Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlebu ... m=business

TAMPERE, Finland, Nov 27 (Reuters) - EU president Finland said it had failed to achieve a breakthrough in talks on Monday to resolve a row on Cyprus that threatens to derail Turkey's bid for membership of the bloc.

"There is no point to get into the details, we just had to conclude that the conditions set out by the different parties did not lead to an extent (that) there could have been a solution at this stage," Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja told reporters.

He was speaking after separate meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lillikas.

Tuomioja said no date had been set for new talks on the issue and the EU would need to decide the implications for Turkey's membership bid.

[joe]

Here is an update to this story.
_____________________________________

Last-ditch talks with Turkey over Cyprus fail: EU
Document Actions


27/11/2006

Last-ditch talks in Finland on Monday between the European Union and Turkey aimed at averting an EU crisis with Ankara over the Cyprus issue have failed, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said.

"An agreement could not be reached," Tuomioja, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, told reporters following talks held separately with the foreign ministers of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, and Cyprus, George Lillikas, in Tampere, southern Finland.

"There will be consequences" for Turkey's accession talks, Tuomioja said, adding: "Business as usual cannot continue."

Under a customs union agreement with the European Union, Turkey must open its ports and airports to Cyprus, whose Greek-Cypriot administration it does not recognise.

Ankara refuses to do so until the 25-nation bloc keeps its promise to ease the international isolation of the island's breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), recognized only by Ankara.

Finland, which holds the EU presidency until the end of the year, has been trying to resolve the stalemate since September with a proposal that included Turkey opening its ports and the EU trading directly with the self-proclaimed TRNC.

The Finnish side has given Turkey until December 6 to abide by its commitments or risk at least partial suspension of its EU adhesion process which began in October 2005 but has slowed in recent months.

[cypezokyli]

i liked the "braking news"

[StuartN]

Joe seems to have left some bits out

Talks between the EU and Turkey over Cyprus have broken down without agreement, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja has said.
EU officials have said that a failure to break the impasse could lead to the collapse of Turkey's EU membership bid.

The EU had given Turkey until 6 December to open its ports to traffic from Cyprus, whose government Turkey refuses to recognise.

"An agreement could not be reached," said Mr Tuomioja in Tampere, Finland.

Finland holds the rotating presidency of the EU until the end of the year.

Mr Tuomioja was speaking after holding separate meetings with the Turkish and Cypriot foreign ministers - Abdullah Gul and George Lillikas.

He said no new talks had been arranged and the EU would have to decide where this left Turkey's membership bid.

"There will be consequences," he said. "Business as usual cannot continue."

Trade blockage

Turkey has refused to admit Cypriot traffic until the EU honours a pledge to ease its embargo on Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus.

Business as usual cannot continue

Erkki Tuomioja
Finnish Foreign Minister


Q&A: Turkey's entry talks
Bid exposes EU rifts

Cyprus - an EU member since 2004 - will not agree to direct trade with the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognised only by Turkey.

Finland had asked Turkey to open up some ports and airports to Cypriot planes and ships and had asked the Turkish Cypriots to cede control of a village in northern Cyprus. In return, the EU would begin sending trade through the Turkish Cypriot port of Famagusta.

A question mark now hangs over the future of Turkey's EU accession talks and EU foreign ministers are expected to decide on the matter on 11 December.

"Together with the [European] Commission, we will prepare the decision on how we will handle the continuation of the accession negotiations," Mr Tuomioja said.

But he made it clear that Turkey would remain a candidate for EU membership.

Progress has been slow since negotiations on Turkey's accession bid began in October 2005.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded to counter a Greek Cypriot coup backed by the military junta ruling Greece at the time

[joe]

Joe seems to have left some bits out

I did not....the article in question is an AFP article that was picked up by several news wires like the one below:

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?ar ... onal_news/

[Kartal_Aetos]

lol...breaking news...we've had the same breaking news for the last 32 years...lol...i hope they didnt cancel any good shows to give this 'breaking news' to u...lol

[StuartN]

I did not....the article in question is an AFP article that was picked up by several news wires like the one below:

Where did the emboldened bits come from? - I don't see them in the original - or are you just highlighting the 'anti-turk' bits in case we weren't aware of your convictions?

[joe]

Stuart, when posting, do you see that "B" button on your left side just underneath the subject line? By pressing that little button, it will bold any text you highlight. Fasinating isnt it? The option is there and i will use it as often as i so choose. Have a nice one.

[BirKibrisli]

I hope you guys don't think this is something positive for a peaceful solution in Cyprus in the near future...
Erdogan is on a win-win situation here. 70% of Turkish voters do not want Turkey to Join the EU. If the talks are suspended Erdogan's popularity will soar,leading to his landslide reelection in November next year. If the talks are just slowed down (the more likely senario) this will suit Erdogan as well for he really does not want to join the EU,but has to pretend he does to keep the Military in check. Turkish voters will still relect him and he will have all the time in the world to slowly dismantle Turkey's secular state,which is what he really wants to do.By the time he is finished Turkey will not meet the criteria to join the EU in any case,and Partition as the status quo will remain the de facto solution for Cyprus.
Is that what we want?

[alexISS]

I hope you guys don't think this is something positive for a peaceful solution in Cyprus in the near future...
Erdogan is on a win-win situation here. 70% of Turkish voters do not want Turkey to Join the EU. If the talks are suspended Erdogan's popularity will soar,leading to his landslide reelection in November next year. If the talks are just slowed down (the more likely senario) this will suit Erdogan as well for he really does not want to join the EU,but has to pretend he does to keep the Military in check. Turkish voters will still relect him and he will have all the time in the world to slowly dismantle Turkey's secular state,which is what he really wants to do.By the time he is finished Turkey will not meet the criteria to join the EU in any case,and Partition as the status quo will remain the de facto solution for Cyprus.
Is that what we want?

Since Erdogan's approach to Greco-Turkish issues has been more positive than any other Turkish PM's, I consider his possible re-election a good thing. If a slow-down in entry talks can give a boost to him then that's a good thing too, besides it's only going to be temporary, the negotiations will be restored after the elections. I don't know if a second term would be negative for Turkey and her secularism, although I believe Turkey is "too" secular anyway