Cyprus-Forum.com

[joe]

This particular article is from the Cyprus Weekly

Regards,
joe1
________________________________________________


Need to respond

The New York Times has a reputation as a perfectly respectable and authoritative newspaper, and, as such, a powerful moulder of opinion on an international level.

It is consequently a shame that in one of its editorials on December 30 it adopted a completely biased, pro-Turkish view about the situation in Cyprus.

The editorial declares bluntly that "Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots did their utmost to reunite the island...but the Greek Cypriots scotched a United Nations reunification plan."

The reasons for the Greek Cypriot rejection of the Annan Plan are too well known to be repeated here, and the Times is undoubtedly well aware of what these are. It nevertheless chooses to blame the Greek Cypriots for rejecting this completely unacceptable plan. It adds for good measure that ``European leaders should be pressuring the Greek Cypriot leadership to end the impasse and work with Turkey to find a solution. Instead some are using the stalemate as an excuse to hamstring Turkey's entry (to the EU).''

The most amazing statement of the Times editorial is the next sentence that brazenly declares that ``opposition to Turkey fails the test of Europe's values of tolerance and political compromise. It is also a failure on Europe's part to discern their own self-interest.''

In other words The august New York Times wants Europe to extend its value of ``tolerance and compromise'' to the point of ignoring Turkey's continuing war crimes in the occupied part of Cyprus and the relevant judgements of the European Court of Human Rights that found Turkey guilty. What is more, the Court demanded that Turkey should end these continuing war crimes, a Court order that the Turkish government of course continues to treat with complete contempt!

What is even more revolting about The New York Times approach is that Europe, which insists that Turkey must comply with European laws and values in general before it's entry negotiations can progress, should in effect forget it's own attachment to law and order and respect for human rights for the sake of reaching a ``compromise'' with Turkey, because of its strategic value!

In other words, to hell with law and order, respect for the judgements of the Rights Court when these interfere with our ``interests!''

Cyprus has no alternative but to respond to this deliberate twisting of the truth by such an ``authoritative'' newspaper as The New York Times, even to the point of placing a full page paid advertisement in it to explain the true facts of the situation and Turkey's guilt.

[observer]

So, The New York Times has "adopted a completely biased, pro-Turkish view about the situation in Cyprus".

But (RO) Cyprus has "the true facts of the situation and Turkey's guilt".

Hmmm - gotta think about that one.

[Eliko]

Hey joe !, what else would you expect from the 'Bushland'

[EUropean666]

send the letter as it is, just delete any words offending the paper like "has a reputation as a perfectly respectable and authoritative newspaper, and, as such, a powerful moulder of opinion on an international level. " be brief and to the poin. do not use more than 100-200 words max and send it.

[GorillaGal]

i read the editorial (note that it is an EDITORIAL, which means an opinion), and i am not so sure i would take it as purely pro-Turkey. not at all. you decide: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/30/opini ... ref=slogin
or to make it easy:

Editorial
Obstacles in Turkey’s Path
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Published: December 30, 2006
It came as no surprise when the European Union recently suspended some of its planned membership talks with Turkey. The sticking points pertain to the strained relations between Turkey and Cyprus, which have long threatened to undermine Turkey’s membership bid. What is surprising — and dismaying — is that the union is treating this as primarily a legal problem. That’s a distortion.

Turkey is indeed in violation of European law on the proper treatment of Cyprus. But the problem is mainly political, and of the union’s own making. The E.U. blundered when it allowed a divided Cyprus to join the union in 2004. Reunification — of Greek Cypriots in the south and Turkish Cypriots in the north — should have been a precondition. Still, it’s widely acknowledged that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots did their utmost to reunite the island so that both Cyprus and Turkey could peacefully join the E.U. But the Greek Cypriots scotched a United Nations reunification plan.

That has left Turkey in an untenable position. Other European leaders should be pressuring the Greek Cypriot leadership to end the impasse and working with Turkey to find a solution. Instead, some are using the stalemate as an excuse to hamstring Turkey’s entry.

Opposition to Turkey fails the test of Europe’s values of tolerance and political compromise. It is also a failure on Europeans’ part to discern their own self-interest. There is a growing awareness in the West of the need to engage Iraq’s neighbors in an effort to quell the war in Iraq and, more broadly, to work for peace in the Middle East. Turkey is an underutilized resource in this regard. Turkey is also becoming an important hub for transporting oil and gas to Europe from Russia and Central Asia, making it crucial to Europe’s energy security.

Turkey, for its part, could strengthen its hand by making progress on issues that are still under discussion, especially the need to repeal Turkish laws that impede free speech. But it’s up to the European Union to mend the Cyprus divide and clear the way for a dispassionate recognition of Turkey’s vital role in Europe.

[devil]

Thanks, GG, for posting this. Joe's OP shows just how easy it is to distort something by extracting a sentence or two out of context. From his message, one would assume that it's a blanket approval of Turkey's position. In fact, it's a reasonably fair summary of both sides' positions.

[Sotos]

I didn't see the position of our side there! They just support Turkish accession process and blame everybody else except Turkey. They even blame Cyprus because Turkey occupied us!!! and say that we shouldn't be allowed in EU! Typical of the USA policy on the issue.

[GorillaGal]

sotos, what IS your side? what is it that you are asking for that turkey won't give you? please tell me, i don't understand. as for this editorial, it may not say what cyprus wants, but i certainly don't see it as biased in turkey's favor. i think, if anything, it was coming down on the EU.

[THE HIGHLANDER]

"GOD BLESS AMERICA"

[devil]

I didn't see the position of our side there! They just support Turkish accession process and blame everybody else except Turkey. They even blame Cyprus because Turkey occupied us!!! and say that we shouldn't be allowed in EU! Typical of the USA policy on the issue.

Sotos, you may be able to read, although I wonder at times, but, if you can, you obviously have no comprehension about what you read. If this were not the case, then you are even worse because you extract a phrase, here or there, then distort it to suit your twisted ends.