Cyprus-Forum.com

[Kikapu]

Thursday, 3 April 2008 23:43 UK

Symbolic Cyprus crossing reopens


Greek and Turkish Cypriots have reopened a major crossing in the divided Cypriot capital of Nicosia.

Ledra Street, which had come to symbolise the partition of the island, was declared open by local officials.

It was then closed again for a couple of hours by the Greek Cypriots, after what they called an illegal Turkish Cypriot police patrol.

The crossing was finally re-opened later on Thursday evening after mediation by UN officials.

Protesters had gathered on both sides of the barrier, chanting "Cyprus belongs to its people", after the street had been closed again.

"After consultations with the UN, we have been given assurances that this will not happen again," Kypros Michailidis, Nicosia's Greek Cypriot police chief, told the Associated Press news agency.

Ledra Street was divided in 1964, during a flare in violence between the ethnic Greek and Turkish communities.

New Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat had agreed to reopen the busy shopping street last month.

The two leaders have also agreed to resume talks on reunifying the island.

Earlier, as the street reopened, an aide to Mr Talat, Osdil Nami said: "We are living a historic day today. We are witnessing one of the obstacles to a solution come down."

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also welcomed the reopening, saying it showed that the two sides were "ready to put aside the difficulties of the past".

Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been divided since 1974, when Turkey deployed troops after a coup by Greek Cypriots who wanted union with Greece.

Ledra Street had been at the centre of the island's leading shopping district before it was blocked in the middle, with military posts either side of the dividing line.

Cyprus' government demolished a wall and military checkpoint on Ledra Street last year.

But plans to reopen the street were rejected by President Christofias' predecessor, Tassos Papadopoulos.


"We still have a long way to go," said the mayor of Nicosia, Eleni Mavrou. "This is the first step. We hope many more will follow."



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Your comments


It has been a long time coming! There used to be a day when all of us in Cyprus were brothers, and hopefully that day will return again soon.
Mehmet Brinjikji, Nicosia, Cyprus


I have just walked along the formerly forbidden part of Ledra Street. It was a strange, shivering sensation. Being a soldier there 10 years ago I would never have imagined this moment back then. Yet this is reality and I am very positive better days will follow.
Constantinos, Nicosia, Cyprus


I am studying at the University of Nicosia for a semester and got to cross the border today. It was a festive attitude during most of the time and people were very friendly and excited about the change. I feel blessed to have been able to take part in this significant event in Cypriot history.
Kelly Juranek, Walworth, WI


Having seen what we achieved today in Ledra Street proves that if "we", the people of Cyprus, want to achieve good things together, we would. This is a very positive sign towards reunification of our island. I believe it is also raising hopes of youngsters, like me, who are away from the homeland for various reasons. We have to be optimistic, and be proactive for our own island, and not make the same mistakes that we did in the past - for instance, waiting for other nations to find a solution for us.
Hulusi Kilim, Bath, UK (Famagusta, Cyprus)


As a cypriot that grew up in Cyprus and then moved to London I see this as a positive step. Cyprus is too small to be divided. If people here in the most cosmopolitan city in the world, including greek and turkish cypriots, live in harmony, why can't people on the island?
Michael Nicolaou, London


In my opinion the green line should be "erased" a long before today! This is a huge step in the history of Cyprus and I think it is an anticipation of what is coming next. Try to think positive for the following days.
Kyriaki Yiakoupi, Nicosia,Cyprus


Had it been happening years ago, the opening would have meant much more. Today, as a rare event, both sides actually agreed on something, despite this opening we are still far away from a complete settlement. It is also very disheartening for me, as a young Turkish Cypriot, to read some of these comments. While I am used to the negative comments from both communities almost to the point of immunity, I always wonder what will happen to us if there is a miraculous solution? Where will all these negative feelings go?
Adil Seytanoglu, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Originally Nicosia)


The division in Cyprus will continue until attitudes of the Greek Cypriots toward the Turkish Cypriots soften, perhaps then both Greek and Turkish troops can leave the island.
Jon Smith, Saxmundham, Suffolk


