Turkey's EU Odyssey

"We've told the Europeans clearly that this is not up for discussion," Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas told reporters.

Turkey said it is ready to open one seaport and one airport to Cyprus for one year to salvage its EU accession talks, but it expects a solution to the three-decade division of the island during that period.

"Turkey started accession talks with the European Union under the condition they would realize the (customs) protocol one year later. They have not done this," Lillikas said. "This is a pre-planned move by Turkey to make an impression and one that we expected. This makes a mockery of the European Union as it is devoid of any serious content."

The EU has been threatening to suspend Turkey's accession talks, started in Oct. 2005, over its failure to open its harbors and ports to craft from Cyprus, whose government Ankara does not recognize.

Cautious optimism

European Union officials voiced cautious optimism on Thursday that a last-minute Turkish offer may save Ankara's troubled bid to join the European Union.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the current EU presidency, said Turkey's initiative was "a positive step" but warned that the EU still needed more details.

"If Turkey is ready for such an unconditional move, this positive step will influence ... discussions on the continuation of Turkey's EU accession process," Tumioja said.

The European Commission -- the EU's executive body -- also described the surprise Turkish initiative as a "significant move" which needed further scrutiny.

"I hope that we will soon have clarification on the exact nature of this step by the Turkish government," Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "If it is confirmed, it is obviously a very important step in the direction of complete implementation of the Ankara protocol."

Echoing similar views, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters in Berlin that Turkey appeared to be showing a "cautious readiness to make concessions."

The proposals represented "positive elements" to be taken into consideration by EU foreign ministers, who meet in Brussels next week, and by the bloc's leaders, who gather in the Belgian capital for summit talks on Dec. 14 and 15.

Additional pressure on the EU

The eleventh-hour Turkish offer puts additional pressure on EU governments, which remain deeply divided on whether to partially suspend negotiations with Ankara or continue the talks.

Germany and France have taken a tough line but Britain, backed by Spain, Italy, Sweden and several EU newcomers, including Poland, favor Turkish accession.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said in recent weeks that the commission must provide a special Turkey progress report by 2009 before any decision is taken on restarting talks.

Merkel has also suggested the introduction of a "review clause" on Turkey, which would mean that even if Ankara meets EU demands, there would still have to be a unanimous decision by all EU countries to resume negotiations.

Significantly also, Germany's grand coalition government is badly split on Turkey.

Merkel, who is a Christian Democrat opposes Turkish entry to the EU. Her party is also reportedly hoping to use public hostility to Ankara's accession to win votes in European Parliament elections in the spring of 2009 as well as planned German general elections in the autumn of that year.

However, Foreign Minister Steinmeier, whose Social Democratic party is in the German coalition, backs Turkish membership.

Comprehensive settlement

Earlier on Thursday, a senior Turkish official confirmed that Turkey was ready to open two ports to Cypriot craft in exchange for a comprehensive settlement of the Cypriot question.

"We are ready to open one port and an airport as part of our customs union responsibilities," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

"Turkey wants a comprehensive settlement (to the Cyprus conflict) within 12 months," he said. "This should happen under the patronage of the United Nations, but the European Union should lend its support."

The official said Turkey also expects Ercan Airport, in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to be opened to international traffic.

Turkey, with a population of 70 million, would be the first mainly Muslim country in the EU if it is admitted to the bloc. Even if negotiations for EU entry go smoothly, however, Turkish admission is not expected before 2020.