Turkey signs customs accord

Turkey has signed an accord extending its customs agreement with the European Union to Cyprus and other new EU members, in a key step towards opening membership talks with the bloc – but stressed its signature was not recognition of the Cypriot government.

Britain, which holds the EU presidency, sought to downplay Ankara’s non-recognition of island nation’s government. The agreement “is not about recognition (of Cyprus). It is about signing a customs accord,” said a British diplomat.

The treaty was signed in Brussels by the British and Turkish envoys to the EU.