Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

Go easy on Turkey, US tells EU


US wants EU to ‘go easy’ on Turkey
By Andreas Hadjipapas
THE Americans are said to be urging European Union officials to go easy with Turkey and impose only “soft” sanctions, in the event Ankara refuses to meet its treaty obligation to open its ports to Cypriot traffic.
The Finnish EU presidency has pledged to continue its diplomatic efforts until the end of the month, hoping to break the deadlock and avoid an EU-Turkey “train crash.”
At the same time, the Cyprus government yesterday voiced concern, saying that if the Turks were indeed adamant in refusing to hand over Varosha to its lawful Greek Cypriot inhabitants, as envisaged in the Finnish formula, then the Finnish initiative had no chance of success.


Three weeks

Earlier this week, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said Turkey had three weeks at most to accept the proposed deal on trade with Cyprus or face consequences for its EU membership negotiations.
He was speaking in Brussels after EU foreign ministers discussed a critical Commission report on Turkey’s progress since it began entry talks last year.
Tuomioja gave a downbeat assessment of efforts to avert a setback.
“It is quite possible we shall not reach an agreement,” he told newsmen.
“The consequences of failure would not be in anyone’s interest.”
French European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna said Tuomioja had put prospects of a deal at less than 50%.
Tuomioja said EU leaders were determined not to let a crisis with Turkey dominate their summit on December 14-15 so the issue would have to be settled one way or another well before then.
There were “no more than three weeks” left for talks to find a solution enabling Turkey to meet its obligation to open its ports to shipping from Cyprus.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, Matthew Bryza, waded into the debate by claiming the EU had never put a clear-cut deadline on Turkey to open its ports and airports to trade from Cyprus, when the bloc opened formal membership talks with Ankara in October last year.

Not specific

He told The Guardian newspaper “It is a factual observation, not an analytical one, that the language of October 3 was not specific about deadlines.”
The language was “intentionally ambiguous” so that the political process could take place and member states could take whatever decision they wanted.
The EU asked Turkey to apply the “Ankara Protocol” fully to all EU member states, adding that the EU would “monitor this closely and evaluate full negotiations in 2006.”
Bryza, who was in Brussels, suggested that even if the EU wanted to sanction Turkey over non-compliance with the Ankara protocol, it could do so by “relatively soft sanctions,” which would ensure the entry negotiations keep on track.
Referring to the 25-chapter negotiating book, Bryza said that “maybe one option would be not closing rather than not opening chapters.”
His remark contrasts with calls by some EU capitals - particularly Nicosia, Vienna and Paris - to suspend the opening of further negotiating chapters,
Bryza has now left Brussels but another State Department official, Douglas Silman, was due to arrive to continue meetings with EU officials, Phileleftheros reported under the heading “US invasion of Brussels.”
Akel chief Demetris Christofias said the Americans were interfering in the EU’s internal affairs using “blackmailing” tactics.
Foreign Minister George Lillikas, on his return from Brussels, said the Finns had promised to exhaust all diplomatic efforts by the end of the month.

Committed


The Finnish presidency had committed itself to conclude its efforts within two weeks.
“We hope the initiative will bring positive results,” he said.
President Papadopoulos said all EU members wanted Turkey to fulfil its obligations towards the EU, but no country wanted a complete breakdown of negotiations. It was still uncertain what sanctions would be applied.
Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis, commenting on remarks by Ankara officials and the Turkish Cypriot leadership, rejecting the return of Varosha, said: “If the Turks say there is no chance of returning Varosha to its lawful inhabitants, then the Finnish initiative has no chance of succeeding, and in such an event, the blame cannot be put on our side.”

[BirKibrisli]

The timing is unfortunately wrong for any Turkish government to be seen to be giving concessions on Cyprus. In May 2007 there is presidential elections (by vote of Parliament) and in November there will be general elections.Given that only 30% of those who live in Turkey now want to join the EU,the suspension of talks would only benefit the AKP government,which might be returned with even greater majority.
We can then kiss goodbye any hopes of Turkey's losening her grip on the North...

[zan]

What America wants America gets.

[bg_turk]

What America wants America gets.

Damn right! One way or the other.

[Piratis]

What America wants America gets.

Damn right! One way or the other.

And why are you so happy about it? For Americans, Terrorists = Arabs = Muslims.

Saddam was their good friend once as well. Bin Laden the same.

All Turkey needs is a bit of a push from us into Islam and the rest will follow.

[zan]

What America wants America gets.

Damn right! One way or the other.

And why are you so happy about it? For Americans, Terrorists = Arabs = Muslims.

Saddam was their good friend once as well. Bin Laden the same.

All Turkey needs is a bit of a push from us into Islam and the rest will follow.

Don't give away your strategy you fool you will spoil it for the other blue berets.

[bg_turk]

All Turkey needs is a bit of a push from us into Islam and the rest will follow.

What little push towards Islam, Piratis? Are you going to start exporting headscarves to Turkey, educate Imams and help terrorists?

[zan]

I think he is going to perform circumcisions himself and present the Americans with our foreskins as evidence that we are barbaric. He might even get Bush to think that the mass of flesh is really a Turk and we come from mars to take over the world.

[Piratis]

Just wait a few days, when the Pope will arrive in Turkey and then when Turkey will be rejected from EU.

You will then see what big effect a little push can do. It doesn't take much.

[zan]

Just wait a few days, when the Pope will arrive in Turkey and then when Turkey will be rejected from EU.

You will then see what big effect a little push can do. It doesn't take much.

And you seriously believe that America is going to open a new front against Turkey. Go back to your comic books little boy.