"Don´t believe EU promises"

[brother]

Under the title: "Don´t believe EU promises", Turkish Daily News (23.09.05) publishes the following open letter to the Greek Cypriots from well-known journalist, Mr Mehmet Ali Birand:

"Mehmet Ali Birand

This is an open letter to the Greek Cypriot people.

While I don't have any right to do so, I have a recommendation to make to the Greek Cypriots.

Please don't think the matter is settled just by looking at the European Union counter-declaration. Don't for a minute think that Turkey has been pushed into a corner and will have to officially recognize Greek Cyprus within the next few years.

The EU just tried to make you happy, and that's all. We may say that your leader Tassos Papadopoulos is very happy with what he has done, but don't forget that these are only words.

The counter-declaration contains many expressions such as `Turkey recognizing Cyprus,´ but what most must have noticed is that there is no definite timetable to do so, nor, indeed, is there any penalty for not doing so in the document.

So what does this mean?

If the other members of the EU so desire, they will use the statements made in this declaration to pressure Turkey over you. They will not do so for your sake but for theirs. They will act in accordance with their own best interests. Don't forget that apart from Greece and you, none of the member countries believe Turkey needs to recognize Cyprus before a solution is found. None of the member countries believe Turkey cannot be pressured enough in this respect.

Don't start daydreaming.

Don't let the statements attached to the counter-declaration to please Papadopoulos mesmerize you. I am not writing this to annoy you. I am extremely sincere, and these are the facts.

We faced a very similar situation. Turkey was promised everything. Papadopoulos was slammed. We were officially told that the isolation of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) (occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus) would come to an end.

But what happened? Nothing, because the EU didn't want to end the isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus).

The same will happen to you.

If I may summarize, the recognition of Cyprus was postponed to the end of the negotiations and will depend on the results of bilateral negotiations on a solution.

On the issue of the opening of Turkish ports, you have the high ground. No one supports Turkey in this regard; however, not one knows when the ports will be opened. It could be in 2006, or maybe later.

Subtitle: The island is divided. We should accept this:

Now let's speak very clearly.

You don't want to share the governing of Cyprus with the Turks. You don't even like sharing the island with Turks. If it were any different, the referendum results on the Annan plan would have been much different.

You want the Turks to live in a region in the north under the domination of the Greek Cypriot government and be satisfied with minority rights.

This aim is impossible to realize. Look at the facts.

Particularly after recent developments, even the EU has started to change the way it views the issue. The island will remain divided. The most Turkey can give in exchange for EU membership is just accepting a few Greek Cypriot demands on the withdrawal of troops, guarantorship and the land included in the Annan plan.

That's why you should stop aiming at impossible goals. Just accept the facts and formulate your policies accordingly. You, along with former Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus) President Rauf Denktas, are to blame for the matter coming to this point."

[erolz]

Thanks for posting this Brother.

I have to say I share these views and have been making similar points much less clearly and sucsessfuly in various recent posts. I guess that's why he is the proffesional journalist and I am not