Cyprus-Forum.com

[RAFAELLA]

Turkey's European stalemate

Until a solution is found over the question of Cyprus, EU membership will remain a distant dream

Robert Ellis
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 18 October 2009 16.28 BST
Article history

The EU commission has this year in its annual progress report on Turkey injected a note of urgency with regard to the main obstacle to Turkish membership – Cyprus.

As a prelude to the start of accession talks in October 2005, Turkey was required to sign an additional protocol to the association agreement extending the customs union to 10 new member states.

However, as Turkey refused to recognise that the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus extends to the whole island, Tony Blair had to cajole the prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, into signing by stating at a joint press conference "the legal fact, which is the signing of the protocol does not involve the recognition of Cyprus". Consequently, Turkey counterbalanced its signature two days later with a declaration that this in no way amounted to recognition.

The EU took a different view, when it in September 2005 declared that Turkey's declaration has no legal effect on Turkey's obligations under the protocol. As a result of Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to Cypriot ships and aircraft, in December 2006 the EU council decided not to open eight of the negotiating chapters. As Turkey still fails to honour its commitment, the council will have to decide at the EU summit in December whether it will impose further sanctions.

With the fall of the Berlin Wall and a settlement in Northern Ireland, Cyprus is the longest-lasting European conflict to be resolved. Like Ireland – with the Plantation of Ulster in 1611 – the Cyprus question is both colonial and a consequence of its strategic position. As the Arab geographer Al-Muqaddasi noted in 985: "The island of Qubrus is in the power of whichever nation is overlord in these seas." For this reason, the island was occupied by the crusaders in the 12th century and later by the Venetians. With the Turkish conquest of Famagusta in 1571 by the Ottomans the island's fate was sealed. But 3,000 years of Hellenic civilisation was not to be denied. The Greek revolt in 1821 against Turkish rule was supported by Greek Cypriots and the beginning of British rule almost 60 years later sharpened national awareness. This culminated in a terrorist campaign in 1955 for enosis (union) with Greece, which was met with a demand for taksim (partition) by the Turkish-Cypriot minority. Ultimately, the cold war and Cyprus's strategic importance was the deciding factor, and a shaky constitution was brokered by Greece and Turkey with Britain's assent in 1959.

The collapse of this "constitutional oddity" four years later led to inter-communal fighting and the threat of Turkish intervention. This – and war between Greece and Turkey – was warded off by a stiff warning from US President Lyndon Johnson to Turkey, but the threat remained.

However, in 1974 the boot was on the other foot, and the Turkish invasion in response to a coup organised by the Greek junta has resulted in – until now – the division of the island into two zones. Since then UN efforts for reunification have proved to be a political graveyard for four secretaries-general and countless envoys, and the question is whether the final effort led by the leaders of the two communities, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, will succeed. Turkey's prospects of EU membership depend on the answer but although there is general agreement by the two leaders on the parameters for negotiation – a federation consisting of two constituent states with a single sovereignty – there is considerable divergence in interpretation. The main obstacles to an agreement – and which torpedoed the Annan Plan in 2004 – are Turkey's insistence on maintaining a military presence on the island and Turkey's policy of colonisation with mainland Turks. Indeed, the indigenous Turkish Cypriot population that remain – an estimated 89,000 out of a total 260,000 in the Turkish Cypriot area – complain of cultural oppression by Turkey.

Another obstacle is restitution of Greek Cypriot property in the Turkish Cypriot zone, but a further complication is that a great deal has been sold off, also to foreigners. As the Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika put it recently: the Turkish Cypriot state has been founded on plunder. In the event that no solution can be found, Turkey has struck an ominous tone. Erdogan has indicated his patience is exhausted and the foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has stated that he cannot say whether Turkey has reached its final borders as established by the 1923 Lausanne Treaty.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... membership

[Nikitas]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

[zan]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Just like Tpap discussed that partition would be better than power sharing then we can assume that others might discuss the possibility of a NO SOLUTION strategy. We are not just going to sit around for another 40 years Nikitas. Annexation is not a new theory!!!

