Between NATO and the EU, Cyprus is causing trouble. Turkey puts pressure (Shift)

(BRUSSELS2) The meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Berlin did not have only Libya on the agenda. Another delicate issue was also on the table: NATO-EU cooperation. And, there too, the dialogue was difficult, even stormy, between the various participants if we judge by some elements of conversation which leaked in the Turkish press. It is the Cyprus question that has caused trouble and raised the tone, in particular, between the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davuto?lu, and his Czech counterpart, Karel Schwarzenberg.

In Berlin, all the pressure is on Cyprus

It all started when NATO Secretary General AF Rasmussen vigorously reiterated his determination to bring about a NATO-EU cooperation agreement. " This cooperation is not possible and undermines our meetings he explained, reiterating the need for Cyprus to allow Turkey to participate in joint meetings at the European Defense Agency. " I agree " approved the High Representative of the EU, Catherine Ashton (*).

Letting Cyprus into the EU was 'a mistake'

The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davuto?lu, then explained all of Turkey's European commitment, but also all the complexity of the Cyprus problem " We must define what Cyprus is first of all if it also represents the Turks, we must let them sit at the table. If it represents the Greek Cypriot administration, then let TRNC (North Cyprus) be defined He then underlined how much Letting Cyprus into the EU without resolving the Cyprus issue was a mistake. That's the whole problem."

Schwarzenberg then saw red: “ We support Turkey's EU membership. But, for us, a country that does not belong to the EU cannot teach us lessons and interfere in our internal affairs. »

The Europeans gave in to blackmail of Greece, says Turkey

Ahmet Davuto?lu didn't let this fool him and gave a little history lesson: " We are the oldest in the family here. We were there when you arrived. Referring to Greece without naming it, he explained that " this country had linked its approval of the candidacy of Eastern European countries to the European Union to that of the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus”. But when the countries of Eastern Europe knocked on NATO's door the same day, " several European Union countries came to see Turkey and told us that if we blocked these applications, we could gain entry. But Turkey, an Eastern European country due to historical ties did not do such blackmail. We didn't blackmail maybe it was a mistake . The statement by the Czech minister therefore pains me. (...) Why did you try to resolve the conflict between Croatia and Slovenia. Because there can be no border conflict between EU member countries. (...) If you care about the NATO-EU relationship, then you have to solve the Cyprus problem. The EU Greek Cypriot administration can block me. And I have to tell him to sit on an equal footing here, in front of me then? That, never in life. You need to get that out of your head »

Schwarzenberg apologized. Britain's William Hague endorsed the Turkish minister " Unfortunately it's true ". Catherine Ashton followed, astonished by the vigor of the words of the Turk " this is the first time i see you so nervous ". Everything is then in order, well almost. Davuto?lu was able to conclude: “ This question should not be reopened again. Every time, I tell you. Either the problem with Cyprus is solved. Either it is useless to put this issue back on the agenda. Rasmussen sketched: can we at least discuss this informally? Davuto?lu replied, “ I have already told you, officially a representative of the Greek Cyprus administration cannot sit there, in front of me »

Close the ban!

(*) It can be noted that the High Representative of the EU took the side of defending the Turkish position within the EU rather than the reverse. According to our information, this is not the first time that she has expressed personal opinions on Turkey by making promises that are not shared by the 27.

(Update) In gray: some elements have been clarified, with an additional translation. Thanks to my Turkish friends for their help.