EU readies itself for threat of a still divided Cyprus.

[Turkish]

Grrr. Greeks love Turks, Turks love Greeks, but damn these politicians.

EU diplomats have drawn up secret contingency plans in case Cypriot Greeks or Turks vote against the UN reunification plan later this month, it emerged yesterday.
As Greek Cypriots reacted with thinly disguised outrage to the power-sharing blueprint drawn up by the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, EU diplomats admitted privately that the outcome of the referendums on April 24 might not be the final word on whether Cyprus remains divided.

The date is just days before Cyprus enters the EU: both parts if the referendums are favourable, the internationally recognised south, controlled by Greek Cypriots, alone if they are not.

The diplomatic sources said that, in the latter case, they could rule out a second referendum nearer to the crucial Brussels summit in December, when Turkey hopes to secure a date for its own EU membership talks to begin.

By that time the Greek Cypriots have entered the European Union and availed themselves of the laws and benefits it has to offer.

The hope would be that the Turks would agree to further changes to the plan in their quest to get into the EU.

The 220-page accord, unveiled by Mr Annan after three days of last-ditch talks ended in deadlock, has been greeted as a huge success by Turkey and Turkish Cypriots.

The second vote option, which the media and MPs on the island have also floated, was officially denied by EU and UN officials, who are desperate that the two sides vote in favour of reunion before Cyprus enters the EU.

Failure would lead to the EU ending at a UN-patrolled no man's land studded with minefields and barbed wire.

"No one believes that another window of opportunity will present itself in the near future," the EU enlargement commissioner, Günter Verheugen, said yesterday.

But the omens do not look good. If adopted the plan - which envisages the creation of two constituent states linked in a loose federation - need considerable good faith by people who have been involved in bloodletting since the 50s.

There was little of that in evidence yesterday as Greek Cypriots across the political spectrum denounced the plan as a disaster.

Many said it was unfair that, victims of the 1974 Turkish invasion in which nearly 200,000 lost their homes, they should be expected to pay for the "consequences of the crime".

Although Mr Annan insisted that his latest draft included improvements on the amounts of properties, territory and compensation the Greeks could claim, the amendments still fell far short of expectations.

Turkish Cypriots, who make up 18% of the population and would continue to control 29% of the land, seemed to be delighted by the proposals, which also provide for Turkish mainland troops remaining in the north.

Greek Cypriot leaders are expected to come under heavy outside pressure in the coming weeks to support a yes vote at the referendum. A no vote could have many ramifications: further isolating the north, infuriating Turkey, and possibly even emboldening Greek Cypriots to use their veto, as a new member of the EU, to block accession talks with Turkey.

The communist party AKEL, which has the biggest block of seats in the Greek Cypriot parliament, will play a key role in influencing voters, observers say. But swaying opinion in such a climate will not be easy, even for a party with traditionally pro-settlement views, AKEL MPs said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/cyprus/story/0,11551,1184298,00.html

 

[Oric]

Cyprus Plan has been rejected by the Greek Cypriots. How come Turks are still treated like North Koreans ?

 

[kage69]

How come Turks are still treated like North Koreans ?

How so?

 

[0roo0roo]

? just let em live separate jeez

 

[peonyu]

The problem is that the Turks invaded Cypris in the 70's and then started to colonize the island by forcing the greeks out of the north and then moving a hundred thousand turks there to replace them[at the same time destroying all the churches in the occupied towns]. As the plan is now, if the greeks would have voted yes then that would have made the Turkish occupation in the north legitimate, and the turks could remain, and also reap the benefits of being in the Eu. The only losers would be the greeks since they wont get back thier land, and the turkish settlers wont be returned to turkey.

 

[bttjsj]

Originally posted by: kage69

How come Turks are still treated like North Koreans ?

How so?

They are treated much better than North Koreans considering what they have done.

 

[Oric]

The Turkish Cypriots have done nothing, they were butchered in 1963-64 and the Greek Cypriots tried to take over the Cyprus Republic by a coup and tried to annex with Greece in 1974. (Look for words Nikos Sampson in google, he is the leader of the coup and the reason for Turkish Intervenion to the island, by the way Turkey is a legitamate "guarantor" of Turkish Cypriots) It is too sad that Greek Cypriots had to leave their homes but the other option was to have all Turkish Cypriots getting killed or forced out of the island. Now that %75 of Greek Cypriots dont want to live with Turks while %66 of the Turks want to live with the Greeks, it is clear that Greek Cypriots will repeat what they have done in 1963-64 or 1974 should the conditions allow ..

