Cyprus-Forum.com

by **elko** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:43 am

As I said on many occasions Ercan Airport is the key to any solution in order to avoid a "Train Crush".
Famagusta port can come under UN supervision and GCs can have back Varosha unconditionally provided Ercan Airport is included in the deal.
Ercan is very important for TRNC because it is the key to opening tourism to the outside world. For exactly the same reason the GC side is opposing this, hence a stalemate. At the end of the day, the peace loving Finns will give up in exasperation. Have a look t the article below.
ismet

Tough Cypriot stance reduces hopes of EU-Turkey deal

EUobserver

The Cypriot government has reiterated its threat to veto Turkey's EU accession talks while rejecting key demands from the Turkish Cypriots.

Its stance is damaging efforts by the Finnish EU presidency to avert a major crisis between Ankara and Brussels.

At the margins of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg today (16 October), Turkey's foreign minister Abdullah Gul will hold talks with an EU "troika" – the Finnish presidency, the upcoming German presidency as well as the European Commission - discussing ways to avert a derailment of Ankara's ongoing EU membership talks. The EU is asking Turkey to open its ports and airports to traffic from EU member state Cyprus before the end of the year, with Helsinki promoting a trade-off solution by which the EU would make moves toward ending the economic isolation of the Turkish community in the North of Cyprus. But Cypriot foreign minister Yiorgos Lillikas said over the weekend that a key demand from the Turkish Cypriot side - that the end of the isolation should also include the opening of the Erkan airport in the North - is unacceptable.

"The idea of opening some airports in the occupied part [of Cyprus] cannot be accepted by either the Cypriot government or the Cypriot people," he said according to Financial Times Deutschland. Last week, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat told Brussels reporters that "We are asking for the inclusion of the Ergan airport" in the deal. Further raising the pressure on Ankara and the Turkish Cypriots, Mr Yiorgos Lillikas said in another interview with Greek newspaper To Vima over the weekend that Nicosia is ready to block Turkey's EU accession negotiations, started in October last year. "Cyprus will no longer give a 'green light' [to EU membership talks] if Turkey fails to fulfil its obligations," he said according to German news agency DPA.

Even if all 24 other EU member states were to favour continuing the talks, Nicosia could still revert to its veto. "We mean what we say," Mr Lillikas said. "We will not yield again." The remarks come as a challenge to the Finnish EU presidency which is currently involved in intense negotiations with Ankara and Nicosia, as well as with the Turkish Cypriots who fear losing out on the any trade-off deal designed to save Turkey's EU entry talks.

Although Helsinki has been careful not to put its ideas on paper, diplomats say it involves a UN role in supervising the Northern Cypriot port of Famagusta which would facilitate direct trade between the Turkish Cypriots and the EU. But the Cypriot government and the Turkish Cypriots are wrangling over the terms of any such deal, with Nicosia demanding that the former Greek Cypriot residents of Varosha – a ghost town bordering Famagusta under Turkish occupation - should be allowed to return and live in the town.

Commission worries EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said last week that "the consequences for the EU and Turkey would be very severe" if the diplomatic efforts were to fail. "We should do our utmost to avoid this," he said. The commission will on 8 November release a key report on Turkey's progress in accession preparations, which is set to be dominated not only by the Cyprus issue but also by what Brussels sees as lagging political reform in Turkey.

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso told the BBC over the weekend that "we cannot expect Turkey to become a member in less than 15 to 20 years." "In fact, we are concerned about Turkey because the pace of reforms is rather slow from our point of view. I believe it would be great to have Turkey if Turkey respects all the economic and political criteria," he said. "This is not yet the case," he added.

by **Kifeas** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 12:18 pm

elko wrote:As I said on many occasions Ercan Airport is the key to any solution in order to avoid a "Train Crush".
Famagusta port can come under UN supervision and GCs can have back Varosha unconditionally provided Ercan Airport is included in the deal.
Ercan is very important for TRNC because it is the key to opening tourism to the outside world. For exactly the same reason the GC side is opposing this, hence a stalemate. At the end of the day, the peace loving Finns will give up in exasperation.

First of all, the Turkish side doesn't accept the unconditional return of Varosha! Instead it claims it is only a part of a comprehensive settlement.

Secondly, although a harbour (i.e. Famagusta) can easily be operated by an authority such as the UN or the EU, or even a municipality or a chamber of commence (i.e. anything but the "TRNC,") an airport cannot be so, unless the Turkish side accept this to be under the same FIR of the RoC. The republic of Cyprus cannot accept the splitting of the Nicosia FIR into two regions, one under the authority of the RoC, and another under the authority of the UN, neither the UN I am sure will be willing, interested or capable to undertake such a role to regulate and control part of the FIR (north) of Cyprus. The fact that the “TRNC” now claims to be in such control of part of the Nicosia FIR doesn’t constitute a basis for the acceptance by RoC that it may continue to be doing so (illegally,) and consequently the UN or any other authority that is hypothetically going to operate the Tymbou airport, will also do so within such an illegal “TRNC” FIR.

by **elko** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:05 pm

I am almost sure that if you accept to include Ercan in the deal you can have back Varosha unconditionally. This is my informed guess. As for other excuses, I say "Where there is a will, there is a way".
ismet

by **Viewpoint** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:48 pm

I to think it will all come to Ercan against Maraş, the GCs will be forced to take it or leave it...

by **Pyrpolizer** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:36 pm

elko wrote: I am almost sure that if you accept to include Ercan in the deal you can have back Varosha unconditionally. This is my informed guess. As for other excuses, I say "Where there is a will, there is a way".

So in your opinion we should accept to lift 100% of the problems the TCs have, on exchange of your side lifting some 25% of the problems the GC refugees have…
Perhaps you think you are very clever, while at the same time the GCs are very stupid.

:lol:

No man! 100% of your problem will be solved only when 100% of the problem of our refugees is solved as well. Getting direct trade via Famagusta on exchange of our Famagustan refugees going back is not a fair deal. It will solve almost half your problems, plus create a hell of momentum in your economy for reconstruction etc. Please do us a favor and reject this proposal. Pleaaaase!
:razz:

by **pantheman** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:49 pm

Thats it, i have tried so hard to stay out of this bickering, but enough is enough.

This is just typical TC behaviour, my way or no way. Thats why there has never been a solution in 32 years. TC intransigence, why don't we just give you larnaca and paphos airports too, i'll tell you what why don't we just beg for the air we breath too.

Well you know what you can do, i'd rather cyprus stayed as it is for another 500 years than to be held over a barrel and shafted by the TC.

Just listen to them. steal our properties then have us bargain for some of it back for accepting their illegalities in return. Bollocks !

i'd rather see the illegal TRNC pseudo state rot than to play puppet for them.

Pantheman.