By Charlie Charalambous - Agence France-Presse

NICOSIA - Cypriot Foreign Minister George Iacovou yesterday cast doubt on whether the European Union will be able to agree on any statement responding to Turkey’s non-recognition of EU member Cyprus.

“I now have serious doubts on whether a counter-declaration will be adopted,” Iacovou told reporters.

“However, I have confirmed that Cyprus, always in the spirit of European cooperation, is willing to continue to cooperate with the aim of adopting a counter-declaration to protect Cypriot interests,” he added.

The comments come amid increasing tensions between EU president Britain and the Cypriot government, which has accused London of being too pro-Turkish to agree on an EU-wide consensus on the document.

Cyprus has opposed previous drafts of the counter-declaration — a response to Turkey’s reaffirmation in July of its non-recognition of Cyprus — saying it did not go far enough to ensure Turkey met its obligations.

And Britain made it clear yesterday that Turkey starting its EU accession talks on October 3 was the priority while the recognition issue had to take a back seat.

“We cannot insist on recognition (of Cyprus) before the start of accession negotiations,” the British high commissioner in Nicosia, Peter Millett, told reporters.

“We must have a balance in the stance of all member states, so as not to have a rejection of the negotiation framework by Turkey.

“That way we can achieve our aims,” he added.

The ambassador said the EU presidency was making a “great effort” to reach consensus on a declaration but supported a gentle approach toward Turkey.

“Our medium- and long-term target is the same: to start accession negotiations with Turkey and thus have the opportunity to have changes in Turkey which will be positive for Cyprus, for the EU and for Turkey.” Iacovou has previously said he believed that it may boil down to an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers on September 26 to break the current deadlock.

Talks in Brussels on Wednesday on the statement broke up without agreement, and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he would call an EU meeting to discuss Turkish accession at the end of September if that was necessary.

However, the Czech Republic, a fellow new member state, supported Cyprus’s position that Turkey recognize all EU countries.

“It is not acceptable to the Czech Republic that a member of the European Union is not recognized by a candidate country seeking to join it,” said Czech EU Affairs Minister Vladimir Muller on a Nicosia visit yesterday.