www.talkcyprus.org

[depurple]

In an interview with French daily Le Figaro last week, European Union Term President Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "There's no hope for Turkey's EU membership even 50 years from now."

In response to her statement, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a Green MEP, wrote a column for German daily Frankfurter Rundschau arguing to the contrary that Turkey would be a full EU member in 2022.

cheers
PS DP own view!
One year after it solves the Cyprus problem! Then the Republic of Cyprus & Greece will put pressure on everyone else in the EU to bring forward Turkeys date and overlook its minor discrepancies!

[erolz]

depurple wrote: In an interview with French daily Le Figaro last week, European Union Term President Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "There's no hope for Turkey's EU membership even 50 years from now."

I am sorry DP but to the best of my searching and translation abilities Angela Merkel did NOT say this.

Searching on Le Figaro's website for the inclusion of 'Merkel' and 'Turquie' produces 3 articles for the months of February and march.

Of the three one would seem to be the 'source' of your claim - though it would appear that what she actually said is materially different from what you have claimed she said. This is the link to the full article in French.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/20070316.WWW000000734_merkel_lue_repond_au_defi_de_la_mondialisation.html

This is a quote of the relevant section in french, which should be understood as part of a interview being given about the 50th anniversary of the EU

Quote: Avec la Turquie, nous sommes engagés dans des négociations d'adhésion dont l'issue est ouverte. Tout ce que je peux vous dire, c'est que dans cinquante ans nos relations seront plus étroites.

This is a babel fish translation of that section (hopefully someone here with a decent ability in French will provide a better translation - but this suffices to show how badly you have misquoted her imo)

Quote: With Turkey, we are engaged in negotiations of adhesion whose exit is open. All that I can say to you, it is that in fifty years our relations will be closer.

In essence then what she said is that the EU relations with Turkey will be better in 50 years time than they are now, and in the context of a discussion centered on the 50 year anniversary of the EU. What you claim she said is Turkey has no hope of EU entry even 50 years from now. For me these are very different things. No doubt your original claim is now firmly fixed as a 'DP truth' and not subject to critical analysis but one can only try I guess.

[Dhavlos]

The babel fish translation is correct. The 'whose exit is open probably is better translated in the whole sentance as:

Quote: With Turkey, we are engaged in open-ended( i assume meaning not-definate membership) negotiations of adhesion. All that I can say to you, it is that in fifty years our relations will be closer.

Nothing new in my opinion. We all knew the Germans and french etc have said that negotiations do not equal membership, that is still to be decided, closer to the time. She was just stating a fact taht despite what may happen, Turkey will be a lot closer to the EU than it is now.

[depurple]

IS TURKEY'S SHOT AT THE EU SHRINKING?
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on recent developments concerning Turkey's European Union membership bid. A summary of his column is as follows:
"After looking at the EU's 50th anniversary ceremonies last weekend and the accompanying Berlin Declaration, we can answer this question in the affirmative.

EU Term President Germany could have invited Turkey as an observer or a guest if it had wanted. The German chancellor, who believes that Turkey can't get into the EU even 50 years from now, saw no reason to make such a gesture. We're sure that if Britain, Spain, or Italy had been at the EU helm, Turkey wouldn't have been excluded from these ceremonies…

When we look at the Berlin Declaration, there's nothing to encourage Turkey. The declaration doesn't even talk about expansion, it only vaguely talks about ‘being open to other countries'...

All this could be interpreted as showing that on its 50th anniversary the EU doesn't want to give a positive message to Turkey. In fact, the EU's priority isn't Turkey now.

Cheers DP:

[pg]

The DP truth has spread to Sami Kohen - see what you are causing!

[erolz]

pg wrote: The DP truth has spread to Sami Kohen - see what you are causing!

So you assume that DP claim as to what sami kohen has said is correct? Maybe it is but then again, given the total lack of source, maybe it is no more accurate than his claim as to what Merkel said. I certainly can not find any such article so far.

[depurple]

Erolz i do upset you?
Which is good because I like it when I get a reaction from people who think they know politics:

Look at the ex Football soldier who was killed in Afghanistan by the Taliban?
BUT he was really killed by friendly fire!
Politics EROLZ Politics!

Look at the US Army girl who fought in Iraq and was captured and tortured and rescued by the US Commandos!
She slipped over and wasn't anywhere near danger!
Politics EROLZ Politics!

EROLZ I still remeber the time you first attacked me over the Permanent Exit Visa and then I was thanks by many who DID fill out the forms and DID get their Permanent Exit Visa:

BUT EROLZ keep it up because it keeps me from falling a sleep:
I am also very relaxed after I found out that the land which you did buy legally from Turkish Cypriot was originally stolen Greek Cypriot land:
This is the icing on the cake!
BUT in one way you are more honest than most because you did admit what I original predicated of you:
That everyone who supports a reason DOES IT for his own benefit!
If that is too confusing let me put it simpler: You voted NO for the for ANNAN Plan and I know why!
Cheers my good friend!
PS EROLZ between you and me as Friends WHAT I do look at is how many people read my posts and also how many invite me to talk on their Forums! SO EROLZ I don't think YOU are the only one who is monitoring what I write!
Cheer again! Where is my Robin Hood outfit?

[erolz]

What upsets me DP is inaccurate bad incorrect or misrepresented information. As if we didn't have enough problems agreeing what happened in the past we are gonna creat fabrications about the present ? Yes it upsets me when you come hare and post that Merkel said x when in fact she said y.

