EU pissed that Greeks arseraped the Turks in elections....

[MKSheppard]

EU Annoyed -From Teh Guardian

EU Wants to End Isolation of Turkish Cyrpus
Sunday April 25, 2004 3:46 PM
By SUSAN SEVAREID
Associated Press Writer

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Disappointed and angry after Greek Cypriots rejected a U.N. plan to reunite Cyprus, the European Union pledged to start searching for ways to extend a hand of friendship to the island's long-ostracized Turkish side.

The U.N. reunification plan required agreement from both sides of the island. But, despite American and European support, Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected it and Turkish Cypriots endorsed it in referendums on Saturday.

That means Cyprus will not join the European Union on May 1 as a united state and that EU laws and benefits will apply only to the Greek Cypriot side.

``There is a shadow now over the accession of Cyprus,'' the EU commissioner for expansion, Guenter Verheugen, told Germany's ARD television. ``What we will seriously consider now is finding a way to end the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.''

Legally, the Turkish side of Cyprus can only trade with Turkey, the only country that recognizes it as a separate state.

Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, who opposed the plan, stressed that the decision did not mean Greek Cypriots weren't interested in reunification, but rather that this particular solution wasn't acceptable. He has said the plan forged by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan with EU input should be a foundation for further efforts.

Final results showed 76 percent of Greek Cypriots voted ``no'' and 24 percent ``yes.'' The Turkish Cypriot vote was 65 percent ``yes'' and 35 percent ``no.'' Turnouts were high: at least 88 percent in the south and 87 percent in the north.

On Sunday, Turkish newspapers blamed the Greek Cypriots but expressed hope the vote would lead the rest of the world to empathize with Turkish Cypriots.

``New Berlin Wall in Europe,'' proclaimed the Daily Vatan. ``The Greek Cypriots divided the island,'' said the Daily Sabah.

But the left-leaning, pro-secular Cumhuriyet proclaimed: ``New era in Cyprus,'' and the Daily Tercuman commented: ``Turkey's hand has strengthened, Turkish Cypriots have entered the process of escaping isolation.''

Alvaro de Soto, the U.N. envoy who has conducted Cypriot negotiations in recent years, said his office on the island would be closed. De Soto's boss, Annan, believed ``a unique and historic chance to resolve the Cyprus problem has been missed,'' according to a statement from his office.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States was ``disappointed'' by the Greek Cypriot vote, calling it a ``setback'' to those seeking a united Cyprus.

In Switzerland Sunday, authorities said they would be prepared to offer their ``good offices'' to help future Cyprus talks, if required.

Opponents came out early and strong against the plan. Supporters accepted it more slowly - and too late to change the charged atmosphere. With conflicting guidance from their leaders - many political allies took opposite positions - a short time frame to decide and a lot of outside pressure, Greek Cypriots weren't ready to take a risk on the plan.

``If you have something pushed on you, you do the opposite,'' Greek Cypriot Mihalis Papaioannou said after voting ``no,'' voicing an often-heard sentiment among opponents of the plan.

Two final blows were the rejection by the AKEL communist party, the largest Greek Cypriot political party, and the U.N. Security Council's failure to adopt a resolution giving Greek Cypriots more security assurances. AKEL had demanded the additional measure - along with more time to study the plan - as conditions to supporting it.

Papadopoulos cited security as key to Greek Cypriots rejection.

Under the plan, the number of foreign troops on the island - currently 40,000 Turks and 6,000 Greeks - would have been gradually reduced to a maximum of 1,600 by 2018. The lingering presence of some Turkish troops prompted concerns there weren't guarantees against another invasion. Turkey's 1974 invasion ended a coup by supporters of union with Greece and divided the island.

Turkish Cypriots, impoverished by the lengthy international political and economic isolation, ignored opposition from their leader, Rauf Denktash, and accepted a reduction of Turkish-control from 37 percent of the island to 29 percent. Had the plan passed, entire villages would have been vacated and the houses returned to the original Greek Cypriot owners.

Greek Cypriots responded quietly to the outcome in line with their government's call for no celebrations. About 150 Greek Cypriots staged a subdued victory rally in the main square of Greek Nicosia, waving Cypriot and Greek flags.

[Stark]

Without sounding stupid, why, if the Turks are cool with unification and the Greeks aren't, is only the Greek side EU? Aren't they punishing the wrong people?

[Ma Deuce]

Without sounding stupid, why, if the Turks are cool with unification and the Greeks aren't, is only the Greek side EU? Aren't they punishing the wrong people?

Because Greece is a member of the EU and Turkey is not...

[MKSheppard]

I'm surprised that Vympel hasn't posted here yet

[Stark]

Because Greece is a member of the EU and Turkey is not...

It still seems a bit off since the Greek Cypriots are messing with the whole EU vibe of togetherness

[TheDarkling]

Because Greece is a member of the EU and Turkey is not...

It would be more accurate to say that only Greek Cyprus is internationally recognised and thus could join the EU while northern Cyprus is only recognised by Turkey although that may change now given that the Turkish Cypriots tried to get reunification and it is the Greek Cypriots who could be seen as the obstructionists.

[Vympel]

Without sounding stupid, why, if the Turks are cool with unification and the Greeks aren't, is only the Greek side EU? Aren't they punishing the wrong people?

Because the Turk side of Cyprus was established by an illegal 1974 invasion and is recognized by noone but Turkey (since they were doing the invading). That's what they're being punished for, not the way they vote.

I would've liked to see the Greek Cypriots vote yes as well and unify the place and end this 30 year long fiasco, but it's not my decision ...

[Colonel Olrik]

Like others have said, the greek side is the internationally recognized Cyprus, therefore it was the one always considered as candidate to the EU. The turkish side does not reunite the economical and social conditions for joining the EU on its own, anyway.

Democracy can be a bitch sometimes. The greek cypriots didn't like the therms of the treaty, which was based on a very weak "federal" government for the island, with the two sided maintaining a large independency. And while it is true that a lot of estate would be returned to the greek side, the special concessions given to the turkish side are not in accordance to the EU common right. Bleh, a lost opportunity.

[Exmoor Cat]

Also look where the money is. IIRC about 2-3bn$ was allocated by the EU for upgrading needed to bring the whole island into line with EU regs and standards. I suspect that this was also an element in the thinking, not letting the Turks get their mitts on the mulah. However, listening to Chris Patten on Today a couple of mornings back, I suspect North Cyprus will be getting some rewards in kind or through aid in the near future - e.g. travel restrictions lifted, etc.

[Crown]

The northern part of the island is going to (or already getting EU) funds, but only through the southern part.