Cyprus-Forum.com

[magikthrill]

Turkey says to sign customs protocol with EU, but not to recognize Cyprus




Turkey will sign and implement a protocol extending its customs union with all 25 EU members including Cyprus, but will not recognize the Greek Cypriot-ruled Republic of Cyprus, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported Wednesday, citing a Turkish official.

Turkey will implement the protocol after its signature in order to avoid "problems with the EU" during accession negotiations set to open on Oct. 3 this year, Engin Solakoglou, first secretary of Turkey's Permanent Mission to the EU was quoted as saying.

Solakoglou announced that the Turkish government will at the time of signing the protocol issue a declaration to the EU on non- recognition of the Republic of Cyprus.

The customs union protocol was a technical document while the declaration of non-recognition was a political statement, said the Turkish diplomat.

Regarding Turkey's refusal to grant ships carrying the Cyprus flag entry into Turkish ports and Cyprus commercial aircraft use of Turkish airspace, Solakoglou said both were considered by Turkey as "services" and therefore not included in the customs union agreement between Turkey and the EU.

For the moment, Turkey has no intention to change this approach, he added.

After signing the protocol, Turkey will wait for any developments in efforts for a Cyprus settlement, he said, adding " before that, do not expect huge leaps from us."

The Cyprus government has strongly requested the signature of the protocol and its recognition by Turkey and the free docking of Cypriot ships in Turkish ports, the use of its airspace as well as direct trade and movement of goods.

Ankara is the only country to recognize the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) where it maintains some 35,000 troops.

Cyprus has been divided into Greek Cypriot south and Turkish Cypriot north since 1974 when Turkish troops entered the northern third of the island in the wake of an abortive coup seeking union with Greece.

The latest efforts to reunite the island grounded to a halt after Greek Cypriots rejected UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's reunification blueprint in a referendum in April last year.

The outcome ensured that the Greek Cypriots alone joined the EU on May 1, 2004.


http://english.people.com.cn/200504/14/ ... 80953.html

[insan]

So what's your point about it, magikthrill?

[cannedmoose]

More to the point, what's Thrill doing reading a Chinese (Communist Party mouthpiece) newspaper?

He'll be promoting Mao's little red book next

You should be careful Thrill, if the authorities in the land of the free catch you reading that, they might send you off to Guantanamo with other subversives

[insan]

More to the point, what's Thrill doing reading a Chinese (Communist Party mouthpiece) newspaper?

He'll be promoting Mao's little red book next

You should be careful Thrill, if the authorities in the land of the free catch you reading that, they might send you off to Guantanamo with other subversives

I sometimes think that you have a very strong anti-leftist sentiment. Am I right about you, cannedmoose?

[Main_Source]

Turkey can make statements about signing but not recognising Cyprus all they want...but the EU wont make any clauses in the contract. Its either sign and recognise Cyprus...or dont sign. Simple tings

[Agios Amvrosios]

Canned Mouse:

More to the point, what's Thrill doing reading a Chinese (Communist Party mouthpiece) newspaper?

Moose Can it! leave the Chinese alone.What do you want him to do quote hack journalists from the BBC? Look at their hack pieces on anything to do with Cyprus.

I've found that a couple of the Chinese Newsagencies( and also some Indian ones), address alot of the fundamental issues of the Cyprus Issue quite well compared with a couple of the British Hack Journalists who down play the relevance of ECHR decisions.

The attitude that Chinese journalism is substandard just because its is Chinese is a bit in Eurocentric and maybe even Racist territory.

Go fix your Geezer-teeth!

[erolz]

Turkey can make statements about signing but not recognising Cyprus all they want...but the EU wont make any clauses in the contract. Its either sign and recognise Cyprus...or dont sign. Simple tings

The signing of the treaty is not the same as offical recognition of the RoC (and the EU has clearly said that it agrees with this view). It is a move towards recognition but it is not recognition. If you think it is then you have swallowed too much of TP propaganda. Even if recognition is formaly made by Turkey it can be recognition of the RoC as a legitimate government of the south or as a legitimate government of all of Cyprus. If you think Turkey will agree the later before a solution, even to gain EU entry then my personal view is you do not understand the realtionship between Turkey and Cyprus.

[magikthrill]

The signing of the treaty is not the same as offical recognition of the RoC (and the EU has clearly said that it agrees with this view). It is a move towards recognition but it is not recognition. If you think it is then you have swallowed too much of TP propaganda. Even if recognition is formaly made by Turkey it can be recognition of the RoC as a legitimate government of the south or as a legitimate government of all of Cyprus. If you think Turkey will agree the later before a solution, even to gain EU entry then my personal view is you do not understand the realtionship between Turkey and Cyprus.

Actually I would say that its not even a step closer to recognition. It's only an obligation that they had to follow. the RoC obviously had no power in requesting formal recognition instead of a customs agreement for accession talks to begin...

[cannedmoose]

I sometimes think that you have a very strong anti-leftist sentiment. Am I right about you, cannedmoose?

Possibly

[brother]

MT that is my thoughts on the matter aswell, even though it is being sold as a victory by tassos, he like everyone else knows it means the square root of fuck all, the E.U has even clarified that when turkey does sign there is no timetable when they have to implement it, that means like you signing to join the army but not actually going until it suits you.