Cyprus-Forum.com

[kalahari]

From the BBC news:

Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul (has been nominated as) the governing AK party's candidate for the country's presidency.

He has steered Turkey's European Union accession talks since becoming foreign minister in 2003.

The issue of Cyprus has remained a constant thorn for Mr Gul.

During his brief stint as prime minister he pinpointed it as one of his key priorities. But four years later Cyprus remains a key stumbling block to Turkey's EU membership.

Last year, Mr Gul said Cyprus was "poisoning" Turkey's EU accession process.

What are your thoughts on Mr Gul's prospects of removing the "poison"?





More grist to the mill:

From a speech made by Gul in Washington D.C., 8 February 2007

With regards to our foreign policy, we have been pursuing a multi-dimensional approach based on problem solving. Our efforts to reach a solution in Cyprus are a case in point. We have been proactive in addressing many long standing issues as well as new ones. Our goal is always to be able to create win-win situations.

European Union membership remains to be our major policy priority. The effects of our EU membership, when it happens, will be felt across the world. There is too much at stake to fail.

The reforms we have realized until now enabled us to move forward with the process to join the EU. We have met the EU political criteria for membership and have begun negotiations for entry. The process will not be easy and it will take time.

It is true that the EU has taken an unfair decision with regards to Turkey, largely because of domestic concerns in Europe. This has slowed down the process somewhat but the target remains the same.

We will push on with our reforms because this is what we have promised the Turkish people. The screening process is already completed. And we are finalizing some chapters.

We will continue to do our homework and we will stick to the reform process. We have no time to waste.

I believe the EU will realize the strategic importance of Turkey soon enough and reverse its negative approach.

[zan]

Depends what you mean by the term "removing the poison".

[kalahari]

Well, it's not up to me – "poisoning" is his word. What do you think he means, Zan?

[zan]

Well, it's not up to me – "poisoning" is his word. What do you think he means, Zan?

He is a politician...It could mean anything. I am not trying to be provocative here. You asked tghe question so it must mean something to you. I can see "realpolitiks' " in there.

[kalahari]

My question had the emphasis on the third person as in:

What are your thoughts on Mr Gul's prospects of removing the "poison"?

I don't know what his opinion is of the Cypriot problem, I have been trying to get my head around it by researching the guy and what he has said. Unfortunately, a lot of what he has said is "interpreted" by third parties, so it's difficult to tell. He's obviously a shrewd man, as he rarely seems to give a straight unequivocal answer – but as you have said, he's a politician, and that's their stock in trade.

I believe I can place a lot of hope in Mr Gul, from what I've read.

I hope that he places Turkey's position within the EU over that of their invasionary force in Cyprus. This (the EU) seems to be his priority.

I hope that he realises that removing the invasionary force is necessary to establishing the legitimacy of a democratic Turkey to the EU, and acts on this realisation, in the event he becomes President.

Where he goes from there is anybody's guess, but that is my hope.

My choice of title for the topic emphasises this: I think that he might represent the beginning of the end for the Problem, as I do believe that he will put EU membership over the "poison" of the Problem. He is a forward looking, visionary man, who wishes Turkey to move forward. In this, he is a natural carrier of Ataturk's torch.

An invasionary force on an ally's soil cannot be part of his vision, can it?

As for the "realpolitiks", to whom are you referring? Him or me? And, to admit my being really ignorant, what does "realpolitiks" mean, exactly?

[T_C]

Realpolitik: Practical politics, in the sense that ideas and theories are unimportant and can be disregarded in the conduct of political affairs.

[T_C]

I doubt Turkey would ever give up on the KKTC even if it wanted to. The military would step straight in, they'd never let that happen.

I don't know though...at the end we might end up a part of Turkey

[karma]

I doubt Turkey would ever give up on the KKTC even if it wanted to. The military would step straight in, they'd never let that happen.

I don't know though...at the end we might end up a part of Turkey

I believe so...these guys are the worst cld have happened for Turkish nation and Turkish-Greek issues...they are so damn dangerous and hypocrites..
it is the beginning of the end for Turkish people who are the victims indeed..... but still I believe in miricals..

[kalahari]

Gul's vision of Turkey becoming a part of the EU is an interesting paradox. It could be argued that it is the logical end of Kamelism – and the modernising principlies therein. But similarly, the military, as the self-appointed upholders of Kamelism's interpretation, could "argue" (my euphemism for argue at gunpoint) for the purity of the Turkish state.

My feeling is that Gul is a moderniser. If he becomes president, then the military will, theoretically, be under his command. But then, the coup of 1997 isn't so long ago...

[karma]

Gul's vision of Turkey becoming a part of the EU is an interesting paradox. It could be argued that it is the logical end of Kamelism – and the modernising principlies therein. But similarly, the military, as the self-appointed upholders of Kamelism's interpretation, could "argue" (my euphemism for argue at gunpoint) for the purity of the Turkish state.

My feeling is that Gul is a moderniser. If he becomes president, then the military will, theoretically, be under his command. But then, the coup of 1997 isn't so long ago...

Gul and his friends are worse than mollas, all they want is an islamic Turkey, they only pretend modernisers till they achieve their goals, if they are modernisers than i am Angelina Jollie...