Turkey still refuses access to its ports, airports, and air corridors to aircraft and ships from the Republic of Cyprus. This awkward and anomalous situation, where an EU candidate state refuses to recognize one of the EU member states. The EU in December 2006 sanctioned Turkey by imposing a partial freeze on its accession talks for its non-compliance with respect to its obligations toward Cyprus. It was decided to suspend work in eight of 35 policy areas (Chapters) into which accession negotiations are divided. It was also agreed that negotiations on chapters not affected by this freeze should not be concluded until Turkey complies with its obligations related to the Additional Protocol. Turkey’s negative stance towards the Republic of Cyprus is also reflected in all European Commission Progress Reports on Turkey as well as in relevant European Council and Council Conclusions. The 2023 Commission Report, among others, points out the following: Turkey continued to refuse to recognise the Republic of Cyprus. Despite repeated calls by the Council of the EU and the European Commission, Turkey has yet to fulfil its obligations as outlined in the Declaration of the European Community and its member states of 21 September 2005 and in Council Conclusions, including those of December 2006 and December 2015. Turkey did not fulfil its obligation to ensure the full and non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement and did not remove all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including restrictions on direct transport links with the Republic of Cyprus...Turkey's military exercises in the maritime zones of Cyprus continued. Violations by Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles in the Lefkosia flight information region and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus also continued unabated. Turkey continued to increase the militarisation of the occupied area by upgrading the military drone base in Lefkoniko and the naval base in Bogazi. The harassment of Cypriot fishing vessels by Turkey also continued...Despite international condemnations, and the inadmissibility of the settlement of any parts of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as stipulated in UNSC resolution 550 (1984), Turkey continued with its plan to open the entire fenced-off area of Varosha, creating a new fait accompli on the ground... Turkey repeatedly advocated for a two-state solution in Cyprus, contrary to relevant UN Security Council resolutions. In November 2022, the so-called but not internationally recognised ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ was accepted as an observer in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). This violates the principle of territorial integrity and the UN Charter. The EU recognises only the Republic of Cyprus as a subject of international law, in accordance The Cyprus Question| A brief Introduction 23
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