The Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Bulent Ecevit, spelled out for the first time yesterday that Turkey could annex the northern part of Cyprus it has occupied since 1974 if the Cypriot government in Nicosia takes the divided island into the EU.
"Two tracks are possible for an integration of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC]: total annexation or establishment of an autonomous statute" for the self-declared state recognised only by Ankara, he told the daily newspaper Milliyet.
It was the first time Mr Ecevit had clearly stated that Turkey contemplates annexing the north if Cyprus becomes a member of the EU as planned in 2004.
Mr Ecevit said an autonomous status for the north would mean independence over internal affairs, but dependency upon Ankara for foreign affairs and defence.
The TRNC, headed by Mr Rauf Denktash, is already economically dependent on Turkey, because of the international embargo imposed on it since it was declared in 1983.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr Ismail Cem, said on Friday that Turkey could be forced to take crucial decisions on the issue of its links with the EU in the event of Cyprus being accepted as a member. "Unfortunately, the Cyprus question is not moving ahead very well. If the Greek part of Cyprus joins up with the EU, we will be drawn into paying a price for our decision," he told the Turkish parliament.
The ultra-nationalist Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Devlet Bahceli, issued a stiff warning to the EU on Saturday, saying that Turkey would not accept any fait accompli over Cyprus.
The President of the European Commission, Mr Romano Prodi, said on a visit to Nicosia last month that Cyprus would be one of the first countries to join the EU, even without a resolution of the division of the island.
The Greek Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou, said yesterday that his government and Turkey must put aside differences over Cyprus and pursue the "path to peace".
"After multiple international crises, like the one going on right now, I believe more than ever that the governments and people of the two countries understand that they can only follow one path to peace, even if they have differing views on Cyprus," Mr Papandreou told the daily Eleftheros Typos.
He acknowledged the "difficult positions" held by his Turkish counterpart, Mr Cem. "The only thing I can say about Mr Cem's remarks is that clear perspectives exist: Cyprus joins the EU, Turkey can contribute with the participation of Turkish Cypriots in negotiations before adhesion or see the adhesion of Cyprus as such," he said.
"Without saying that this path [to peace] is easy, it opens up the possibility of better relations with Turkey and the resolution of the Cyprus question," Mr Papandreou said.
The UN envoy for Cyprus, Mr Alvaro de Soto, had separate talks on Friday with leaders of the two Cypriot communities during a regional tour aimed at restarting talks on the future of the island, which have been stalled since January.
He is due to meet Turkish officials in Ankara today, and visits Athens tomorrow. Mr Cem is to visit Athens on Wednesday and Thursday in an attempt to revive the talks.