(Cihan) -. Finland, the holder of the rotating EU presidency, has given Turkey a respite until December 6 to resolve the Cyprus deadlock, reports Trend.
In his speech to members of parliamentary EU affairs committees in Helsinki, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen stated that the European Commission would take a recommendatory decision about the Cyprus issue in the first week of December, adding that the decision will be discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting to be held on December 11.
The deadline for Turkey as Vanhannen stated is before the decision on advice. On one hand European commission is demanding opening the sea and air ports to Greek Cypriots and on the other Turkey is demanding the lifting of the isolations on The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
"Time is running out", the Finnish premier remarked. "If Turkey does not honor its commitments, the EU will need to reconsider the implications for the accession process," Mr. Vanhanen noted.
Vanhanen stressed that they had no intention of raising the Turkey issue at the December European council. "Decisions will be made before that. The real deadline is before the commission presents its recommendations", he added.
On Nov. 8, the European Commission released its Progress Report on Turkey and gave Turkey a deadline until mid-December, when the EU leaders convene for a summit to take final decision on Turkey's accesion talks, to open its ports to Greek Cypriot traffic.
Despite growing pressure from the EU, Turkish government still refuses to open its ports to EU member Greek Cyprus until economic sanctions imposed on Turkish Cypriots are lifted.