Cyprus-Forum.com

[Piratis]

PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said on Tuesday Turkey must recognise Cyprus before it can start European Union entry talks.

"It doesn't seem conceivable to me that a negotiation process of whatever kind can start with a country that does not recognise every member state of the European Union, in other words all 25 of them," Villepin told Europe 1 radio.

"Entering a negotiation process, whatever it is, first

assumes recognition of each of the members."

Asked whether this meant that the start of entry talks could be delayed from October 3, Villepin said "of course".

Turkey signed a protocol on Friday extending its customs union to new EU members including Cyprus, clearing the last obstacle to the start of the October 3 entry talks.

But it also issued a declaration making clear the signing did not mean a change in its stance on the divided island, whose Greek Cypriot government is viewed in Brussels as the sole legitimate authority.

Yesterday the team of Anorthosis Famagusta went to Turkey with an indirect flight. I believe that Cyprus should demand that the Turkish ports and airports should open to Cyprus and that turkey should treat Cyprus in exactly the same way as they treat every other EU country.
If they do that I believe it will be ok for the time being and no declaration that Turkey recognizes RoC needs to be made right now (but no declarations that Turkey doesn't recognize RoC either)

[KYPROS-EINAI-ELLHNIKH]

Trkey seems to have this idea that we europeans are really desperate to get them in the EU. It's really delusional. We have made too many concessions that have not been made to other candidates already. And you can bet the TC's will come on here accusing Europeans of being such 'racists' etc.

It's not racist to not want Turkey in the EU, it's common sense, it's like letting the snake into your house.

[brother]

EU: Cyprus text should not harm Turkey entry talks


A TURKISH declaration refusing to recognise Cyprus’ Nicosia government should not block the launch of European Union membership talks with Ankara, the European Commission said yesterday after an initial assessment.

Turkey issued the declaration last Friday when it signed a protocol extending its customs union with the EU to the bloc’s 10 newcomers, including Cyprus.

The statement made clear that Ankara does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, which the EU sees as the only legitimate authority, as representing the whole island, pending a settlement.

The Commission said the declaration did not question Turkey’s commitment to implementing the customs union protocol, which was an essential condition for starting entry talks.

“Our preliminary assessment is that the declaration does not call into question Turkey’s commitment to implement the protocol,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement.

“The signature therefore should clear the way for the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey on October 3.”

Rehn added that the EU would still examine the declaration for legal implications. A Commission spokesman said a full legal analysis should be completed next week.

Cyprus has expressed disappointment at the Turkish document, saying the EU should study it to see whether it undermines the validity of the customs union.

The EU must still unanimously approve a negotiating mandate for the talks before October 3, giving Nicosia a potential veto.

Several members apart from Cyprus are already wary about starting talks with Turkey, a large, populous, mainly Muslim and relatively poor country, which is not expected to join the bloc for at least a decade.

Well it seems that Turkey will be allowed to continue on its path for the time being without having to do much else.

[-mikkie2-]

It seems that things will not go as smoothly for Turkey as it may seem brother.

Things will be much clearer at the end of August after the COREPER meeting which will formalise the start (or not) of of Turkish negotiations.

France is the 1st large EU country to openly question Turkeys announcement re the Ankara agreement concerning Cyprus. Germany will also be doing the same especially if the Christian Democrats come to power in September. The German press is full of negative sentiment towards Turkey regarding the protocol.

It cannot be possible for Turkey to start opening chapters for negotiation when Cyprus will be sitting round the same table as Turkey. Cyprus will need to have representation in Turkey to observe that Turkey is adhering to her obligations throught the negotiating process. This will be especially true if some of the big EU states start to rally behind Cyprus. This is actually more a matter of principle for these states than anything else.

We shall see what transpires.

[magikthrill]

15 years ago the big European powers were hiding behind Greece to reject Turkey's negotiaton process, until former Greek PM Papandreou blatantly stated if every country votes yes for negotiaton process then so will I and that is when Germany voted no.

Now, the powers are hiding behind Cyprus and looks like the Cyprus Problem could be Turkey's final blow from the EU.

[Turkey (( *]

What I believe will happen is that the Turkish public's patience will be over, and Turkey will stop being a candidate. But the EU will be in a very hard situation because in reality they don't want to take Turkey in but they don't want it going opposite direction as well.Then we'll see what will happen...

