Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kikapu]

The Associated PressPublished: May 6, 2008

French official promises fairness toward Turkey in EU entry talks


ANKARA, Turkey: A French official promised Tuesday to be fair to Turkey in membership negotiations during France's presidency of the European Union.

France's European Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet said France would be "impartial, objective and balanced toward Turkey," when it assumes the EU's rotating presidency July 1.

Under President Nicolas Sarkozy, France has been wary of letting the relatively poor and overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey into the EU, alarming Turkish proponents of membership in the union.

And Turkish public support for membership was damaged when the EU halted negotiations on some topics over Turkey's refusal to open its ports to trade with Cyprus, which Turkey does not recognize.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said political issues should not be made obstacles to Turkey's membership.

"I'd like to express our expectation that some political issues do not affect our membership talks," Babacan said, with French Minister Jouyet and other EU officials at his side. "It is important that the French presidency act in an impartial and constructive manner and with good will."

Turkey started entry talks with the European Union in 2005. But within a year the EU froze negotiations in eight of 35 policy areas because Turkey refused to open its ports to trade with Cyprus, an EU member since 2004.

Negotiations on those areas will not resume until Turkey allows Greek Cypriot planes and vessels to use Turkish ports and airports.

Turkey has said it will not do so before a comprehensive solution is found for the island. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkey invaded in response to an abortive coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.

France, the leading opponent of Turkey's EU bid, has suggested some kind of Mediterranean grouping as an alternative to full membership. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that a lesser "privileged partnership" would be a better outcome.

Turkish leaders have said both suggestions are unacceptable.

The Turkish and French officials spoke at a joint news conference after a meeting between Turkey's Babacan and an EU delegation that included Dimitrij Rupel, the foreign minister of Slovenia, which currently holds the EU presidency, and the EU's enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Turkey will be a member of the EU sooner or later," Rupel said.

Rehn urged an investigation into rough treatment of protesters by police during Labor Day demonstrations on May 1. He said police had used "disproportionate force."

Hundreds were detained and dozens were injured in Istanbul during last week's May Day demonstrations as Turkey's largest labor unions' members and students attempted to gather in a main Istanbul square despite a government ban.

But Rehn welcomed a government move to amend an article of the Turkish penal code that has been used to prosecute writers and intellectuals for insulting the Turkish identity. Rehn said the EU would be watching closely to see how the changes are implemented.

He also urged a quick resolution to political uncertainty triggered when a prosecutor asked Turkey's Constitutional Court in March to ban the Islamic-rooted governing party for allegedly trying to scrap secular principles enshrined in the Constitution.

A hearing has yet to be held and the trial is expected to continue for months.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/ ... key-EU.php

[DT.]

French PM Fillon to pay working visit to Cyprus



09/05/2008



French Prime Minister Francois Fillon arrives in Cyprus on Friday afternoon, heading a delegation, for a working visit. During his visit, Fillon will be received by President Demetris Christofias and official talks will follow between the delegations of Cyprus and France at the Presidential Palace. The French premier will also be received by the President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian.

During his stay, the French Prime Minister will also visit the under construction new Larnaca International Airport and he will be briefed on the progress of the construction works by Hermes Airports Ltd representatives. He will depart from Cyprus in the evening.

[Kikapu]

The Associated PressPublished: May 8, 2008

Rival Greek, Turkish Cypriot leaders to meet in two weeks


NICOSIA, Cyprus: The leaders of Cyprus' rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities will meet in two weeks to gauge progress in a newly revived reunification process, the Cyprus government said Thursday.

President Dimitris Christofias, of the internationally recognized government in the south, will meet on May 23 with the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Mehmet Ali Talat, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said.

Working groups from the two sides have been trying to narrow differences before Christofias and Talat begin their negotiations.

The Mediterranean island has been split along ethnic lines since 1974, when Turkey invaded in response to an abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece.

Though past attempts to reunify the island have failed — including a U.N. draft settlement rejected by Greek Cypriot voters in 2004 — recent efforts led authorities last month to reopen the symbolic border crossing at Ledra Street in the medieval center of the divided capital, Nicosia.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/ ... -Talks.php

[Kikapu]

The Associated PressPublished: May 9, 2008

French PM says Paris is against Turkey's full EU membership


NICOSIA, Cyprus: France's prime minister reiterated his country's opposition to Turkey's full membership in the European Union on Friday.

Paris prefers Turkey having a "privileged partnership" with the bloc, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said.

France's opposition stems from Turkey's having "occupation troops" in EU-member Cyprus, Fillon said after holding talks Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias.

Turkey seized the island's northern third in 1974 when it invaded after an abortive coup by supporters of union with Greece.

The island has been split since then between a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south. Turkey maintains 30,000 troops in the north.

Christofias said his government was not opposed to Turkey joining the EU, but that Ankara must first re-establish severed diplomatic relations with Cyprus.

Turkey says it will only recognize Cyprus after it is reunited.

Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat plan to meet May 23 amid renewed efforts to negotiate reunification. The talks have been deadlocked since 2004.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/ ... Turkey.php

"France's opposition stems from Turkey's having "occupation troops" in EU-member Cyprus, Fillon said after holding talks Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias"

[unitedwestand]

Turkish Cypriots,

Do NOT believe the ignorant fools that mislead you into thinking that Turkey can defeat the RoC National Guard in 24, 48, or 72 hours even. Even if all these men (totaling 100,000 with reserves) and hundreds of equipment were to stand idle and do nothing there wouldn’t be enough time to destroy them in a week, not even two.

