The European Parliament postponed a vote to ratify Turkey's customs union with the European Union on Wednesday, citing frustration over Ankara's continued refusal to recognize Cyprus. In another step certain to anger the Turkish government days ahead of scheduled EU membership talks, lawmakers called on Ankara to recognize the 1915-23 killings of Armenians as genocide. | And if that doesn't keep them out, they'll think of something else |
The lawmakers issued a nonbinding resolution saying recognition of the killings as genocide should be a prerequisite for Turkey to join the EU. Ankara vehemently denies that genocide was carried out on Armenians as the Ottoman Empire collapsed, saying Armenians who rose in rebellion and sided with Russian invaders were killed along with Turks in intercommunal fighting. The EU Parliament voted 311-285, with 65 abstentions, to postpone the customs union ratification ballot.
The delay will have no effect on the starting date on negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU, scheduled for Oct. 3. The assembly already postponed a vote earlier this month when its foreign affairs committee said the customs union would not work because Turkey still would not allow Cyprus to use its ports or airports. In July, Turkey signed an agreement to widen its customs union with the EU to include Cyprus and nine other new EU members. But the government also said its signature did not amount to recognition of the Cypriot government. EU governments last week warned that failure to recognize Cyprus could paralyze Turkey's EU entry talks.
The customs union agreement with all 25 EU member states is a key condition for Turkey's bid to join the bloc. 'The Turkish government has accepted the customs union protocol but at the same time has refused to recognize Cyprus. It's logically and politically unacceptable,' European People's Party chairman Hans-Gert Poettering said before asking the assembly to postpone the vote.
Cyprus has been divided since a 1974 abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece prompted an invasion by Turkish troops. Turkey still occupies the north of the island in support of a breakaway Turkish-Cypriot government. Ankara does not recognize the Greek-Cypriot government in the south.