www.talkcyprus.org

[PAul]

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]

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]

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]

bg_turk wrote: 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.


Good point about the flags.

I dont think Republic of Cyprus is isolating the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus out of spite,more as a political statement

[cannedmoose]

bg_turk wrote: 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.

Not really BGT. The acquis are officially suspended in respect to the northern part of Cyprus, therefore Turkey could not use the freedom of movement of goods in the reverse direction. On your second point, you are however correct. If Turkey engaged in some positive diplomacy and declared its ports and airports open to Republic of Cyprus traffic - without conditions and without making it a big issue (as it is making it at the moment by statements such as this) - it would be increasingly difficult for the Republic of Cyprus to argue that Turkey was not living up to the spirit of the protocol to the Ankara Agreement.

I know why Ankara is not doing this, because a step back from Cyprus would be music to the ears of nationalist parties with elections approaching. But very soon, the Turkish government will need to make the decision as to what it regards as more important - quelling an upsurge in domestic nationalism or making progress on the EU track. Cyprus is a fundamental obstacle on that track and will be so until a policy change on Turkey's part is forthcoming. Movement on the transport issue would be an easy step in beginning that process.

[boomerang]

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]

boomerang wrote: 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.

To be nit picky, the UN resolutions call on UN members to not recognise the Republic of Northern Cyprus, not on them to impose trade embargoes or trade sanctions per se. There are precedents of countries not beiong recognised, yet still being traded with. Also the EU restrictions were implemented in the 1990's I think. Does that mean that before they were implemented by the EU, that the EU was breaking UN resolutions. They also have only ever restrictions on exports from the Republic of Northern Cyprus to the EU. There are no restrictions on EU members selling to the Republic of Northern Cyprus. Does this mean the EU is already in breach of UN resolutions? Turkey's call is not really a call on the EU to break UN resolutions imho. A call on the EU members to recognise the Republic of Northern Cyprus would be.

[boomerang]

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]

boomerang wrote: 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?

I agree it is very difficult. As it is is difficult for Turkey to open it's poerts to a country that IT does not recognise.

[boomerang]

erolz wrote: boomerang wrote: 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?

I agree it is very difficult. As it is is difficult for Turkey to open it's poerts to a country that IT does not recognise.

Thats also true Erol...the difference here is that Turkey wants to join a club of 25 countries and she has to play by the estblished rules.

If Turkey wasn't joining the EU then it wouldn't be a problem.

[cannedmoose]

boomerang wrote: Thats also true Erol...the difference here is that Turkey wants to join a club of 25 countries and she has to play by the estblished rules.

If Turkey wasn't joining the EU then it wouldn't be a problem.

It basically boils down to this... if Turkey wants to make any progress beyond the initial screening stage, she has to do this. If not, the Republic of Cyprus will be fully within its rights to prevent the opening of any chapters. As EU officials regularly point out, the negotiations for EU membership aren't really negotiations in the classical sense of that word. Rather, the candidate must do what's required by the EU, and can only negotiate on issues such as transitionary periods, temporary derogations etc.

[Dhavlos]

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]

cannedmoose wrote: bg_turk wrote: 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.

Not really BGT. The acquis are officially suspended in respect to the northern part of Cyprus, therefore Turkey could not use the freedom of movement of goods in the reverse direction.


The acquis is suspended (never implemented would be more correct) in Turkey as well, but trading in the reverse direction is possible. I do not see this as a reason to keep an embargo on Turkish Cypriots. If Greek Cypriots as members of the EU want to trade with Turkey, then they should also allow Turkish Cypriots to trade with the other members.

Greek Cypriots can argue this will amount to recognition and that they do not want to upgrade the status of the "pseudo", but in fact what they are doing is keeping under embargo their would be future compatriots and pushing any unification scenario further away. Trade and economics could be very strong incentive for the unification of the island, but so far the Republic of Cyprus prefers to keep Turkish Cypriots under isolation - trying to keep Turkish Cypriots as a marginalized and a disadvantaged group.