Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

In an interview to the CNN-Turk news channel, the President said that a date for the start of fully-fledged negotiations will come out of Friday’s meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias, most probably for September.

He expressed the view that the comprehensive negotiations will be the starting point of a new process on the Cyprus Problem.

Underlining the importance of attaining political equality with the Greek Cypriot Side, the President said that the principle of political equality must be engraved within the decision making mechanism of the partnership state to be created.

Talat however said that an agreement on the presidential system had not yet been reached.

Also touching upon the issue of guarantees, Talat said it was out of the question to abolish or abandon Turkey’s effective guarantee.

“Both treaties of guarantee and alliances are international treaties” he stressed, reminding that neither side in Cyprus were signatories to the treaties.

Pointing out that there were a several ‘red line’ issues in negotiations carried out with the Greek Cypriot Side such as Turkey’s effective guarantee, political equality, bi-zonality and the two founding constituent states, Talat said that apart from these issues the Turkish Cypriot Side was ready and open to discussing everything.

Criticizing various circles for distorting the issue of a new partnership state, the President stressed that the new formation in Cyprus will be a partnership based on the equal status of the two sides.

[Kikapu]

I have a feeling, since Talat keeps changing his positions, Christofias is going to ask from Talat, in writing, on what they have already agreed on in principle with the BBF, before they will set a date for face to face talks to begin, otherwise nothing will get done, because there are no limits on how many more times Talat will do a "barrel roll".!!

[Viewpoint]

Good idea lets get both sides to commit clearly to the type of solution on the table and stop all this points scoring crap.

[Paphitis]

Underlining the importance of attaining political equality with the Greek Cypriot Side, the President said that the principle of political equality must be engraved within the decision making mechanism of the partnership state to be created.

Just so that we remain clear, when President X is referring to political equality, he means that the 2 federated States will be equal under the Federal Constitution. He does not mean that the 18% will be equal in representation to the 82% GC, AC, Maronite and Latin communities.

Talat however said that an agreement on the presidential system had not yet been reached.

What has been talked about was a revolving Presidential System where the Federation will have a GC President for 4 years and a TC President for 1 year.

Also touching upon the issue of guarantees, Talat said it was out of the question to abolish or abandon Turkey’s effective guarantee.

“Both treaties of guarantee and alliances are international treaties” he stressed, reminding that neither side in Cyprus were signatories to the treaties.

Treaty of Guarantees seem to be a red line for the GC side which will inevitably contribute to the collapse of the current peace talks.

Pointing out that there were a several ‘red line’ issues in negotiations carried out with the Greek Cypriot Side such as Turkey’s effective guarantee, political equality, bi-zonality and the two founding constituent states, Talat said that apart from these issues the Turkish Cypriot Side was ready and open to discussing everything.

President X will only consider a BBF solution, with single sovereignty, single personality and single citizenship. He will also only accept a strong Federal Government that is an evolution of the current RoC and will never accept any virgin birth solution of 2 founding states which would only lead to permanent partition with international recognition of the seceding Turkish State. Talats comments only further prove that the Turkish Sides main objective is partition, and a state of affairs which will result in them being Internationally recognised.

Criticizing various circles for distorting the issue of a new partnership state, the President stressed that the new formation in Cyprus will be a partnership based on the equal status of the two sides.

The new formation will consist of 2 equal Federal States only. The Cypriot Government will never accept a virgin birth solution which will only serve Turkey's interest in facilitating a recognised permanent partition of the island as we would have accepted this state of affairs by recognising the Turkish State prior to the formation of the Federation.

[Nikitas]

"Talat said that apart from these issues the Turkish Cypriot Side was ready and open to discussing everything."

This was the BIG LIE fed to Greek public opinion about the Annan plan, when "sources" close to Erdogan were supposed to have said that he was arriving with a package containing generous concessions. In the end we got sweet FA- there was no substantial return of territory, no shifting from any position, red lines or no red lines.

More like red herrings really.

[roseandchan]

in the event of a solution, both sides would be in the e.u. why do they not request that all guarrantor powers be removed? why should they still be needed?