 

[kage69]

I still fail to see where any group could be compared to the North Koreans. NK has been victimized by it's own leader, not another country. Did I miss Istanbul threatening to turn Greece into a sea of fire or something?

 

[bttjsj]

Originally posted by: Oric
The Turkish Cypriots have done nothing, .......

The coup was a mistake. However, the Turkish cypriots didn't face the danger of been killed as a result of the coup. On the other hand, the turkish troop on the island sure did a lot of stuff worth mentioning.

For example, in 1996, a Greek Cypriot declared that he was going to climb up a pole and tear the turkish flag out after his relative was brutally beaten to death by Turkish troops. In front of hundreds of reporters and on live TV, turkish troop shot him from the top of the pole.

You call this nothing? Any legitiment government would just arrest him.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: peonyu
The problem is that the Turks invaded Cypris in the 70's and then started to colonize the island by forcing the greeks out of the north and then moving a hundred thousand turks there to replace them[at the same time destroying all the churches in the occupied towns]. As the plan is now, if the greeks would have voted yes then that would have made the Turkish occupation in the north legitimate, and the turks could remain, and also reap the benefits of being in the Eu. The only losers would be the greeks since they wont get back thier land, and the turkish settlers wont be returned to turkey.

Sounds a hell of a lot like isreal but the two groups are acting a little more like humans.

 

[Oric]

Originally posted by: bttjsj

Originally posted by: Oric
The Turkish Cypriots have done nothing, .......

The coup was a mistake. However, the Turkish cypriots didn't face the danger of been killed as a result of the coup. On the other hand, the turkish troop on the island sure did a lot of stuff worth mentioning.

For example, in 1996, a Greek Cypriot declared that he was going to climb up a pole and tear the turkish flag out after his relative was brutally beaten to death by Turkish troops. In front of hundreds of reporters and on live TV, turkish troop shot him from the top of the pole.

You call this nothing? Any legitiment government would just arrest him.

Excuse me ? Turkish Cypriots DID face the danger of being killed of being forced off the island as a result of the coup. The coup was aiming to finish ENOSIS (Which means Ellenic Unification - Annex Cyprus with Greece) as a result of which the Turkish Citizens of the Cyprus Republic would be under the control of a hostile government.

The event in 1996, a protestor entered a military zone, and shot to death trying to tear down a national flag, despite all warnings. What happens in a military zone is in no one's power to decide. Imagine a similar situation, a mob of Iraqis trying to get Americans off Iraq, attack a US Base. very similar ...

 

[bttjsj]

Originally posted by: Oric

Originally posted by: bttjsj

Originally posted by: Oric
The Turkish Cypriots have done nothing, .......

The event in 1996, a protestor entered a military zone, and shot to death trying to tear down a national flag, despite all warnings. What happens in a military zone is in no one's power to decide. Imagine a similar situation, a mob of Iraqis trying to get Americans off Iraq, attack a US Base. very similar ...

He notified everybody that he was going to climb up that pole and there were hundreds of journalists watching. It's a non violante demonstration! A reasonable step would be arresting him before he climb up. You call this a similar case with what happend in Iraq? Follow this logic, all demonstrators can be shot dead...

No wonder you said the Turks did nothing.

 

[peonyu]

Originally posted by: Oric
The Turkish Cypriots have done nothing, they were butchered in 1963-64 and the Greek Cypriots tried to take over the Cyprus Republic by a coup and tried to annex with Greece in 1974. (Look for words Nikos Sampson in google, he is the leader of the coup and the reason for Turkish Intervenion to the island, by the way Turkey is a legitamate "guarantor" of Turkish Cypriots) It is too sad that Greek Cypriots had to leave their homes but the other option was to have all Turkish Cypriots getting killed or forced out of the island. Now that %75 of Greek Cypriots dont want to live with Turks while %66 of the Turks want to live with the Greeks, it is clear that Greek Cypriots will repeat what they have done in 1963-64 or 1974 should the conditions allow ..

That doesnt justify Turkey moving a hundred thousand Turkish colonizers to northern cyprus after they invaded and forcing the greeks out.

And maybe the reason why 66% of the turks want a united cyprus isnt because they love greeks, but because the north has become dirt poor under turkish rule and getting into the Eu would change that for them [unlike the greeks who get in the eu no matter what they vote]?