YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Cyprus said on March 17 it could use its veto to block an accord between Turkey and the EU to stem the migrant crisis if Ankara did not open its ports and airports to the island, “Armenpress” reports citing Reuters.

In Brussels, European Union leaders are struggling to reach an accord with Turkey on how to stop a human tide of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict zones for Europe. Expediting Ankara's long-stalled EU entry talks was one of the conditions, touching a raw nerve with ethnically-split Cyprus.

"Turkey has to open its harbors and airports (to Cypriot traffic) and normalize its relations with Cyprus, something that it doesn't do," Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told euronews in an interview.

Anastasiades heads a Greek Cypriot government acknowledged to represent the whole island in the EU, though effective membership stops at a ceasefire line splitting the country in two.

Northern Cyprus is a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognized only by Ankara, carved out of territory Turkey seized in a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup.

Cyprus has blocked discussion on a number of EU policy areas, or "chapters" Turkey must conclude, partly because Ankara has not opened its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic.

Asked if he would veto any deal which did not take Cypriot concerns into account, Anastasiades said: "Of course...As long as Turkey doesn't implement its obligations, we don't have any other choice."