EU in backstage talks to send Turkey a ‘positive’ signal in summit conclusions

In recent days, Germany has increased pressure to add to the EU summit conclusions a “positive” message for the future of EU-Turkey relations, something that Cyprus has not taken well, Euractiv has learnt.

Two EU diplomats confirmed to Euractiv that Berlin has been pushing for a paragraph to be added to the final text of the EU’s summit conclusions, calling on the European Commission to keep following the development of EU-Turkey relations.

Following months of escalation in the relations between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey in early 2023, the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, produced a report on the state of play of EU-Turkey political, economic and trade relations.

While the first report was finalised in November 2023, due to EU leaders’ heavy agenda over the past three summits, it has been impossible to discuss it.

However, Euractiv has learnt that Cyprus wanted a “proper” discussion at this summit before sending a “positive” message as Germany suggested.

An EU diplomat told Euractiv that European Council President Charles Michel was not eager to discuss the matter due to the full agenda.

According to Euractiv’s information, the European Commission wants a reference to be added in the conclusions reflecting the potential EU-Turkey debate between EU leaders and, in the best-case scenario, a reference to Borrell’s November report.

According to EU officials, during all these months, positive steps have been taken, relations with Greece have improved—especially on migration—and specific measures have been taken against Russia’s sanctions evasion.

But still, there are some concerns about Ankara’s stance on Hamas as Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described the Palestinian militant group as a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and not a terrorist organisation.

There are also some concerns regarding Ankara’s behaviour toward Cyprus.

In Athens, sources stress that Greece would be okay with a paragraph calling on the Commission to continue the EU-Turkey state-of-play reports.

However, the same sources said that in this paragraph, previous EUCO conclusions’ wording should be added: “The European Council reiterates the EU’s readiness to engage with Turkey in a phased, proportionate and reversible manner to enhance cooperation in several areas of common interest.”

In addition, Greeks wanted a sentence clarifying that the EU Council should have “the last say” on any kind of Turkey-related policy decisions.

Cyprus, for its part, also pushed for an EU envoy on the Cyprus question to be added, although Euractiv understands that not all member states agree with this.

Last but not least, Nicosia asked for the inclusion of the EU lines on the Cyprus issue, meaning a bi-communal, binational federal solution against Turkey’s push for a two-state solution.

New escalation

In recent months, tensions have de-escalated as Greece and Turkey have started a dialogue to improve their bilateral relations.

But referring to the 1974 invasion in Cyrpus, Erdoğan caused the anger of Athens and Nicosia earlier this week, saying, “If we had pushed south, Cyprus would have been ours”.

Cyprus described the statement as “unacceptable”.

In Greece, a source from the Foreign Ministry said the Turkish president’s statements regarding “the illegal invasion of Cyprus in 1974 constitute a clear distortion of the historical truth and an insult to the memory of the victims.”

“All the more so when they take place at a time when there is an ongoing effort under the auspices of the United Nations Organisation to restart the talks for the solution of the Cyprus issue within the framework of the decisions of the UN Security Council”, the source added.

[Edited by Alice Taylor]