Firstly my post was in response to paliometoxo post that suggested that Turkey wanting the lifting of isolation of TC would not promote reunification. I was pointing out this is not a view shared by the UN or the EU.
Kikapu wrote: Could this have been an "idle threat" for the RoC, that should they vote NO on the AP, the TC's will be the winners regardless, just to add pressure on them to accept the AP.
It does not make sense that this was an idle threat made to promote a yes vote from GC because this EU policy was set 2 days AFTER the Annan Plan vote.
Kikapu wrote:
I'm only asking the question, because it has been over 3 years since that meeting, and nothing has changed.
It is not true that nothing has changed. The fact that is is now UN and EU policy, even if there had been total failure to achieve the policy is a change. In fact there have been some minor sucsesses in achienving the policy set but much remains to be done.
Kikapu wrote:By the way, is this the "EU promise" that you quoted above was to lift isolation of the "TRNC" as well as rewarding a "YES" vote on the AP by the TC's, that Turkey and the "TRNC" are always quoting.
This is not a promise. This is the agreed stated offical EU policy on the matter.
Kikapu wrote:If so, obviously the EU has not taking seriously to what they said or "promised", which brings me back to the "idle threat" point that I made above.
Which do you think it was.??
Actually the EU commission, charged with finding proposals to meet this policy has been working hard and continues to do so to meet this EU policy, as it is its job to do. That the RoC has so far mamanged to block these comission proposals on some major fronts to date does not mean the EU does not take its policy objectives seriously. It will contionue to try and end the isolation of the TCs and the RoC , despite agreeing to this policy, will no doubt continue to try and block proposals that it considers are not acceptable to it. It still remains to be seen if the EU and its policy objectives can 'win out' against RoC blocking manouvers or if the RoC will remain able to be the tail that wags the EU dog on this issue indefinately without cost to itself. I blieve that Turkey , having made a major, historic and unprecedented move in signing the custome union protocal is waiting to see whihc is the case before implenting it. If the EU and its policy objectives can be seen to win out against RoC blocking based on parocial interest , then I believe that it will implement the customs union protocal with the RoC. If however the EU prooves unable to implement its own policy objectives in the face of RoC parocial blocking then I think Turkey will continue to refuse to implement the protocal it signed. To me I think this is a 'test case' for Turkey on the issue of if the EU with the RoC as a member can be part of the solution to finding a settlement or if it will end up being part of the problem.
If the former happens then Turkish accession can get back on track, which is good news for GC, for continued accession of Turkey creates some leverage, good for Cyprus in general , good for Turkey and good for the EU and the region. If however the later proves to be the case I think it is bad for all.