What the Greeks are doing is giving forgiveness to the Turkish occupiers.
Nicolas Makrides, Nicosia


I am an American Cypriot. This is a very big step forward. When you used to walk at Ledras you would see barbed wire and soldiers with machine guns. It was very frightening. We always had to be careful not to make a mistake and cross the green line (imaginary). Many people had made the mistake of crossing (without realising it) and then having to go through the hassle of explaining it was a mistake. I can't wait to see Ledras when I go in June.
Christine Skoumbris, Lakewood, Ohio USA


Having spent three years as a former member of HM Forces in Cyprus, I think that this is the best news for some considerable time. The only divisive area now will be reclamation of land lost during the war. This will need to be handled with kid gloves.
John Davidson, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire


The atmosphere in Cyprus has become much more positive towards finding a solution since the new president was elected. For efforts to succeed it will need grassroots support from the people on both sides of the island. Today's event is a very symbolic example of how that can be developed. There is still a long way to go, but compared to the negativity and hostility which prevailed just a few weeks ago, it's a very big step in the right direction!
Martin Standage, Paphos, Cyprus


This "opening" means absolutely nothing. It is a "firework" which destructs attention of public opinion in Cyprus and abroad from the real cause of the division of Cyprus which is nothing else than the continuous presence of Turkish troops.
Konstantinos Koudounas, Nicosia, Cyprus

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7327866.stm

[Kikapu]

ReutersPublished: April 8, 2008

Turkish PM promises to speed up reforms for EU

By Selcuk Gokoluk

ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday his government would speed up political reforms required to join the European Union after stalling for months amid opposition from nationalist parties.

Erdogan told his AK Party, facing a closure case in the Constitutional Court for alleged Islamist activities, that parliament would pass next week an amendment to a law criticized by the EU and human rights groups as limiting free speech.

"Other steps which will bring Turkish democracy forward will follow this on a fast track," he said without elaborating.

Ankara began coveted EU membership negotiations in late 2005, but membership talks have been held back by the continued division of Cyprus, slow progress in EU-mandated reforms and frosty attitudes in EU countries such as France.

The EU has said the free speech reform is a crucial test of the predominantly Muslim but secular country's commitment to political reform.

Speaking in Brussels, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn gave a cautious welcome to the proposed amendment.

"It was good news to hear today of the initiative in the Turkish parliament to amend articles of the Turkish penal code on the freedom of expression," Rehn said at the opening of an Istanbul Centre in Brussels.

"Provided that the reform succeeds in ensuring the freedom of expression, it will be good news for Turkey and its European perspective," he said, two days before accompanying European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on an official visit to Ankara.

The government has pledged for more than a year to amend a controversial article used by nationalist-minded prosecutors to take hundreds of intellectuals and journalists, including Nobel Literature Laureate Orhan Pamuk, to court for "insulting Turkishness".

Under the reform of the article, the president will have to give the green light before prosecutors can press charges and the prison sentence will be cut to two from three years.

"It is out of question that we shall weaken our efforts for our EU goal," Erdogan said.

"The process from now on will once more show our government's determination on the EU road. We will have the opportunity to evaluate the road map (with Barroso and Rehn) for the future," he said.

SQUEEZED

Analysts say the government's new reform pledge is a risky but correct move at a time when the ruling party faces a legal attempt to close it down.

Turkey's secular elite, which includes the judiciary, army generals and university rectors, believes the AK Party is trying to undermine the separation of state and religion.

The Constitutional Court agreed last week to hear a case brought by a chief prosecutor to have the AK Party shut down, arguing that it is trying to create an Islamic state.

The prosecutor has also called for 71 AK Party officials, including Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, to be banned from politics for five years.

The AK Party, which has Islamist roots, denies the charges and is preparing its defence.

The case is expected to take months and the threat of protracted political instability has unsettled financial markets.

"Erdogan should not be looking for a way out of the problems in Brussels but in parliament," opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli told his party.

The government abandoned plans on Monday to make changes to the Turkish constitution to head off the closure threat after failing to get the backing of the MHP, whose support would be needed to push constitutional changes through parliament.

