Merkel warning on EU-Turkey talks 

Turkey's EU progress faces a ‘very serious situation’ if Ankara fails to open its ports to Cyprus, German chancellor Angela Merkel has warned.

Merkel warned In an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Monday that EU membership talks can only go on if Turkey fulfils the so-called Ankara Protocol.

"We need the implementation... on the freedom of movement of goods also with Cyprus,” said Merkel.

"Otherwise, it will create a very, very serious situation as regards the continuation of the membership talks."

Asked if the talks would be suspended, Merkel said: "The EU cannot simply carry on.”

“Turkey must understand that there will be no simple 'carry on' if there is no movement in the area of the Ankara protocol," she emphasised.

Merkel’s words come two days before the European commission’s crucial progress report on Turkey’s EU talks – which could recommend freezing negotiations until the Cyprus issue is resolved.

Within the commission itself, divisions have surfaced between those seeking to suspend Turkey’s membership talks and others trying to keep negotiations on track.

French, Austrian, Greek and Cypriot commissioners, Jacques Barrot, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Stavros Dimas and Markos Kyprianou, are taking a tough line.

But commission president José Manuel Barroso and EU enlargement chief Olli Rehn are lining up with countries such as the UK to keep Turkey’s membership bid on course.

One option may be to continue negotiations while suspending trade related discussions until the ports and Cyprus issue is resolved.

Merkel’s warning follows last week’s cancellation of a last-ditch meeting which was aimed at forging a breakthrough between Turkey and Cyprus before the commission’s report.

The Finnish EU presidency called off the meeting after Turkey complained that Greece would not be attending.

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