old Cyprus problem is the biggest immediate threat to Turkey's EU preparations. The Mediterranean island has been split on ethnic lines since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north after a brief Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta then ruling Greece. Ankara, which backs the breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration in the north, says it cannot recognise the Greek Cypriots before a comprehensive peace settlement is reached. Last month, Turkey signed a protocol extending its customs union with the EU to include new member states including Cyprus but it also issued a declaration making clear it still did not accept the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government. Chirac said on Friday Turkey's Cyprus declaration violated the spirit of the EU and posed political and legal problems. Some Turkish commentators fear that France will insist on Ankara's recognition of Cyprus as its price for allowing the talks to go ahead. --More 2147 Local Time 1847 GMT