(Additional reporting by Paul Taylor in Brussels, writing by Paul de Bendern; editing by Andrew Roche)

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/200 ... EFORMS.php

[Kikapu]

The Associated PressPublished: April 8, 2008

Senior UN official meets Turkish FM to discuss efforts to reunify Cyprus

ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey's foreign ministry says a senior U.N. envoy met Turkey's foreign minister to discuss efforts to reunify the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

B. Lynn Pascoe, the U.N.'s undersecretary-general for political affairs, met Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Tuesday as part of the newly restarted reunification talks.

Greek and Turkish Cypriots are cautioning against excessive optimism.

Cyprus was divided into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974 after Turkey sent in troops in response to a coup by Greek Cypriots who wanted to unite the island with Greece.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/ ... Cyprus.php

[boomerang]

EU calls on Turkey to meet Cyprus obligations
ReutersPublished: April 11, 2008

ANKARA: European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on Turkey on Thursday to meet its obligation under European Union membership talks to open its ports to ships from Cyprus.

Ankara says it will only open its ports to Cyprus, as agreed with the EU, if the bloc fulfils a pledge to end the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriot area of the island.

"This is today the main obstacle for significant progress in Turkey's accession process," Barroso said in a speech to Turkey's parliament.

"As you are aware, several negotiating chapters are blocked and no chapter can be closed until Turkey ensures full implementation of the additional protocol," Barroso said.

Ankara does not recognise the Greek Cypriot-controlled government in the south of the island, which has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded in response to a brief Greek-inspired coup.

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Barroso called on Turkey, which has stationed some 35,000 troops in northern Cyprus, not to miss the opportunity of reunification efforts in Cyprus after a presidential election there in February.

"The opportunity that we have this year might not return," he told parliament.

EU-focused reforms in Turkey have all but come to a standstill in the country over the last two years.

Even the proposed reform of a controversial penal code used against intellectuals including Nobel Literature Laureate Orhan Pamuk is weaker than Brussels might have hoped, although Barroso praised the move.

"Certainly our first reading of this is that it represents a step in the right direction," Barroso told a news conference.

Parliament is expected to vote on the amendment, which has been sharply criticised by the opposition, next week.

Barroso added he expected two more chapters, or policy areas, to be opened soon with Turkey.

"I'm confident that two further chapters will be opened for negotiations before July," Barroso said.

(Writing by Paul de Bendern)

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/04/10/europe/OUKWD-UK-EU-TURKEY-CYPRUS.php

Effendara from bayarak you are slipping with your editorials...

[miltiades]

Turkeys' commitment to joining the EU is evident by the governments efforts to reform its penal code .
As far as opening its ports to Cypriot shipping , effectively recognising the ROC , this is a difficult position for Turkey since it has coupled this with the removal of economic embargoes currently in place in respect of the "TRNC" . A difficult predicament both for Turkey and the EU .

[tessintrnc]

Miltiades, in your opinion, would lifting the embargoes automatically mean recognition? Do they go hand in hand?
Tess

[miltiades]

Miltiades, in your opinion, would lifting the embargoes automatically mean recognition? Do they go hand in hand?
Tess

A partial lifting of selected embargoes as a measure of good intentions towards finding a solution might be a welcome sign. However the lifting of all embargoes , direct flights , mail , it would amount to capitulation by the the ROC to Turkeys demands and the recognition of the "TRNC".
You must bear in mind that the ruling power in the occupied part is not the civilian "government" but the occupying Turkish army. I would love nothing more than to see our two peoples come together in order to unify our island.
Those hoping that the International community might recognise the occupied part may first have to wait for the UN to make the first move , such move by the UN would be contrary to its stated position on a nations sovereignty and to its own charter coupled with numerous resolutions asking for the withdrawal of Turkish troops. Make no mistake, it is the Turkish army that controls the Norther part of Cyprus and Turkey will soon have to decide whether joining Europe is of less importance than maintaining 40 thousand troops on Cyprus soil.
The T/Cs have nothing to fear from a united Cyprus , a member of the EU
and indirectly accountable to Turkey for its early actions. No one in their right mind would insist that the overwhelming majority of Cypriots should take action to reduce their numerical superiority , it is a fact , an indisputable fact and can not be altered !!!

