Cyprus, seeking to use its own EU membership as a bargaining tool, has called for postponing the talks. In recent weeks, it has found a powerful ally in France, whose prime minister, Dominique Villepin, has said it is "inconceivable" for the talks to begin while Ankara refuses to recognise one of the EU's members.
Pokušavajući iskoristiti vlastito članstvo u EU za cjenkanje, Cipar je pozvao na odgodu razgovora, nalazeći proteklih tjedana snažnog saveznika u Francuskoj, čiji je premijer Dominique Villepin rekao kako je početak pregovora "nezamisliv" sve dok Ankara odbija priznati jednu od država članica EU.