"EU reminds Turkey of condition for talks
Tue Feb 1, 2005 02:03 PM GMT
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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has reminded Turkey that it must sign a document extending its customs union with the EU to cover Cyprus before it can begin membership talks with the bloc as planned on October 3.
If Ankara dragged its feet for political reasons, the negotiations would not open, senior Commission official Jean-Christophe Filori told visiting Turkish journalists on Tuesday.
The move is highly sensitive in Turkey because it is seen by diplomats as tantamount to de facto recognition of the internationally backed Greek Cypriot government in Nicosia without a peace deal to reunite the divided island.
Turkey, which won its date to start long-delayed EU entry talks at a summit last December, recognises only a breakaway Turkish Cypriot community in the north of Cyprus."
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