Tuesday September 19, 2006 2:16 AM

By EDITH M. LEDERER

Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Greece wants Turkey to become a full-fledged European democracy and member of the European Union but insists Ankara must first recognize a reunified Cyprus, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said.

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been divided - into a Greek-Cypriot south and internationally isolated Turkish-Cypriot north - since Turkey invaded in 1974 after a short-lived coup backed by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey, which is seeking to join the EU, does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus in the south, which joined the EU two years ago.

Like all other countries seeking to join the 25-nation EU, Turkey must meet the conditions for membership which include respect for human rights and religious freedom, good neighborly relations and a free customs union, Bakoyannis said in an interview Saturday.

``It came as a surprise to many people that Greece's foreign policy was so clear about supporting Turkey's European aspirations,'' Bakoyannis said. ``The truth is that for us, it's vital to have a European Turkey on our borders, a European democracy on our borders, and this is the reason that we are very clearly and very openly supporting it.''

But she cautioned that this did not mean ``unconditional support.''

``There are conditions for any European candidate,'' Bakoyannis said. ``I hope Turkey understands that, and implements these obligations ... which it accepted,'' she said.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said earlier this month that Turkey must open its harbors and airports to Cyprus in order for talks on EU accession to proceed. He said ``no exception can be made'' under the EU-Turkey customs deal that obliges Ankara to allow for the free exchange of goods with all EU members.

Turkey has refused to grant Cyprus access to its harbors and airports because it does not recognize the country.

Bakoyannis said ``political will'' is needed to restart talks to reunify Cyprus.

A peace blueprint to reunite the island drafted by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was approved by Turkish Cypriots, but rejected by Greek Cypriots in separate referenda in April 2004. That meant only the Greek Cypriot south joined the EU.

Since mid-2005, all the parties have asked Annan to use his ``good offices'' again to tackle the three-decade division of the island.

But the secretary-general has moved cautiously, consulting with various officials to test the commitment of Greek and Turkish Cypriots to make the compromises needed to finally reach a settlement.

``The truth is the Nicosia wall is the last wall in Europe,'' Bakoyannis said. ``People want to live together. They want to look to a prosperous European future and Turkey wants to become ... a European country.''

``All these factors help, I hope, to make ... Turkey realize that its way to the European Union passes through Cyprus, passes through a united European Cyprus,'' she said.