Another example is the claim above that it was me that challenge what you said about exit visa. It was not me - I know nothing about the Republic of Cyprus's rules on such matters and made no such comments. Yet still in your head it was me.

Still who cares about ACCURACY ? Certainly not yourself apparently.

I have never hidden the truth of how I voted in the Annan Plan , or the status of the property I half own from inheritance and live in. Of course only YOU know the reason why I voted as I did - anything I say on the matter means nothing because you always know the truth.

So DP answer the REAL question here (if you are man enough that is). Did Merkel say the things in Le Figaro you claimed she did or not? If she did please provided the link to that quote that must exist if the claim is true. If in fact you can not do this then be big enough to admit here and more importantly to yourself that your claim about what she said was WRONG. Can you do THAT DP ? Yes or no ?

[pg]

erolz wrote: pg wrote: The DP truth has spread to Sami Kohen - see what you are causing!

So you assume that DP claim as to what sami kohen has said is correct? Maybe it is but then again, given the total lack of source, maybe it is no more accurate than his claim as to what Merkel said. I certainly can not find any such article so far.

Considering the great number of punches that DP throws it is virtually impossible for him to miss all the times...

Jokes aside,
with regards to Merkel I think it is more a matter of what she chose NOT to say than what she actually said.

[depurple]

Erolz you have got it wrong YET again!
I didn't quote anything!
I just recopied what was in the Cyprus Mail and other Newspapers:
So did I say that Merkel said A, B or C?
NO!
BUT when you say I dream this up or fabricated it YOU my friend have got it wrong!
I just re-quote what has already been printed by other newspaper so that people can reply to what others have said: I want to see the reaction!
Specially about the EU/Turkey situation!
It make me happy that you think I said this and I said that!
BUT hey keep on attacking!
BUT others on this FORUM know what I am about and what I want to found out and who I stand for!
So go to the Cyprus Weekly, Cyprus Mail and other Newspapers and ASK them what Merkel and others said about Turkey and the EU!
Maybe they got it wrong Like YOU!
cheers
PS I have another quote from a newspaper coming up soon Erolz!
Politics, Politics: Don't you just love it !

[depurple]

Erolz one more for you!

Merkel: EU's Door Closing for Near Future !

Merkel is wary of allowing Turkey full membership in the European Union:

cheers
PS I did say this! Just in case you thought I did!

[depurple]

Turkey's potential membership is a divisive issue within the 25-member block, and some countries are deeply skeptical about admitting the large and populous Muslim state. Merkel is ONE of the leading proponents of offering Turkey a '"privileged partnership" instead of full EU membership.

cheers and one more!

[depurple]

Erolz when you have a ten minute brake:
PUT on your thinking cap and read this BUT I didn't write it!

http://www.turks.us/article~story~Merkel_EU_Turkey.htm

cheers
PS Why am I so uptight about Turkey and the EU!
I want Turkey in the EU!

[erolz]

depurple wrote: Erolz you have got it wrong YET again!
I didn't quote anything!
I just recopied what was in the Cyprus Mail and other Newspapers:
So did I say that Merkel said A, B or C?
NO!
BUT when you say I dream this up or fabricated it YOU my friend have got it wrong!

Look DP what am I to think ? First YOU post the following

Quote: In an interview with French daily Le Figaro last week, European Union Term President Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "There's no hope for Turkey's EU membership even 50 years from now."

Yet searching Le Figaro's website can provide NO EVIDENCE of this quote being published in Le Figaro. Do you accept this FACT ? Do you accept that there is NO SUCH QUOTE from Merkel on the Le Figaro website ? Yes or no DP ?

Now you claim that the above claim about what Merkel said in Le Figaro was itself published by the Cyprus Mail. Yet searching the Cyprus Mail website provides NO EVIDENCE that they made the above claim. Do you accept this FACT? You have also claimed Cyprus Weekly made the same claim about what Merkel said in Le Fiagro - yet again searching Cyprus Weekly's website provides no evidence of this. Do you accept this FACT?

But of course I should not dare to question your original post or the accuracy of it should I ? You have said it or you have said others have said it - so no proof is necessary is it DP ?

So what is your actual SOURCE of your original posts DP? Please do tell us for I want to know where it came from. Where DP ? Where did you 'copy and paste' the orginal claim about Merkel alledged Le Figaro quote? Do you even know where you got it from ?

Yes Merkel's ambivalence or even hostility to Turkish EU entry is well known and well documented. However one can not have a SERIOUS discussion about this based on quotes of her's that apparently DO NOT EXIST. Or do you disagree ?

I will ask you again and for a final time, for this is an exercise in futility that even I can not be bothered to pursue beyond this point, what is the SOURCE of your original post - that claims Merkel said thing's in Le Figaro that she did not say - at least according to Le Figaro's own website?

[erolz]

pg wrote: with regards to Merkel I think it is more a matter of what she chose NOT to say than what she actually said.

PG I agree with you. Merkel's generally negative attitude towards Turkish EU entry is a subject for serious debate and her position on Turkish EU entry can and no doubt will have repercussions for Cypriots and reunification in general. However I am afraid you will have to forgive me if I decline to use an unattributed claim about something that she allegedly said in Le Figaro - that mysteriously does not actually exit on their website at all (though a similar quote with no where near the same meaning DOES exists in the right time span) as the 'starting point' for such a discussion. I guess I am just fussy like that.