Cyprus-Forum.com

[Acikgoz]

Mark Twain:

It is not worth while to try to keep history from repeating itself, for man's character will always make the preventing of the repetitions impossible.

More intrigue, no forward momentum. New decade, same story of waste, politicians, technocrats and lawyers, make nothing, do nothing, progress nowhere, oh, and journalists sell stories.

[Bananiot]

Acigoz, the part you quoted (people that have real impact) is not mine. I was making fun of DT who used the term first. I have talked about principled stands in other posts, especially our "principled" stand on the Palestinians, after the Israelis murdered the activists. When some idiots on this side thought that a war could break out between Israel and Turkey, they suddenly switched allegiance and became fervent supporters of Israel.

[Acikgoz]

My apologies for misinterpreting your post. You are thoroughly predictable (a great quality) with your consistency and principles of self-evaluation, and it surprised me when I read your post in that context. Respectfully A.

[Nikitas]

Former US amabassador to Greece, Monteagle Stearns, wrote a book about US and the the immediate area of interest here, Greece and Cyprus. In his view the choice is not between east or west but between an alliance with the major land power of the major sea power of the world. Identifying Russia as the major land power was his expression, not mine.

For an island like Cyprus, if we take this diplomat's view, there is no choice really, the most beneficial alliance would be with the major sea power, US rather than Russia. But the US has steadily purseued a policy of seeing Cyprus like a spoil to be shared between Greece and Turkey. Remember Kissinger insisting in 1974 that Turkey should get an equal gain in Cyprus as the one that Greece got through the coup? There was never any thought of Cyprus as a viable entity and any chance that both should be told to fuck off.

The EU is also part of the west, but a bit of a joke as a player in the international arena, so it is back to US versus Russia. Ideally Cyprus should have a minimum of power and self respect to force both these monkeys to pay attention and keep their hands off, but managing power was never a high point with our "leaders", GC or TC.

[Paphitis]

Unfortunately, international diplomacy does not work that way and our approach is very primitive to say the least! The US, or anyone else for that matter, will not serve our interests unless our interests converge with theirs! These are the cold facts of the matter.

Therefore, it is wise to see to it that our interests, do at times converge with their interests, and to also act in a way which will build bridges between them and us, regardless of their disgraceful actions in the past. It should be obvious to us that these disgraceful actions were, at least in some way, a result of our actions and polarization towards the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. I have the impression that many people believed that the Soviet Union would've prevented anyone from harming us, but as we can all see, this was not the case. NATO, US and allies would never allow us to align with the Soviet Union in a Strategically critical area under Turkey's soft underbelly in the East Mediterranean!

Today, many things have changed. The Cold War has finished, and the US and Russia are developing warmer relations. However, these 2 powers continue to jostle for position. It is important that the RoC maintains its warm relationship with Russia, but it is even more important and critical for the RoC to develop better relations with NATO and the US. The US is the country that can and will have a massive influence within our region, and soon, we may well be witnesses to some remarkable and unprecedented Geopolitical shifts which may favour our small country.

I understand the need to appease Russia, but we are foolish to believe that Russia will reward us in any way. The Russian spy is wanted by INTERPOL, was arrested and set free on bail. He has now skipped the country, probably with our assistance, by being allowed to flee the island, via ERCAN with a false ID. This makes a mockery of our tiny nation, which instead should've never set bail. This would not have created any Russian reprisals against our interests other than disappointing the Russians only slightly. Even by setting bail and allowing the Spy to flee, will not cause great concern for the US but it does raise some serious questions. It is embarrassing that our Judiciary would be stupid enough to set bail or for the RoC being a complicit to the Russian spy escaping justice. Many countries would be watching and thinking at this point in time that in order for their strategic interests to be maintained, then the island's partition should also be maintained and even be formalized. And there are many countries with considerable Military Interests in the region.

These are the type of games that have caused great suffering to Cyprus, and it pains me that we are playing the very same dangerous games in 2010!
It is these very games, that have divided the island in the 60s and which bought the Attila to our shores in 74. If we refrained from playing these games, then Cyprus would not be divided today!

These actions you would come to expect from an East African nation. My apologies to them for this analogy!

[DT.]

The issue here is why are this islands interests never alligned with any of the interests of the major powers?

Could it be that the refusal to enter into the partnership for peace program is holding us back from walking in corridors where significant deals of our region are made? All because the communists who run this country (communists who recently became the first president to use a private jet for travels and not Cyprus Airways, communists who covered a 8.5 million Euro shortfall in Omonoia FC etc..) are afraid that it is a trial run for NATO!!! Despite the fact that Serbia who has recently been bombed by NATO is in the PfP!

Could it be that actions such as visiting Cuba after leaving early from the General Assembly and missing out on the diplomacy that follows such a high concentration of world leaders in order to meet the President's idol Castro might have been a mistake?

Could it be that releasing a wanted man by Interpol who has more passports than Andros Kyprianou has freebies from Miltiades Neophytou was a mistake?

Where did our wishy washy stance on the flotilla incident get us? We won't let you sail from Cyprus but we'll allow your organisation to be based here? How come all the insults against the Israelis from CNN were broadcast from Larnaca and not Turkey?

What is our position on all these? Which direction are we going? Are we for the Israeli's or for the people of Gaza? Are we in the EU or are we creating an ideological leftist bloc within it?

[Bananiot]

Just to be fair here and not lose any perspective, this behaviour you described is not just a prerogative of the communist rulers of RoC. Papadopoulos was no different and if I may remind you, when he was asked whether the Americans would be playing a bigger role in the Cyprus issue, his reply that found most bananiots in agreement was: Αν νεν κακόν τζι' εξόριστο" roughly translated -prey this devil keeps away.

In fact, DT, the right in this plantation is just as much anti American as AKEL. I can understand AKEL taking this stand but can you explain the antiamericanism of the right? The only person I can trust in situations like this is Glafcos Klerides or other like-minded politicians who are capable of acting rationally.

[Bananiot]

Nikitas

Cyprus should have a minimum of power and self respect to force both these monkeys to pay attention and keep their hands off

What power are you talking about Nikitas? Self respect I can understand, but what is this power you are on about?

[DT.]

Nikitas

Cyprus should have a minimum of power and self respect to force both these monkeys to pay attention and keep their hands off

What power are you talking about Nikitas? Self respect I can understand, but what is this power you are on about?

There is power if you make yourself out to be a small porpcupine in the Med. Show initiative, show daring, show some balls and some vision. The power over your small soveriegnty will be respected.

[Bananiot]

How do you go about doing all these things DT?