[halil]

Miltiades, in your opinion, would lifting the embargoes automatically mean recognition? Do they go hand in hand?
Tess

A partial lifting of selected embargoes as a measure of good intentions towards finding a solution might be a welcome sign. However the lifting of all embargoes , direct flights , mail , it would amount to capitulation by the the ROC to Turkeys demands and the recognition of the "TRNC".
You must bear in mind that the ruling power in the occupied part is not the civilian "government" but the occupying Turkish army. I would love nothing more than to see our two peoples come together in order to unify our island.
Those hoping that the International community might recognise the occupied part may first have to wait for the UN to make the first move , such move by the UN would be contrary to its stated position on a nations sovereignty and to its own charter coupled with numerous resolutions asking for the withdrawal of Turkish troops. Make no mistake, it is the Turkish army that controls the Norther part of Cyprus and Turkey will soon have to decide whether joining Europe is of less importance than maintaining 40 thousand troops on Cyprus soil.
The T/Cs have nothing to fear from a united Cyprus , a member of the EU
and indirectly accountable to Turkey for its early actions. No one in their right mind would insist that the overwhelming majority of Cypriots should take action to reduce their numerical superiority , it is a fact , an indisputable fact and can not be altered !!!

Dear friend Miltiades ,
as i always said , trust is very important . ordinary peoples are thinking ,
how we can make partnership with peoples thinking like that . we can not communicate , we can not travel freely , we can not play football , some ones tries to dominate us which we did not elected them ..... and keep saying us you are not rulling your self etc.... etc ..... these things are not simple things that can be ignored . it is true ordinary peoples in the streets , they are talking to each other , doing business , having fun's together but still they wants the isolation's to be lifted . they are asking to them self , what will happen at future .if we give them opportunities to share the power with us .... aren't we going to disappear under the economical power of the south .....
to gain the trust of the TC's all these questions or worries have to answered or satisfied . Our problem is not the Turkish army Miltiades ....
problem is how we can trust each other . Most of the people thinks EU or UN's will not guarantees they are life and future .they gives lot's of examples from around the world .

[humanist]

of course people are cautioning against too much optimism. the reallity on the ground is that TCs may want unification because they know how they will benefit from such a step. however the army pulling the strings within and outside turkey are not ready for unification.

we have along way to go yet, TC's do not trust GC's for what ever reasons which I cannot understand. GC's and personally I do not trust TC's because of the obvious fact of ethnic cleansing and exploitation of property.

[Viewpoint]

Miltiades, in your opinion, would lifting the embargoes automatically mean recognition? Do they go hand in hand?
Tess

A partial lifting of selected embargoes as a measure of good intentions towards finding a solution might be a welcome sign. However the lifting of all embargoes , direct flights , mail , it would amount to capitulation by the the ROC to Turkeys demands and the recognition of the "TRNC".
You must bear in mind that the ruling power in the occupied part is not the civilian "government" but the occupying Turkish army. I would love nothing more than to see our two peoples come together in order to unify our island.
Those hoping that the International community might recognise the occupied part may first have to wait for the UN to make the first move , such move by the UN would be contrary to its stated position on a nations sovereignty and to its own charter coupled with numerous resolutions asking for the withdrawal of Turkish troops. Make no mistake, it is the Turkish army that controls the Norther part of Cyprus and Turkey will soon have to decide whether joining Europe is of less importance than maintaining 40 thousand troops on Cyprus soil.
The T/Cs have nothing to fear from a united Cyprus , a member of the EU
and indirectly accountable to Turkey for its early actions. No one in their right mind would insist that the overwhelming majority of Cypriots should take action to reduce their numerical superiority , it is a fact , an indisputable fact and can not be altered !!!

Just stating the above does not make it so miltiades, how will ensure that we have nothing to fear from the actions of the numerical majority on the island when allowing for your history and credibility towards TCs?