[brother]

Well Russia is waiting in the side lines and has on many occasions asked Turkey to consider them as a partnership etc. and also the new close ties with China and they agreeing recently to a millatary cooperation could be another option and lets not forget Israel who Turkey already has a millatary agreement with is yet another option.

I say go ahead E.U and cut your racist nose off to spite your face.

[erolz]

Things will be much clearer at the end of August after the COREPER meeting which will formalise the start (or not) of of Turkish negotiations.

They certainly will

France is the 1st large EU country to openly question Turkeys announcement re the Ankara agreement concerning Cyprus. Germany will also be doing the same especially if the Christian Democrats come to power in September. The German press is full of negative sentiment towards Turkey regarding the protocol.

If these countries that previsouly agreed the terms placed on Turkey for the start of Turkish acession, then decide to move the goal posts, it can onlt encourage Turkey to abbandon it's efforts to joion the EU - and if that happens where does that leave the GC 'policy' on gaining a solution?

You beleive that if Turkey is forced to chose between recognising and legitimise the RoC as it now exists and as the sole government for all of Cyprus (essentialy abandoning the TRNC and TC) or abandoning EU accession - that they will choose the former. I do not believe they will do this or even can do this without risking political turmoil in Turkey.

So what if the EU does what you want and Turkey abandons its persuit of EU accession? What then happens to your GC strategy of a 'EU solution' to the Cyprus problem? What happens then to Cyprus? To me this 'strategy' is similar to previous GC strategies, where they risk all and push us all to the edge of the cliff in the persuit of maximalist demands. In 74 this strategy culminated in Cyprus falling over the cliff and the results were disasterous. I fear this may be the result agains if GC persue similar strategies.

I believe the RoC should accpet why Turkey can not give them everything they want (recognition of the RoC as it stands today in return for allowing the start of a process that is not guaranteed to achieve accession at the end and due to take 15 years plus to complete). They should accpet a functional 'recognition' but not demand a formal 'political recognition' and should accpet that this later will come as part of a comprehensive agreed solutiuon. I also believe they should stop all the 'rehtoric' about how impossible it is for Turkey to begin accession process unless they get their maximal demand of formal poltical recognition of the RoC as it exits today as the sole legal government of all Cyprus and all Cypriots. It is perfectly possible for Turkey to start acession talks with only a 'functional' recognition of the current RoC that preculdes full formal political recognition pending a comprehensive agreed solution in Cyprus, provided of course that the RoC choses to not try and force it's maximal demands on Turkey and TC and in the process 'risk all' but accepts that an agreed negotiatied process of give and take is the right way to solve the Cyprus problem (and in doing so remove the ultimate block on Turkish accession that is due to take 15years +)

It cannot be possible for Turkey to start opening chapters for negotiation when Cyprus will be sitting round the same table as Turkey.

If it were impossible, in the collective view of the EU at the last heads of states meeting, for Turkey to start the accession process without full and formal recognition of the RoC as it stabds today - then the collective voice of the EU would have said that. They did not - so clearly they decided then that it was NOT impossible. They may of course change their view on that if they wish to make collective agreements with other nations and then break those agrements.

This is actually more a matter of principle for these states than anything else.

With respect - what rubbish. Why was in not a point of principle when the EU collectively (including the RoC) agreed that formal and total recognition of the RoC was NOT a requirment for the start of talks? This is politicis and nothing but politics. Politics of the RoC trying to use Turkish accession to secure 'froced' maximal demands vs an agreed negotiatied and compromise solution and the politics of those forces in the EU oopsosed to Turksih accesion using the 'Cyprus problem' (and by extension using all cypriots) to acheive their aim of blocking Turkish entry.

We shall see what transpires.

Indeed we will.

[magikthrill]

Well Russia is waiting in the side lines and has on many occasions asked Turkey to consider them as a partnership etc. and also the new close ties with China and they agreeing recently to a millatary cooperation could be another option and lets not forget Israel who Turkey already has a millatary agreement with is yet another option.

I say go ahead E.U and cut your racist nose off to spite your face.

and yet Turkey is pretty much begging to be part of this racist group? why havent they arleady begun their Central Asian Union yet?

[brother]

Mt they want to join the E.U for obvious reasons like economic aid etc. but if pushed they have alternatives as they are an emerging economic power wether you like it or not but the real trick is for E.U to focus and stop moving the goal posts and yes some circles in the E.U are clearly racist and are influencing the majority opinion but pleaase refer to erolz answers above.