Cyprus-Forum.com

[RAFAELLA]

By Zaman
Published: Saturday 07, 2005
zaman.com


Representative of the European Union (EU) Commission to Turkey Hans Jörg Kretschmer said that if Turkey does not recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration, Greek Cyprus would have veto power over direct trade with Northern Cyprus.

Kretschmer, speaking to NTV on Friday, May 6, said even if it is a criterion for EU membership, the Armenian issue does not affect it directly. The EU representative said that despite the decision to start membership negotiations, Turkey is far away from the reforms the EU membership necessitates. He stressed that the negotiations starting on October 3 depend on two conditions: "As long as the Ankara Protocol is signed, the October 3 process will not be in jeopardy. Needless to say, the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) needs to become operative and law reforms should be complete too. The issue of direct trade with Northern Cyprus that German Prime Minister Gerhard Schröder gave voice to will cause South Cyprus to over react. Kretschmer said "If Turkey does not recognize South Cyprus, then they may say, 'if you trade directly with Northern Cyprus, this means that you recognize them. Then we will veto this since they do not recognize us' and that they have the right to say this."

[Piratis]

Representative of the European Union (EU) Commission to Turkey Hans Jörg Kretschmer said that if Turkey does not recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration, Greek Cyprus would have veto power over direct trade with Northern Cyprus.

Thats wrong. If Turkey doesn't sign and put into action the protocol, their EU accession will not proceed.

The direct trade with TCs is out of the question and not related.

[cannedmoose]

I actually agree with Piratis on this one... the two issues are separate and the EU's rhetoric about Turkey signing AND IMPLEMENTING the protocol is growing stronger as time goes on. If Turkey fails to do so, it would be another Croatia scenario, where the EU could place Turkey's negotiations on the backburner until full compliance with their demands takes place.

[Othellos]

I actually agree with Piratis on this one... the two issues are separate and the EU's rhetoric about Turkey signing AND IMPLEMENTING the protocol is growing stronger as time goes on. If Turkey fails to do so, it would be another Croatia scenario, where the EU could place Turkey's negotiations on the backburner until full compliance with their demands takes place.

Turkey's no.1 obstacle in her EU bid is her own attitude and behaviour.

O.

[turkkan]

Representative of the European Union (EU) Commission to Turkey Hans Jörg Kretschmer said that if Turkey does not recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration, Greek Cyprus would have veto power over direct trade with Northern Cyprus.

You are all wrong. Piratis you forget that only in south Cyprus is signing the protocol viewed as recognising the ROC. ALthough in a way it is just that, all the other EU members are playing a game pretending it is not, so what he said is not wrong as in he made an error of speech. FUrther on his comments about direct trade,were in reply to a question asked by the turkish journalist, and that was his response, that from the moment turkey does not recognise ROC as goverment of cyprus, and he does not mean the signing of the protocol by this, your goverments position is that direct trade will lead to some sort of recognition.

[garbitsch]

I actually agree with Piratis on this one... the two issues are separate and the EU's rhetoric about Turkey signing AND IMPLEMENTING the protocol is growing stronger as time goes on. If Turkey fails to do so, it would be another Croatia scenario, where the EU could place Turkey's negotiations on the backburner until full compliance with their demands takes place.

Turkey's no.1 obstacle in her EU bid is her own attitude and behaviour.

O.

C'mon. I know you voted YES in the Annan plan. What is this hypocracy here?

[Piratis]

I didn't say anything about recognition. I talked about signing and implementing the protocol. This is what is required from Turkey at this stage. More stages will follow of course, and each stage will be critical for Turkey because passing from stage to stage will mean a lot more financial benefits for the Turks even if they don't manage in the end to become full member.

Also, for Turkey to manage to pass the last stage and become a full member, not only it needs to avoid our veto, but it needs Cyprus and Greece full support in order to overcome the problems that other countries will put in her way. This of course can happen only by truly reuniting Cyprus (and partition plans like the Annan plan will not do the job as some hoped)

[garbitsch]

I didn't say anything about recognition. I talked about signing and implementing the protocol. This is what is required from Turkey at this stage. More stages will follow of course, and each stage will be critical for Turkey because passing from stage to stage will mean a lot more financial benefits for the Turks even if they don't manage in the end to become full member.

Also, for Turkey to manage to pass the last stage and become a full member, not only it needs to avoid our veto, but it needs Cyprus and Greece full support in order to overcome the problems that other countries will put in her way. This of course can happen only by truly reuniting Cyprus (and partition plans like the Annan plan will not do the job as some hoped)

What makes you think that it's all upto Turkey to solve the Cyprus problem? What is your president doing? Taking advantage of his EU membership?

[Piratis]

What makes you think that it's all upto Turkey to solve the Cyprus problem? What is your president doing? Taking advantage of his EU membership?

Turkey is a foreign country and has nothing to do in Cyprus. Their occupation and their settlers are illegal.

If Turkey violates the sovereignty of RoC, then it should be expected that RoC will react. When Turkey stops the violations against RoC, then RoC will have no reason to create any problems to Turkey.

[garbitsch]

And it can be solved if Turkey pulls its troops and all those settlers. Is that it? Do you think Cyprus problem is that easy? Why did we keep talking about possible solution scenarios then? You always had the answer, didn't you?