Turkey takes revenge on EU

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay announced on Sunday that Ankara will freeze the country's relations with the EU if Cyprus in fact takes over the rotating EU presidency next year. This was to be expected, writes the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse: "In the looming conflict with a Turkish government that is increasingly self-confident - and even dominant - in its behaviour the EU is paying for the mistakes of its policy so far. Turkey has understood that despite decades of promises to the contrary it isn't really welcome in the EU. If my partner isn't playing an honest game with me it's pointless for me to behave, is obviously the conclusion Ankara has arrived at. Moreover it was clear that allowing Cyprus to join the EU without a peace agreement for the divided island would lead to problems with Turkey somewhere down the line. The Union can hardly afford to lose an important partner like Turkey. But the policy makers in Ankara will have to realise that with such rude behaviour you can soon end up isolated - even if you are a major regional power."

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