Cyprus-Forum.com

[Bananiot]

Speaking in Valetta, Malta, Papadopoulos said yesterday that Anan's plan for a solution the Cyprob could provide the framework for a new round of talks, provided it is improved and modified substantially.

What do you make of this statement?

[insan]

Isn't it what he keep repeating since the first day the Annan Plan has been put forth for the improvements and modifications?

[insan]

US delegation's visit upsets Greek Cypriots
Friday, February 18, 2005


Papadopoulos considers the meeting of a US delegation with Turkish Cypriot businessmen as an attempt to upgrade the status of the KKTC

ANKARA - TDN with wire dispatches


Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday slammed the visit by a U.S. business delegation to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) as a part of Washington's commitment to contribute to easing the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, saying that such actions provoke the feelings of Greek Cypriots and would not contribute to the Greek Cypriot-U.S. relationship.

Washington's commitment had initially come on the agenda following Turkish Cypriots' support for a U.N. drafted reunification plan voted for in April. The Greek Cypriots rejected the same plan in a simultaneous vote.

“We denounce this action and have lodged protests where necessary. Such visits do anything but promote the right climate for the reunification of Cyprus,” the Associated Press quoted Papadopoulos as saying.

Ali Erel, president of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and a group of Turkish Cypriot businessmen welcomed the U.S. delegation, headed by U.S. Commercial Attaché Amer Kayani. The U.S. delegation consisted of representatives from 12 U.S. companies, including General Motors, operating in the areas of banking, finance, consulting, medicine, cargo transportation, communications and software.

The delegation members were to discuss business and investment opportunities with executives of Turkish Cypriot companies operating in the same fields; however they were not scheduled to meet Turkish Cypriot officials.

[pantelis]

Insan,

How easy we all get side-tracked, falling into the professional politicians ploys and tactics of delay and self-exposure! Pitiful!

All I am saying is that we should concentrate to the things that would help us solve our differences and the "Cyprus problem", not the ones that help perpetuate it.

Is there any, foreign to Cyprus, entity trying to influence the elections in the north, in order to serve his/her own interests, which are contrary to the interests of all Cypriots as a whole?

Are these elections going to result in a continuation of the "status quo"?

[pantelis]

This is what I mean.....

No Longer ‘North Cyprus’
Ferai Tinc
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of her column is as follows:



“A group of US businessmen went to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday under the initiative of the US Embassy in Ankara. Of course this opportunity to work with US businessmen is important for Turkish Cypriots, but the meaning of the visit is even more important than that. US diplomacy which until recently avoided even the most innocuous attempts towards recognition of the TRNC with this visit has taken a very important step. Diplomats have visited the TRNC before, but landing directly at Ercan Airport without entering the island from the Greek Cypriot side is unprecedented. I want to highlight something else as well. The term ‘northern Cyprus’ has been used in the formal US documents for the ‘northern part of Cyprus,’ but for the first time the term ‘North Cyprus’ was used for the TRNC. Of course the visit couldn’t fulfill the promises made to Turkey following the TRNC’s acceptance of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s visit. Direct flights from the US to the TRNC, financial aid and promises of ending its isolation have been repeatedly postponed. Even this step is enough to set off alarms in the Greek Cypriot administration, because they are reminded by the visit that their European Union membership didn’t resolve the Cyprus issue.



However, the message didn’t have just one destination. One is Ankara. This visit, coinciding with remarks by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld blaming Turkey for the problems in Iraq, is a preparation for the upcoming period. There will be important developments in the Middle East, and diplomatic pressure on Iran and Syria will mount. What’s more, this time the US is looking to build an alliance with Europe. For this reason, next week’s visit of US President George W. Bush to the EU and NATO is important. French President Jacques Chirac, who went to Lebanon to offer his condolences to the family of assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, called for an independent Lebanon and emphasized that the Syrian occupation should end. Washington and Paris agree that Syrian soldiers should withdraw from Lebanese soil. The aim of this effort for cooperation and reviving the transatlantic alliance is to defuse the anti-reformist sentiments in Iran and Syria through diplomatic pressure. At this point, Turkey’s importance is clear. For this reason, Ankara is the second destination of the message of the US businessmen’s visit to the TRNC. For the moment the PKK issue is on the back burner, but a very friendly step is being taken on the Cyprus issue.”