[Nikitas]

Because Turkey has other plans, to be put into action after the solution is reached, therefore it needs to have soldiers on the island. Greece has stated that such guarantees are anachronistic and it has no desire to station troops on the island. Any objective individual can figure what lies ahead.

[paliometoxo]

French President, and current EU Head, Nicolas Sarkozy, before, during and after the summit, repeatedly declared that "France is ready to offer its help, including ... military guarantees for the implementation of peace agreements", under UN auspices, particularly in the Mediterranean.

^^

[halil]

French President, and current EU Head, Nicolas Sarkozy, before, during and after the summit, repeatedly declared that "France is ready to offer its help, including ... military guarantees for the implementation of peace agreements", under UN auspices, particularly in the Mediterranean.

^^

to who we can believe ....
never trust this super powers

France seeks better security and defense ties with Turkey .

In a move to repair defense and military ties, Paris dispatches a high-level ambassador to Ankara to inform Turkish officials of Sarkozy's newly announced White Book. 'Turkey is one of the few countries that we have chosen to present our new defense and security strategies to,' says D’Aboville.

A top French diplomat yesterday brought Turkish officials up to date on the recently published White Book on defense and security strategies, a move that is being interpreted as Paris' intension to seek to mend damaged bilateral ties in the military field.

“Turkey is a very important country for us. Turkey is one of the few countries that we have chosen to present our new defense and security strategies to,” Benoit D'Aboville, chief advisor at the National Audit Office, told the Turkish Daily News yesterday.

Turkey and France have experienced bitter times in recent years after Paris recognized the 1915 deaths of Armenians as genocide and tried to pass a law punishing the denial of the genocide. The harshest reaction came from the Turkish military, which still affects bilateral military ties. Turkey excluded French companies from defense procurement tenders and even closed its airspace to French military aircraft.

D'Aboville admitted that there were still some difficulties in bilateral military ties but said the two countries have an excellent cooperation in NATO, especially in the operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia and in Kosovo. “Our troops are working together in some very dangerous zones in Afghanistan,” he said. Turkey and France rotate the command of the NATO's ISAF mission in Kabul.

On June 17, French President Nicholas Sarkozy unveiled the White Book, a blueprint for France's short term and strategic planning in the field of domestic and foreign security, detailing new threats stemming from globalization, introducing new structures to better organize and better finance its cost. Another dimension of this security understanding is France's full participation in the structures of NATO, after nearly four decades of its withdrawal from the alliance's military command.



Return to NATO

“In fact, we have not much need to return to NATO,” a high-level French diplomat said. “But President Sarkozy considers NATO as a family and he believes that France should be side by side with the other members of the family,” the diplomat added.

However, Paris has not yet officially announced its decision to return to NATO. There are a number of countries which welcome Paris' intension, according to diplomats. “Our return will let our officers get better positions in the command structures. Nothing more. We're already very active and efficient within NATO. More than 4,000 French troops are serving for the alliance, which makes 10 percent of all 29 countries' contributions,” another diplomat added.

No need for approval

A French return to NATO has been on Turkey's agenda for some time as well. According to unconfirmed reports in the Turkish press, Ankara was seeking to bargain with Paris to allow the latter's full participation in NATO in return for compromises such as less resistance to Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Turkish diplomats never confirmed such intensions but some academics strongly advised it to the government. “I think Turkey should veto a French return. France recently decided to put Turkish entrance in the EU to a referendum. Therefore Turkey should show that it also has some cards to play,” Çağrı Erhan, an academic and foreign relations expert said.

But according to French diplomats, there will be no process of approval in the NAC, the highest decision-making body of the alliance, if France decides to fully return. Furthermore, a French diplomat stated that there was no uneasiness on the Turkish side on a French return to the alliance. “Why would Turkey be against of it?” a diplomat asked.

“We have not heard of any uneasiness from Turkish diplomats on our full return to NATO,” a French diplomat said. “Such a thing would only make French taxpayers happy.”
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/arti ... sid=110663

[humanist]

I agree with Nikitas above, I think the best solution is 18% - 82% partition and finish this mockery. I personally do not trust the Turks after 2 years on this forum I have come to undertsand very clearly that they have more committment to Turkey than Cyprus and best let them go on their Merry way. But of course Turks being Turks 18% is not enuff.