German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in remarks released Sunday that Turkey's standoff with the European Union over Cyprus is «very serious» for its aim of joining the bloc, AP reported. . Merkel, in a newspaper interview, also said Germany will revive plans for an EU constitution when it takes on the union's rotating presidency in January. The EU has said membership talks with Turkey can only go on if Ankara's drops its refusal to open its ports to planes and ships from the Greek-speaking part of Cyprus. «Otherwise, it will create a very, very serious situation as regards the continuation of the membership talks,» Merkel was quoted as saying in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, which released the interview before its publication Monday. Asked if the talks would be suspended, Merkel said: «The EU cannot simply carry on. Turkey must understand that there will be no simple 'carry on' if there is no movement» on Cyprus.