The Republic will NEVER accept underlying TC schemes so you can forget about the July 1974 Turkish cakewalk because it’s not going to happen. This time the RoC is well dug up and prepared for all eventualities including the Turkish air force.

By the time Turkey can turn a conflict around clearly in her favor, and assuming she is prepared to go all the way, there will be no TC community left to pick up any pieces as the “TRNC” will be saturated beyond recognition… make no mistake.

Kikapu,

you stick your snotty nose into every subject that is damaging to your community. I have never seen you respond to any post from your lover boys the GCs. Can you at least comment on the above? How happy would it make you to see us wiped out completely from the face of the earth.

[miltiades]

Let us all hope that common sense and decency will prevail and that we never have to face war again.

[Kikapu]

Turkish Cypriots,

Do NOT believe the ignorant fools that mislead you into thinking that Turkey can defeat the RoC National Guard in 24, 48, or 72 hours even. Even if all these men (totaling 100,000 with reserves) and hundreds of equipment were to stand idle and do nothing there wouldn’t be enough time to destroy them in a week, not even two.

The Republic will NEVER accept underlying TC schemes so you can forget about the July 1974 Turkish cakewalk because it’s not going to happen. This time the RoC is well dug up and prepared for all eventualities including the Turkish air force.

By the time Turkey can turn a conflict around clearly in her favor, and assuming she is prepared to go all the way, there will be no TC community left to pick up any pieces as the “TRNC” will be saturated beyond recognition… make no mistake.

Kikapu,

you stick your snotty nose into every subject that is damaging to your community. I have never seen you respond to any post from your lover boys the GCs. Can you at least comment on the above? How happy would it make you to see us wiped out completely from the face of the earth.

I have answered enough of your "half minded" questions already in the last couple of days. After you answer few of the outstanding questions I have posed to you on other threads, I'll be glad to answer the above. Conversation is not a one way street. The sooner you learn that, better forum member you will become.

[unitedwestand]

Turkish Cypriots,

Do NOT believe the ignorant fools that mislead you into thinking that Turkey can defeat the RoC National Guard in 24, 48, or 72 hours even. Even if all these men (totaling 100,000 with reserves) and hundreds of equipment were to stand idle and do nothing there wouldn’t be enough time to destroy them in a week, not even two.

The Republic will NEVER accept underlying TC schemes so you can forget about the July 1974 Turkish cakewalk because it’s not going to happen. This time the RoC is well dug up and prepared for all eventualities including the Turkish air force.

By the time Turkey can turn a conflict around clearly in her favor, and assuming she is prepared to go all the way, there will be no TC community left to pick up any pieces as the “TRNC” will be saturated beyond recognition… make no mistake.

Kikapu,

you stick your snotty nose into every subject that is damaging to your community. I have never seen you respond to any post from your lover boys the GCs. Can you at least comment on the above? How happy would it make you to see us wiped out completely from the face of the earth.

I have answered enough of your "half minded" questions already in the last couple of days. After you answer few of the outstanding questions I have posed to you on other threads, I'll be glad to answer the above. Conversation is not a one way street. The sooner you learn that, better forum member you will become.

As per usual, HOT AIR.

[Kikapu]

No EU space for occupiers
By Jacqueline Theodoulou

FRENCH Prime Minister Francois Fillon yesterday said his country could not accept into the EU a country that has occupying forces in another European state.

“We are observing with great care the completion of the commitments Turkey has taken on, but I would like to say that we simply cannot accept into the EU a country, which has occupying troops in another European country,” stated the French Prime Minister, who visited Cyprus ahead of France taking over the EU presidency for the second half of 2008.

Fillon was speaking during a joint news conference with President Demetris Christofias, who was keen to stress that the Greek Cypriot side would not commit to negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, unless there was progress first with the technical committees and working groups.

“As a result of the initiatives that we have taken, there is mobility, which we hope will eventually lead to negotiations for a complete solution to the Cyprus problem,” said Christofias. “I would like to clarify that we have not made any commitment for a start in negotiations without there being any progress by the working groups first.”

Christofias’ comments came just days before his new meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, scheduled to take place on May 23, during which the progress made by the technical committees and working groups will be discussed.

Noting that the common aim of both communities should be a bizonal bicommunal federal solution on the basis of the UN Security Council resolutions and the High Level agreements of 1977 - 1979, Christofias said that ''progress in the Cyprus problem depends on the stance Turkey will take”.

''We urge our partners in the EU to encourage Turkey to finally show a positive stance, since the messages we receive from Ankara lately are not at all encouraging,'' Christofias said.

The Cyprus president pointed out that the Greek Cypriot side was not against the prospective accession of Turkey to the EU. “However, Turkey must fulfil its obligations to the [European] Union, including its obligations towards Cyprus,” he said.

On his part, Fillon expressed hope that the new efforts started after the election of Christofias to the Presidency of the Republic would lead to progress.

''We believe that these efforts should continue so that a just and viable solution will be found, which will put an end to the division of the island,'' he said speaking through an interpreter, adding that France ''will do its utmost'' as a Security Council permanent member-state to assist Cyprus.

He also clarified that the solution of the Cyprus problem lies within the UN and the UN Secretary-General, and said the EU can only assist these efforts since it has no mandate on the Cyprus problem.

Fillon and Christofias had earlier exchanged views on the French Presidency’s positions, the relations between the two countries and the Lebanon situation, while the Cypriot President also informed Fillon on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem.





Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[repulsewarrior]

...thank-you kikapu