[Gregory]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Just like Tpap discussed that partition would be better than power sharing then we can assume that others might discuss the possibility of a NO SOLUTION strategy. We are not just going to sit around for another 40 years Nikitas. Annexation is not a new theory!!!

When exaclty did the President of this Republic say that partition is better than power sharing?

[zan]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Just like Tpap discussed that partition would be better than power sharing then we can assume that others might discuss the possibility of a NO SOLUTION strategy. We are not just going to sit around for another 40 years Nikitas. Annexation is not a new theory!!!

When exaclty did the President of this Republic say that partition is better than power sharing?

It was posted here a while back Gregory....Can't remember by whom??

[james_mav]

Annexation does not make any sense whatsoever for mongolistan. Right now they exercise complete political and military control over the occupied north, and they do it under a tenuous claim of legitimacy as a "guarantor" power. The occupied north is today defacto annexed today, and the negative consequences are largely avoided by the occupier. What more will they gain from proclaiming an annexation?

What they stand to lose:
- The annexation is highly unlikely to be recognised internationally, so the occupied north will remain just as isolated politically and economically
- There's a risk of a security council rebuke (as if mongolistan gives a shit, but anyway)
- Alienation of the US, as it will for example legitimise the redrawing of borders elsewhere in Europe and the middle east (FYROM and Bosnia would be at risk, much to Uncle Sam's displeasure, the idea of an Iraqi Kurdistan would gain currency). Mongolistan would also damage the interests of their Azeri allies, who claim territory occupied by Armenia.
- Alienation of the tc political leadership. The tc's are the only ones with any international legitimacy. They would also undermine Georgia, a key US puppet in their backyard.
- Any pretensions to EU ascension would immediately disappear, as at least two countries would raise blanket vetos everywhere they are entitled to do so. Probably France and Bulgaria would also join in the veto party.
- The mongolistanis also risk alienating their new Syrian friends. An annexation of the occupied north adds credibility to Israel's annexation of the Golan, as well as the West Bank.
- The UK would be in a difficult position if they were to acquiesce to an annexation. As a guarantor they are responsible for the constitutional order; their rights as an occupying force under the 1960 constitution would be also need to be reviewed.

[james_mav]

Oh and the other important point is that an annexation would give Greece and Cyprus an excuse to sign a mutual defense pact that would bring significant Greek military hardware to the island, under the guise of protecting against further aggression. This is exactly the scenario the occupier has been hoping to avoid since 1974, and would ironically make their grip on the island much less secure.

[EPSILON]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Do not worry Nikitas. Prime minister of Greece is GPapandreou. Within max two months Dora!!!will be the leader of ND. Turks will get all they want just making a simple application for it.!!!

[Gregory]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Just like Tpap discussed that partition would be better than power sharing then we can assume that others might discuss the possibility of a NO SOLUTION strategy. We are not just going to sit around for another 40 years Nikitas. Annexation is not a new theory!!!

When exaclty did the President of this Republic say that partition is better than power sharing?

It was posted here a while back Gregory....Can't remember by whom??

I see. Any chance of re-posting it because your claim sounds quite preposterous to me.

[zan]

So we are to assume that Davoutoglou is threatening with annexation of the occupied territories?

Have the TCs been told about this and have they agreed? Davoutoglou might have a big surprise when he tells them.

Just like Tpap discussed that partition would be better than power sharing then we can assume that others might discuss the possibility of a NO SOLUTION strategy. We are not just going to sit around for another 40 years Nikitas. Annexation is not a new theory!!!

When exaclty did the President of this Republic say that partition is better than power sharing?

It was posted here a while back Gregory....Can't remember by whom??

I see. Any chance of re-posting it because your claim sounds quite preposterous to me.

We started off by being polite to each other Gregory but this is the second time you have been condescending. The first by asking my age in the manner that you did. I have given up trying to prove what I say over and over again. If you are really interested then you will endeavor to find anything on it yourself....If not, then I said it anyway. If my memory serves me right, it was a GC that posted it.


Now if you want to give examples of the blacks in SA standing up for their rights then allow me the same privilege!!