Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

Simon,

Cyprus has already done something. The most significant thing it has done in many years, it has entered into a defence agreement with France. This is the first venture of Cyprus as a nation outside the Agloamerican sphere of influence. Hopefully it will lead to other things and to some elevation of the culture of the island as a whole. We have been too stolid, too fixed in our ways influenced by England and later by the USA. There are other powers in the world and other ways of doing things. The major power in the Mediterranean is France, and it would be strange not to have close ties with that country. It is certain that this move will be followed by others as Cyprus begins to discover that fit is an independent country. We forget that sometimes.

[Kifeas]

Kifeas, would not the options you laid out simply turn more nations against Cyprus? I can see it now, the Europeans muttering about how unreasonable Papadopoulos is and the TCs going on about the unfair isolation etc etc.

Simon, I do not understand what you are talking about!

[Simon]

I was not scorning Cyprus for its small size at all; I was simply considering EU opinion should Papadopoulos take such steps. They have already promised to end the TCs isolation already. If we take steps to prevent this at every turn, we are bound to be scolded in the EU.

[Simon]

Better post Nikitas and I can agree with you. An alliance with France is important to us.

Let us return to the specific topic of Papa's threat against Britain. What do you think he was specifically referring to, the bases?

[Simon]

Kifeas you are funny

[Kifeas]

Britain is not exactly the flavour of the month with European nations . The British politicians are neither respected at home or taken seriously. One lie after another , feathering their nests and manipulating the voters so that they can carry on enjoying the huge fringe benefits that they derive.
Cyprus can do a great deal to harm British interests and it is time that Britain is taken to task over unpaid millions in rent for their two bases. No Cypriot politician should feel at ease with Britains' position which can best be described as hostile .Cyprus ain't what it used to be !

Old Albion's latest action to include matters pertaining to the sovereignty of another EU member state, into an agreement with a third country such as Turkey, is clearly in violation of the EU aqui and illegal in the face of EU law! The issue should immediately be referred to the EU legal authorities for an opinion and to the European Communities court for action against the UK and an invalidation of the agreement! UK does not have such a right to sign the agreement it did with Turkey!

[Kifeas]

Kifeas you are funny

Am I what???

[phoenix]

Would either Simon or Kifeas kindly modify their avatars . . . they are very confusing (but still stick to a Cyprus flag . . . just different shadings would be more distinctive )

[Kifeas]

I was not scorning Cyprus for its small size at all; I was simply considering EU opinion should Papadopoulos take such steps. They have already promised to end the TCs isolation already. If we take steps to prevent this at every turn, we are bound to be scolded in the EU.

This is nonsense! The first question to be answered, in legal terms, is why are the TC isolated, how, and who is responsible for it! Secondly, the EU (not the UK) is not supposed to end the whatever isolation of the TCs through the use of means and actions violating the EU aqui and international law! It has no such a right or competency! If they want to end the isolation of the TCs, why don't they ask or force Turkey to end the illegal occupation of a territory of the RoC?

[Viewpoint]

What do you think Papadopoulos is referring to? The Bases? Sounds like a threat to me. If it is regarding the Bases, what exactly can Cyprus do?

There are plenty of options and things to do, that will hurt the British interests badly!

First of all, they are stupid, for with their actions they are in fact damaging the TC interests! Without RoC consent, no Bologna participation of universities in the north may materialise, nor direct trade or EU parliament participation may occur; and the fact that the British tried to poke their nose into these issues will only backfire and destroy the whatever existing GC intentions to seek ways to end the TC community's isolation!

First of all thank you for acknowledging we are isolated and secondly what GC intentions are you talking about they are zero zilch???