EU warns Turkey time is running out on accession talks

The European Union today warned Turkey that it has to speed efforts to resolve a stalemate in the Cyprus issue if it wants to continue accession talks with the bloc.

Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, whose country holds the EU presidency, said Ankara must honour commitments it has made concerning the divided island, including permitting planes and ships from Greek-speaking Cyprus into Turkish ports.

“But time is running out. If there is no agreement and Turkey does not honour its commitments, the EU will need to consider the implications for the accession process,” Vanhanen said in Helsinki.

“This is not a good scenario and it would mean an uncertain future.”

Vanhanen reiterated that the EU has set a December 6 deadline for Turkey to accept a compromise plan.

If not, EU leaders who are meeting the following week might suspend Turkey’s accession talks.