EU:Turkey made a last-ditch attempt to prevent a partial freezing of its accession talks with the EU yesterday by offering to open one of its major ports to Cypriot vessels.
The offer came just hours before EU ambassadors were due to meet yesterday to discuss how to punish Turkey for not complying with the Ankara protocol - a customs union that obliges it to open its ports and airports to all EU states, including Cyprus.
Until now, Ankara has refused to open any of its ports or airports to Cypriot vessels until Nicosia agrees to removes its economic blockade of Turkish Northern Cyprus.
Finland, the current holder of the EU presidency, told EU states yesterday that it had received an offer from Ankara that may influence the debate on its accession talks.
"Turkey's initiative is a positive step towards full implementation of the Ankara protocol, but still needs clarification," said Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja, who has spent much of the past six weeks trying to broker a deal with Turkey.
Details of the offer remain sketchy, with diplomats unsure if Ankara is willing unconditionally to open a port to Cypriot vessels.
Turkey is also offering to open an airport to Cypriot aircraft, but this would depend on a reciprocal move from Nicosia, according to diplomats. EU ambassadors sought further clarification and will meet again today to discuss the offer and sanctions that the European Commission recently proposed to punish Turkey for not fulfilling the Ankara protocol.
These sanctions include suspending accession talks on eight out of the 35 policy areas with Turkey and not signing off on those chapters of policy which have been completed in the talks.
Commission president José Manuel Barroso said that he was also awaiting clarification.
"If that move can be confirmed, I think it is certainly an important step . . . and in that context I certainly welcome it," he told reporters.
Britain, a strong supporter of Turkey's EU membership bid, welcomed the offer.
However, Cyprus and Greece both reacted negatively to the last-minute offer. Cypriot foreign minister George Lillikas said: "It's a premeditated attempt to impress,and it's a mockery of the European Union. It is devoid of any serious content."
The last-minute initiative by Turkey could mean that a decision on how to sanction Turkey for its failure to implement the Ankara protocol may now have to be made at a meeting of EU leaders next week.
Many member states had hoped that EU foreign ministers could clear up the matter before the summit when they meet next Monday.