Turkey moves on Cyprus in bid to end EU stand-off

Turkey has agreed to open an airport and a port to Cyprus to end the stand off with the EU.

Reuters report that in a message sent to the EU Finnish presidency in Helsinki on Wednesday, Ankara confirmed it is willing to give ground on the Cyprus issue.

“I can confirm that the Turks sent a message to the Finnish foreign office saying they would open a port and an airport,” a spokesman for the Finnish presidency told reporters. 

The message was received by EU ambassadors who had gathered to discuss the stand off with Turkey.

In return for the Turkish offer, Brussels may reconsider its decision to suspend accession negotiations with Ankara.

But a Finnish official in Helsinki said the offer needed to be clarified before it could be assessed in Brussels.

Last month the European commission dealt a heavy blow to Turkey’s EU entry bid – recommending the suspension of eight of the country’s 35 negotiating chapters.

Brussels warned Ankara that eight chapters would be completely halted and crucially that no chapters will be closed - until it opens its ports to Cyprus.

But EU enlargement commissioner said crisis could be averted if Ankara gave ground before a crucial European summit on December 11.

“There is still time to score a golden goal before the December 11 foreign ministers meeting,” he said at the end of November.

Turkish diplomats speaking in Brussels on Thursday said they were unable to confirm or deny the news that Turkey had decided to implement partial customs union with Cyprus.

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