Turkish ports and airports will not be opened

PAul · Senior Villager Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 153

I could not find the link so here is the article

By Selcuk Gultasli Published: Friday, October 28, 2005 zaman.com

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attending his first European Union (EU) summit since the beginning of the negotiations on October 3, issued a warning to Brussels on the subject of Cyprus.

Erdogan said that unless the bans imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) were lifted the opening of the Turkish ports and airports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes would be out of question. “Whatever the consequences, the ports won’t be opened until the bans are lifted.” Prime Minister Erdogan reminded that Turkey was given a promise and that although Turkey was told to approve the plan and not be concerned with the rest, Greek Cypriots had joined the EU within a week of their rejection of the Annan plan. After joining the EU leaders at lunch in the interim EU summit, Prime Minister Erdogan held a news conference during which he delivered harsh statements about Cyprus and also warned Iran.

Noting that he was not at all worried that Austria would succeed Britain as EU term president, the Prime Minister said, “the negotiations will certainly begin during the Austrian term.”

Prime Minister Erdogan underlined that unless the bans imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were lifted Turkish ports and airports would not be opened a second time at the address he delivered in the London School of Economics (LSE), in the opening of the Program on Contemporary Turkey. Reminding that according to the EU acquis communautaire countries with border disagreements could not become members, Prime Minister Erdogan indicated that the Southern Cyprus had become a member despite having United Nations (UN) soldiers settled on the island.

As soon as the embargos are lifted, the Turkish government will deal promptly with the situation, said Erdogan, adding that the solution to the Cyprus question needs to be worked out in accordance with United Nations (UN) regulations.

FTOU-ELEFTHERIA

Crash Test Dummy · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:13 pm Post subject:

First of all that is doing Turkey no favours with the EU. Secondly how can they blackmail like that? We will only deal with issues if you lift embargoes.

bg_turk · Deputy Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1317 Location: Bulgaria

In my opinion Turkey has a very strong case in insisting that all restrictions on Cyprus should be lifted, and if Turkey does open its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic, it will be very hard for the Republic of Cyprus to impose its will of complete isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on all EU members.

Besides I am not sure how Republic of Cyprus ships would dock on ports which also have ships bearing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus flag, it would be a little contradiction.

Crash Test Dummy · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:42 pm Post subject:

cannedmoose · Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject:

boomerang · Deputy Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 1133 Location: Melbourne

Erdogan knows that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is declared an illegal entity by the UN and not the EU...What he is asking is for the EU to break UN resolutions.

erolz · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:19 am Post subject:

boomerang · Deputy Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 1133 Location: Melbourne

Erol what Erdogan is asking is very difficult, because the EU only recognises the Republic of Cyprus as a whole...How can the EU go around this?

erolz · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:46 am Post subject:

boomerang · Deputy Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 1133 Location: Melbourne

cannedmoose · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 1:58 pm Post subject:

Dhavlos · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 3:43 pm Post subject:

Well said moose.... Turkey cannot pick and choose parts of the EU aquis. It must accept the lot....thats not just for Turkey, but everyone in the EU.

I went to a talk on Thursday about Turkish membership to the EU...was very interesting and brought up some interesting points.

In my eyes, the real pitfallsforTurkey is not neccessarily Cyprus(although very important)....it is things like:

Gender issues (esp. women in anatolia...r.e. education, and work)

minority questions - esp.the Kurds(although the situation is improving...with the introduction of EU laws...it will probably improve further)

agriculture/regional aid - ie, it will cost the EU A LOT! - es. anatolia

Drugs....the amount going through turkeyis immense, however if the EU stopped Turkish memebership, then what should turkey care as to what drugs go into europe? what would be the incentive?

bg_turk · Deputy Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1317 Location: Bulgaria