, with some keener than others to avoid a possible breakdown. | Member states went into the talks divided on how harshly to penalise Turkey, with some keener than others to avoid a possible breakdown. |
| The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels says that many Turks already believe that the EU is stringing them along, and that the mood is likely to become even more sour in the light of this decision. | The BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels says that many Turks already believe that the EU is stringing them along, and that the mood is likely to become even more sour in the light of this decision. |
| It's important to send this double signal that on the one hand there should no train crash... but that there should be a slowdown Migel Angel MoratinosSpanish Foreign Minister Send us your comments The ministers agreed that talks should be suspended in areas touching on trade, transport, financial services and agriculture while continuing in the rest of the 35 areas. | |
| "It's important to send this double signal that on the one hand there should be no train crash... but that there should be a slowdown," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. | |
| Vicious circle | Vicious circle |
| The ministers are also reported to have agreed in principle to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community - but this part of the deal will apparently have to be confirmed in January. | |
| Talks on Turkey's bid to join the EU began last year, after Ankara promised to allow Cypriot ships and aircraft to use its ports and airports. | Talks on Turkey's bid to join the EU began last year, after Ankara promised to allow Cypriot ships and aircraft to use its ports and airports. |
| Q&A: Turkey-EU talks But the Turkish authorities have not fufilled their promise, and have said they will not budge until the EU makes good on a promise to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. | Q&A: Turkey-EU talks But the Turkish authorities have not fufilled their promise, and have said they will not budge until the EU makes good on a promise to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community. |
| Finland, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, has been trying to break the vicious circle, by launching direct trade between the Turkish Cypriots and the EU. | Finland, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, has been trying to break the vicious circle, by launching direct trade between the Turkish Cypriots and the EU. |
| Our correspondent says that when it was decided that Cyprus could join the EU, the presumption amongst EU policy-makers was that it would join as a united island, and that the Turkish-sponsored breakaway north would be subsumed into some kind of confederal whole. | Our correspondent says that when it was decided that Cyprus could join the EU, the presumption amongst EU policy-makers was that it would join as a united island, and that the Turkish-sponsored breakaway north would be subsumed into some kind of confederal whole. |
| But, instead, the south rejected a reunification plan and joined the EU alone - and has subsequently used its veto power to block and delay negotiations with Turkey. | But, instead, the south rejected a reunification plan and joined the EU alone - and has subsequently used its veto power to block and delay negotiations with Turkey. |
| He adds that EU members that were never keen about taking on Turkey are only too happy to let Cyprus bring the project crashing down. | He adds that EU members that were never keen about taking on Turkey are only too happy to let Cyprus bring the project crashing down. |