Cyprus-Forum.com

[pantelis]

Plus, if they did get too involved, you'd probably denounce them for attempting to impose a settlement from outside, so they can't win either way.

They have been involved (in a bad sense) all along and they continue to do so.....

Turkey and the EU did not agree on implementation of the protocal, just the signing of it.

Is this the world of "made believe"? Turkeys is ready to play by the rules of the rest of the EU world, or is not? There is no mid-way!

As for the Itilians.......it's all about pasta!

[erolz]

Turkey and the EU did not agree on implementation of the protocal, just the signing of it.

Is this the world of "made believe"? Turkeys is ready to play by the rules of the rest of the EU world, or is not? There is no mid-way!

Firstly pantelis if you are going to quote from my posts can you do so in a way that does not distort what I said please. The quote above started with 'Britains position is that'.

The fact is that Britain was at these meetings and you were not. The fact is also that the EU did not decide to link the start of Turkish entry to the Cyprus problem and that GC attempts to achieve this linkage by 'stealth' fool no one. They easily could have done so but decided not too. The EU laid certain conditions on Turkey in order to get a start date for accession. Britains view is that one of these was that Turkey must sign the customs protocal before the start of talks. The condition was not (according to Britian in this case) that it must implement them by then. You might not like that, as you might not like the EU not making giving GC everything they want in Cyprus the first and biggest pre condition to Turkey starting talks. Like it or not this is the position the EU has taken.

[Piratis]

BRITAIN, followed by Italy, yesterday blocked the “common position”

Remember the above phrase and don't complain when in the future you will hear: "Cyprus, followed by Greece, yesterday blocked the “common position”..."

Aparently acting in this way is very European and very OK, unlike what some others claim.

[brother]

I say block away and kick Turkey out of the E.U, becauase i am sure sooner or later they will understand that the bitter GC will never leave them in peace and they will never give them the concessions they are after imo.

[cannedmoose]

I say block away and kick Turkey out of the E.U, becauase i am sure sooner or later they will understand that the bitter GC will never leave them in peace and they will never give them the concessions they are after imo.

Blocking Turkey's EU entry would be an unmitigated disaster - for Turkey, for Europe AND for Cyprus. I find it highly unlikely that Turkey would be in any mood to continue further negotiations on a Cyprus solution and would instead turn increasingly towards the OIC and other bilateral means to achieve recognition for the TRNC. Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Jordan have long stood on the threshold of recognition, but have been unwilling to jump, without the prospect of positive change, and with the likelihood of a disgruntled US (having seen a key ally rebuffed) not making a stand against it, I think you'd see a creeping recognition by a number of states, with TRNC indeed becoming the 'Taiwan' of the Mediterranean.

I also dread to think what the prospects would be for governmental change in a rejectionist scenario. I can see Erdoğan being pitched straight out on his ear, a sweeping wave of nationalist rhetoric pouring forth (witness the recent nationalist protests against flag-burning incidents) and a hardline-nationalist administration romping back to power. I don't see an Islamic revival, the military would stand against it. With hardliners in power once again, Cyprus would again become a point of tension rather than contention, something none of us want to see.

As for the EUs response to a GC veto, I'm sure some would be happy to see the 'sore' that is Turkey ejected from the process - people like Jorg Haider and the anti-Islamist camp would be delighted I'm sure. But most realise that Turkey is a young country with enormous economic prospects, which would be advantageous to future economic growth throughout Europe. There may be other issues, but on the whole, the prospect of 80 million Turks undergoing an economic boom on Europe's periphery can only be a job-creator (yes it might draw certain industries away from other countries, but this is the development trend today anyway). How would the EU and its member states respond? I'm not sure, but for certain, the GCs would be persona non grata in some capitals for some time, with the concurrent impact on trading and investment relationships. Their claim to be a nexus between Europe and the Middle East would be severely damaged by a perceived rejection by those states of a fellow Muslim nation.

Cyprus could play a canny game and gently persuade the EU to prod Turkey in the right direction, never underestimate the conditionality that applies to the accession process. The stick of veto is available, but far better to use carrots to get a donkey to go where you want it to, than batter it with a lump of wood. Better for you, and the donkey.

[brother]

With todays statements by the turkish general(the deep state) it is obvious they are getting pissed off with the Gc admin. using the E.U as a tool to get concessions from Turkey, and if they see that the cost for E.U membership is to high due to the greek stance then they will without doubt back away and given the turkish PM statements about Europe wanting to split Turkey you get the impression he is preparing the people for this otherwise why question the club you want to enter unless you have serious doubts.
On the other hand i honestly believe the E.U needs turkey more than turkey needs the E.U as today turkey can walk away and by tomorrow have a partnership with Russia or OIC and even South korea is approaching them with enthusiasm.
So the question that sticks out like a sore thumb is will the E.U big boys let the Greeks in the E.U scare off the one most important candidate vital to make them an economic power and bridge the civilisations which is sorely required imo.

[cannedmoose]

On the other hand i honestly believe the E.U needs turkey more than turkey needs the E.U as today turkey can walk away and by tomorrow have a partnership with Russia or OIC and even South korea is approaching them with enthusiasm.

I'm not sure that this is strictly speaking true Bro. Yes, Russia would be a viable alternative trading partner as it's the next China-in-waiting. However, given the tetchy history between Russia and Turkey, I don't see a close strategic and economic partnership developing any time soon. Witness the development of the oil pipeline allowing Russian oil supplies to circumvent the Bosphurus. True this is for reasons of easy passage, but it also reduces Russia's reliance on Turkey allowing it free passage. If anything, Russia (and more importantly Turkey) needs European capital to trigger its growth spurt, so I think we're far more likely to see Russia in partnership with the EU (particularly France as a counter-balance to US influence), rather than Turkey.

I'm also not sure that the OIC is an alternative forum for Turkish ambition or development, given some of the countries involved and Turkey's similarly fraught history with many of them. Turkey is essentially stuck between a rock and a hard place, with seemingly little room in between. Hence why I said if the Cyprus government plays its cards right, it could press Turkey into a very difficult corner without needing to play the veto card.

[gabaston]

Britain joined 30 yrs ago, and since then has seen its manufacturing base decimated.

What have Britain ever got from Eu. nothing?

What have Cyprus got from Eu? ...Nothing, well there's loads more of that to come as well.

Turkey nust be mad to join.

[gabaston]

oops mad, not nad.

[gabaston]

oh no

not nust but must...............................i think