Cyprus-Forum.com

[observer]

So, that just leaves RoC threatening its EU veto to blackmail / coerce / bargain with Turkey!

[CBBB]

So, that just leaves RoC threatening its EU veto to blackmail / coerce / bargain with Turkey!

So now you accept that it was an attempt at blackmail.

Thank you.

[Kikapu]

Greek Cyprus and Nabucco

The Greek Cypriot administration's EU entry in 2004 in the absence of a comprehensive resolution to the Cyprus issue was "inappropriate," Erdoğan said. "Shouldn't we recognize this reality? Should we swallow it?" he asked. "It is not swallow-able at all."

Turkey, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration, has called on the EU to fulfill its commitment to take steps to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots as a condition to opening its ports and airports to traffic from Greek Cyprus. The EU unveiled a plan to ease the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots after they voted for a UN plan to reunite the island, but it was never implemented because of opposition from other members and Greek Cyprus, which joined the EU a few days after the Greek Cypriots rejected the same UN plan in April 2004 in a simultaneous referendum.

Greek Cyprus, accused by Ankara of using its veto rights over Turkey's EU accession process, said last month it would not let talks on the energy part of the accession process start until an oil exploration dispute was resolved. Greek Cyprus has accused Turkey of harassing hydrocarbon research vessels four times since Nov. 13.

Erdoğan said yesterday that Turkey would review its support for the Nabucco gas pipeline to Europe if the energy portion of its EU accession talks remained blocked. He also raised doubts about the $12 billion project, seen as one of Europe's best hopes for limiting its dependence on Russian gas.

The EU has sought to diversify its energy sources since Russia's invasion of Georgia last summer and the gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev, which has curtailed supplies across Ukraine to Europe.

The EU is backing the Nabucco pipeline, which is one day hoped to carry 30 billion cubic meters of Caspian or Middle Eastern gas annually to an Austrian hub via Turkey.

"If we are faced with a situation where the energy chapter is blocked, we would of course review our position," Erdoğan said, while questioning whether there was enough gas available to justify Nabucco, which enters Europe via Turkey.

"The information is that the countries that say that they will provide sufficient amounts of natural gas do not have enough natural gas to provide," he said. "In the Nabucco project, there needs to 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas flowing, but it's not there."

Analysts say only 3 billion cubic meters has been sourced for the pipeline, compared to a minimum of 15 billion cubic meters needed to get it started.

Iran remains a potential source of gas for Nabucco, and Erdoğan criticized countries that oppose taking Iranian gas for political reasons.



20 January 2009, Tuesday


TODAY’S ZAMAN WITH WIRES ANKARA
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detay ... ink=164552

Erdogan is making noise to the EU, but he has very little chips to play anything with really. First of all, Turkey does not have any Gas to sell to the EU, and in fact, there isn't even 10% of the Natural Gas from others that's available to even make the project to get started, let alone to become a success, so that Turkey can become a "Transiting Power Middleman". If he is trying to make EU choose Turkey over Cyprus, who just happens to be one of EU's already family member, then what is Turkey going to demand if and when the Nabucco pipeline starts delivering the promised 30 billion cubic meters of Gas annually, or will they turn off the tabs if they don't get what they want, just like Ukraine did with the Russian Gas last week that froze Europe's' butt. The sword cuts both ways. The EU may well say to it self, that if they do not have any intentions of ever letting Turkey into the EU club, then why give Turkey a BIG stick to be hit over the head with each time Turkey demands to be a EU member and the EU says, "not quite ready yet".! The EU may decide to stick with the Devil they already know, the RED DEVIL that is, which is Russia of course and put Turkey onto the back burners until if and when the time is right for Turkey to become a EU member once she has fulfilled her obligations on what the EU requires..!

[Kikapu]

Energy pushes Turkey and EU closer

The Associated PressPublished: January 19, 2009

BRUSSELS: The European Union has to speed up membership talks with Turkey because it badly needs the nation as a reliable energy partner, José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, said Monday.

Barroso said he would push to get talks moving again on Turkey's EU membership bid as the bloc searches for alternative energy routes after an energy dispute between Ukraine and Russia left many EU nations short of natural gas.

One option is the Nabucco pipeline, which is being planned to bypass the feuding nations and carry Caspian natural gas through Turkey to Europe.

"Turkey can in fact be something that is in the interest of all European citizens," Barroso said after meeting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who is visiting the EU for the first time in more than four years. "Good cooperation on energy matters."

Erdogan said his country was ready to play a key role to help EU energy security. "Turkey is not coming to the EU to become a burden; we are coming to relieve some burdens off the shoulders of the European Union," he said.

Erdogan said his country was acutely aware of its importance to the EU as a new energy partner because of the gas dispute. "We are aware of our responsibility," Erdogan said. "We don't want to use it as a weapon."

The prime minister sought Barroso's help in unblocking membership talks that France, Austria and other EU nations have successfully stalled amid widespread public opposition to Turkey's membership bid.

The EU has suspended membership negotiations in 8 of 35 different policy areas, over Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus, an EU member, and to open its ports to the small island nation. Only 10, less important, files have been opened for negotiation.

Diplomats say Cyprus has been blocking the opening of talks in the energy area because of a dispute with Turkey over gas exploration at sea. Energy is one of the 35 areas, or so-called chapters, in Turkey's accession talks.

Barroso told said that an issue as important as energy security should not be made conditional upon such a specific issue.

Erdogan said his government would "step up" its reform drive to meet EU standards on political and human rights.

EU officials praised Turkey's recent moves to set up a Kurdish-language television station and a special ministry dealing with EU entry talks, but pressed Erdogan to do more to guarantee minority rights, curb powers of the military and pass new rights for trade unions.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/19/ ... 411531.php

[observer]

So, that just leaves RoC threatening its EU veto to blackmail / coerce / bargain with Turkey!

So now you accept that it was an attempt at blackmail.

Thank you.

Do you have problems reading? I said "blackmail / coerce / bargain with" leaving the reader to make up his mind, since the style of public pronouncements is no different to RoC politicians' statements about vetoing Turkey's EU application.

I left out "using forceful diplomacy"

[CBBB]

So, that just leaves RoC threatening its EU veto to blackmail / coerce / bargain with Turkey!

So now you accept that it was an attempt at blackmail.

Thank you.

Do you have problems reading? I said "blackmail / coerce / bargain with" leaving the reader to make up his mind, since the style of public pronouncements is no different to RoC politicians' statements about vetoing Turkey's EU application.

I left out "using forceful diplomacy"

Is that the bit with tanks and planes and things?

[observer]

Could be ...........Clausewitz: "War is nothing but the continuation of policy with other means"

[RAFAELLA]

Germany accuses Turkey of bullying EU over Nabucco pipeline
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/finance/10815233.asp

[CBBB]

Turkey is engaged in "political blackmail," Michael Glos was quoted by AFP as saying at an energy forum in Berlin, calling on Turkey to stop using the pipeline as leverage to boost their bid for EU membership.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/finance/10815233.asp

Even Turkish newspapers are referring to it as blackmail!

[coremax]

You couldn't have missed the following article at the exact same news-source :
Turkish PM says EU deceived by Greek Cypriot administration

The Greek Cypriot administration deceived the European Union when it rejected a United Nations reunification plan for Cyprus in 2004, the Turkish prime minister said on Monday.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/10811004.asp?gid=23