Brussels - Cyprus is to put pressure on Turkey to improve relations and open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels by attaching new conditions to European Union accession talks on six issues, the country's foreign minister said Tuesday. The move narrows down the subjects on which Turkey could hope to open talks to just 10 out of 35, since eight "chapters" are already blocked and a further 11 have already been opened.
"We will be introducing conditions, ... so (if) Turkey wants to comply with these conditions, then the chapter will be able to open," Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou told journalists in Brussels.
When countries negotiate to join the EU, they have to bring their laws in 35 areas, or chapters, into line with EU rules. The chapters cover issues ranging from science and intellectual property to foreign policy.
Turkey is negotiating its EU membership, but the EU has refused to start talks on eight trade-related issues because Turkey has not yet opened its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels.
Earlier on Tuesday, diplomats said that Kyprianou called on EU foreign ministers to freeze all the remaining chapters until Turkey ended its blockade.
However, ministers finally agreed to open talks on environmental legislation in the coming weeks.
