Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

Nicosia scorns proposal to open port and airport

Turkish offer ‘a mockery’

NICOSIA yesterday rejected a Turkish proposal to temporarily open a port and one airport to Cypriot traffic as a mockery of the European Union that only stressed the need for action against non-compliant Ankara.

And the European Union, through the Finnish presidency, said last night that the offer ‘was not enough.’

"This is not a solution," Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said in Helsinki.

Cyprus Foreign Minister George Lillikas said: "It is a premeditated attempt to impress and it’s a mockery of the European Union. It is devoid of any serious content," Foreign Minister George Lillikas said.

The proposal reinforces Nicosia’s position that only with strong pressure and a mechanism of checks would Turkey comply with its obligations, he added.

Ankara took EU capitals by surprise yesterday when it suddenly submitted a proposal aimed at averting a partial freezing of its accession negotiations.

There were conflicting reports throughout the day as to what the proposal entailed, as different versions were surfacing in the media.

The lack of clarity prompted the Finnish EU presidency to shift a meeting of Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives) on the issue to today, Friday.

"This can either be the golden goal or a trick cigar," one EU diplomat told the EU-affairs web site EU Observer.

Nicosia received formal word of what the Turks were proposing and quickly branded it as a new ruse for Turkey to wriggle out of its obligation under the Customs Union agreement to unconditionally open all its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic.



Strings

Lillikas accused Turkey of offering and wanting the sky.

"For the opening of one Turkish port, it is asking for the opening of the occupied port of Famagusta, while for the opening of one airport it is asking to legalise the illegal airport of Tymbou," he said.

Moreover, with its attitude, Ankara was also showing "contempt" toward recognising the Cyprus Republic.

In its proposal, Ankara said it would "proceed with the opening of a major sea port to Greek Cypriot vessels for transportation of Greek Cypriot goods within the context of the Customs Union."

It says that it "would also be prepared to open an airport to Greek Cypriot commercial flights to/from southern Cyprus."

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said Turkey "has to adhere completely" to EU demands that it open "allports to all EU members."

There are many strings attached, with the offer seemingly having a one-year expiry date.

The Turkish proposal revives calls for direct trade with the north, suggesting the opening of Famagusta port and Tymbou (Ercan) airport.

"All of the foregoing would be implemented provisionally for a period of one year and will not prejudge the outcome of the negotiations for a comprehensive settlement under the U N, to be reached by the end of 2007," said Turkey’s offer.

The Cyprus government is ready to give its consent to the opening of Famagusta port under EU management if combined with the return of the fenced city (Varosha) to its legal inhabitants.

But Nicosia adamantly rejects any suggestion of agreeing to direct international flights to the north. Tymbou airport is a red line it will not cross.

Nicosia has also made clear it will not accept Ankara’s attempt to link the Cyprus issue with Turkey’s obligations to enforce the customs union.

Unanimous

Lillikas said he expected the EU presidency and the European Commission to reiterate that Turkey’s trade obligations cannot be linked to other issues.

"We expect the representatives of the European Commission will defend the unanimous and binding decisions of the Union," he said.

He said that by its reference to ‘Greek-Cypriot ships and products’ and the ‘south’, Ankara was clearly violating its obligation to recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

The government would like to welcome Turkey’s claim that it is ready to work for a Cyprus settlement, but Ankara’s intransigence so far does not allow Nicosia to credit it with honesty.

Turkey’s call for a Cyprus settlement before the end of 2007, presupposes it is ready to show a compromising spirit, he said.

This disproves Prime Minister Erdogan’s basic argument that Turkey is unable to meet its obligations towards the Cyprus republic was due to the 2007 Turkish elections.

"The Cyprus government stands by its position that Turkey must be evaluated and judged based on what it has done and not what it promises to do," the foreign minister said.

New promise



"At this moment, Turkey is called to account over why it did not fulfil its pledge and a new promise on its behalf cannot be considered a satisfactory answer."

Britain, Turkey’s strongest backer in the EU, applauded Ankara’s initiative as "really significant".

"It is essential that the EU responds," a British official said.

Earlier this week, Nicosia welcomed a Franco-German proposal to set a loose time frame to reassess by 2009 Turkey’s progress in implementing the trade accord.

[reportfromcyprus]

This is another example of the current administration's usual trend in refusing to negotiate seriously to resolve the Cyprus problem.

It started with the Annan plan, and now they are even going further - to say that Turkey's refusal to recognise Cyprus has nothing to do with the Cyprus problem.

Does this strike anyone else as really, really strange behaviour? LIke saying there's no massive white elephant in the middle of the room when there quite plainly is?

[paaul12]

Does this strike anyone else as really, really strange behaviour? LIke saying there's no massive white elephant in the middle of the room when there quite plainly is?

Yes, i could'nt agree with you more, u r 100% correct the thing is what is to be done about this situation, the only way to sp;ve a problem is to talk about it, surley.

There is only ONE solution Papadop is following; PARTITION