Merkel optimistic on EU Turkey-Cyprus deal

Angela Merkel has said, during a visit to Ankara, that she is optimistic that a new EU deal could break the deadlock over Turkey’s refusal to open trade with Cyprus.

The German chancellor said a compromise proposal by the Finnish presidency to help solve the Cyprus stalemate was being favourably examined by the Turkish government.

“I hope we will solve this difficult problem,” Merkel said.

The deadlock on Cyprus is threatening to derail Turkey’s EU accession talks – Brussels has told Ankara it must open trade with Cyprus if it is to join the EU.

But Turkey has so far resisted this: "We will never look positively at opening our ports and airports unless the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots is lifted," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 5.

The trade-off solution proposed by the Finnish EU presidency includes opening up the port of Famagusta in northern Cyprus to international trade under UN supervision.

If implemented, this plan would pave the way for the Cypriot government in Nicosia to direct EU trade to the north of the island.

The Turkish authorities will continue to scrutinise the plan during the rest of Merkel’s trip, which continues on October 6 with a visit to Istanbul.

But Turkish press reports suggest the proposal is still seen as too limited in Ankara, which also wants to see the opening of the Ercan airport.

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