It would really save y'all a lot of trouble typing.
And thanks to Army Men Home Page for the great WWI propaganda poster!
Posted on 04/26/2004 5:42:16 AM PDT by a_Turk
LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Voicing exasperation at Greek Cypriots for rejecting a U.N. plan to reunite their island, the European Union is looking for ways to reward the minority Turkish Cypriots for backing the plan.
EU foreign ministers vented their frustration at Saturday's split referendum result as they arrived in Luxembourg on Monday for their last meeting before the bloc enlarges to admit 10 new members -- including a still divided Cyprus -- next Saturday.
"We're all profoundly disappointed that this historic opportunity has been lost," EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten told reporters.
"I don't think the leadership of the Greek Cypriot community have behaved well, to put it mildly -- gagging (European) commissioners' attempts to speak in the community and so on."
Patten said he hoped the EU would be able to agree rapidly on measures to prevent the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community, subject to crippling trade restrictions since the 1974 Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus.
"There's a widespread understanding that given that the Turkish Cypriots voted so overwhelmingly in favour of an EU-U.N. plan, they certainly should not be worsted as a result of decisions taken elsewhere," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.
The roughly 200,000 Turkish Cypriots backed by a two-thirds majority U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's blueprint for a loose federation with wide autonomy for the two communities, but nearly 76 percent of the 600,000 Greek Cypriots voted against.
Their vote effectively killed the peace plan for now, with the paradoxical effect that only the internationally recognised Greek Cypriots will join the EU this week.
EASING RESTRICTIONS
The ministers were expected to issue a statement regretting it was not possible for a united Cyprus to join the bloc and sending a strong political message accepting the expressed will of the Turkish Cypriots to join the EU, diplomats said.
They would also praise Turkey for its constructive role in the process -- a small boost for its own bid to open EU accession talks next year.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who worked hard to avoid the EU importing the 30-year-old conflict, told Deutschlandfunk radio: "The overall result is extremely negative for both sides."
Verheugen, who accused Greek Cypriot leaders last week of tricking him by pretending to support reunification only to turn against it and campaign for a referendum "no", said there was no question of punishing the Greek Cypriots for their vote.
But the executive Commission would propose ways to aid northern Cyprus and loosen the trade restrictions.
Seeking to pre-empt more far-reaching EU measures, the Greek Cypriot government on Monday proposed opening the EU market to mining materials and all agricultural and fisheries products from northern Cyprus, but not to goods with Turkish input.
Nicosia also suggested releasing some 259 million euros earmarked by the EU to aid northern Cyprus in case of a settlement, and increasing the number of crossing points on the "green line" dividing the island.
But diplomats said that at a meeting of EU ambassadors Britain, France and the European Commission said they wanted more concessions and adjourned the negotiations until Wednesday.
The diplomats said EU states were seeking measures such as opening northern Cyprus to direct international flights and shipping and allocating some of the EU aid that had been set aside to help reunite the island.
The European Parliament has already decided to investigate the conduct of the Greek Cypriot referendum following a complaint from a Greek Cypriot opposition leader.
Sure, sure. Just like you acted within your rights when your torched Smyrna and carried out pogroms against the Greeks in Constantinople.
Why would the Greeks oppose this plan? It seems like it would be the ideal solution for both parties.
It would really save y'all a lot of trouble typing.
And thanks to Army Men Home Page for the great WWI propaganda poster!
The Greek Cypriots have to accept reality- Turkish Cypriots aren't going anywhere and Cyprus isn't going to be a normal country until this issue is resolved. Any dreams of kicking out the Turkish Cypriots are a pure fantasy. Seems like this plan would have worked perfectly.
Maybe that's because we're still waiting for a "moderate" Muhammedan leader to condemn the 9/11 terrorist acts.
I missed where it said Turkey can invade Cyprus. Did I read it too quick?
I read: "They likewise undertake to prohibit, as far as lies within their power, all activity having the object of promoting directly or indirectly either the union of the Republic of Cyprus with any other State, or the partition of the Island." However, I don't think that international law recognizes a right for states to unilaterally invade another state.
I also missed the line where it says these agreements can never be modified by the people of Cyprus.
The agreements are, of course, a piece of typical British opression in her "Balance of Power" schemes to run the world which have already caused such misery. See in re. this point, "Danzig", "Fiume", "Memel", "Belgium", "Polish Corridor", "Parition of Palestine", "South Tyrol", "Silesia", "Sudentenland", "Yalta Agreement", etc.
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