Cyprus How will new Treaty affect Cyprus veto on Turkey's EU bid ?

phoenix · professor

Why?

What is the worst that could happen, if Turkey is kept out of the EU?

Will they blow up Cyprus? . . . destroy it completely?

Get Real! · vip

Jerry · lecturer

humanist · professor

Get Real! · vip

Jerry · lecturer

It's not actually clear to me if the veto will be lost, according to today's Cyprus Mail it can only be applied in particular areas. However if the author's reference to permanent derogations is correct it means that the ROC is always going to oppose Turkey's membership, as may other member States. We have seen how immigration has helped to "Turkify" the north. Free movement of EU citizens would inevitably result in a peaceful legal invasion of the whole of Cyprus by mainland Turks who, within a few generations, would constitute the majority. Following the logic of this scenario, it would be suicide for the ROC to "permit" Turkey's membership. With this in mind Turkey has little incentive to solve the Cyprus problem and the current impasse will go on indefinitely.

By Stefanos Evripidou
National vetoes will be removed from certain areas of decision-making while the Commission will have 49 new areas of competences. The European Parliament will have a greater say in more areas while national parliaments will also have a chance to get more involved. The European Court of Justice will have more powers to rule in justice and home affairs, which in the past was the sole domain of member states.

Do you see a pattern? Member states losing vetoes means a majority rules system which favours alliances and common interests over individual vetoes and narrow mindsets. Granting the Commission more competences in 49 areas means taking away from national governments the sole right to rule in 49 areas. This treaty, like the ones before it, makes a strong statement of intent – an increasingly federal approach towards integration. This is not altogether a bad thing, but it is something people should be aware of rather than thinking that Brussels is just some city that our ministers frequent when they want to get away from the office.

The Cyprus problem
And finally, how do the technocrats in Brussels see a final settlement? There are two non-negotiable stipulations. First, the final outcome must give Cyprus one voice in the EU, one body that can enforce the acquis. Second, there can be no permanent derogations. For the rest, the EU will take a flexible approach, particularly where public interest dictates so. It is worth remembering that the EU declared the berated Annan plan fully compliant with EU laws back in 2004. As far as the EU is concerned, EU principles will not be a constraint to a solution.

Another issue worth highlighting is that the EU does not foresee any role as arbiter. Given the Republic's EU membership, the EU cannot play the role of honest broker while the Greek Cypriots effectively have a veto in Council. The most the EU can do is have its lawyers work alongside the UN to deal with the acquis if and when negotiations start.

Rumour has it that when UN officials went to Brussels recently to discuss the Cyprus problem the concept of the Cypriot veto in the EU had to be explained to them. According to one source, they were shocked to discover exactly how much the tail was wagging the dog.

Given the above, the general view in Brussels is that trade and aid in their current forms will not achieve very much. The great hope is for the start of talks towards a comprehensive solution in 2008. In the words of one candid official: “We will see what happens in the February elections; it will be a good indicator of peoples' will.”
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007

DINOS SKALIOTIS · instructor

BC Numismatics · lecturer