Source: Hurriyet via BYEGM, 18 February 2005

[insan]

'Greek Cypriots Angry at US Visit to N. Cyprus'
Thursday, February 17 2005 @ 09:03 AM Central Standard Time

Views: 76
British economic newspaper The Financial Times reports in today's edition that the Greek Cypriot government has criticized the arrival of a US commercial mission in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today.

The Greek Cypriot Government described the visit as "politically incorrect". Representatives of the US companies visited TRNC to look for investment opportunities and today US investors will attend a meeting organized by the TRNC Chamber of Commerce. The group composed of businessmen flew to TRNC from Istanbul Ataturk Airport in a Turkish Cypriot Airlines (KTHY) plane at 09:30 a.m. The US aims to increase commercial activities for Turkish Cypriots, open new areas of work and make strategic cooperation through its search for investment opportunities in the TRNC. US Ambassador to Cyprus Michael Klosson made an announcement regarding the issue and said: "Closing the economic gap will help pave the way to a sustainable settlement. We are confident that by investing in the Turkish Cypriot economy we are making an investment in the whole of Cyprus."



http://www.turks.us/article.php?story=20050217090303486

Eventually Americans begin to see the reality that the economic isolation of TCs don't help to solve the problem. The damages of economic isolation upon the Cyprus problem are huge. Failure of 3rd Vienna Agreement, arrival of Settlers and under development of Nort are the main consequences of economic isolation.

[insan]

Are these elections going to result in a continuation of the "status quo"?

Continuation of status quo depends upon the Tassos stance concerning some key issues; such as "majority rule", "Guarantorship", "Return of all refugees", "Return of more land to GC administration", "Repatriation of all settlers", "Compensation of GCs by Turkey", "Full political rights for GCs who would live in TC administered zone", "No permenant restrictions on basic human rights".

As I said, Tassos stance regarding these issues has been what perpetuates the status-quo not ending the economic isolation of TCs.

[pantelis]

Insan,
"Shit", is no created in a vacuum. It is always connected to some ass-hole. The issue is: "Does the smell bother you?"

[boulio]

i would really like to see who actually realy went to the north for business ventures:

AMEX and Oracle deny participation in trade mission
CNA - Nicosia-Cyprus - 18/02/2005 10:24:26

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1025:CYPPRESS:02

AMEX and Oracle deny participation in trade mission

Nicosia, Feb 18 (CNA) -- Two US companies, American Express and Oracle, have denied that their representatives have participated in a trade delegation to Turkish occupied Cyprus to explore business opportunities.

Both companies informed the Cyprus government that press reports to the contrary are inaccurate.

[boulio]

and the hits just keep on coming:

EU does not recognise illegal airport in occupied Cyprus
CNA - Larnaca-Cyprus - 18/02/2005 10:21:56

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1020:CYPPRESS:01

EU does not recognise illegal airport in occupied Cyprus

Larnaca, Feb 18 (CNA) -- The European Union does not acknowledge the existence of the illegal airport in northern Turkish occupied Cyprus and deals only with the southern government-controlled part of the island, the head of the Commission Representation here Adriaan van der Meer has said.

He also said that the amended EU Green Line regulation on trade between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides will come into force on Sunday and expressed hope that this would help increase commercial deals among the business community.

''The airport (Ercan) does not exist for us, so we stick here at the government controlled areas,'' Ambassador van ber Meer said, responding to questions about the operation of this airport, at the launch of a Europe-wide campaign to inform air passengers about their rights.