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Cyprus annexation talk sparks debate
06/03/2012
Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis' comments to Turkish
Cypriot newspaper Kıbrıs sparked a debate over whether Turkey might proceed
in annexing North Cyprus.
By Menekse Tokyay for Southeast European Times in Istanbul -- 06/03/12
[image: photo]
"All options are on the table for a solution to the Cyprus issue," Turkey's
European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said. [Reuters]
Frustrated by the lack of progress over the Cyprus issue, Turkey's top
government officials have repeatedly declared that if there is no solution
by July 1st, when Cyprus takes over the rotating EU presidency, Turkey
would suspend dialogue with the Union until the following presidency in
January 2013.
"All options are on the table for a solution to the Cyprus issue. The
solution [that Turkey would consider] would include reunification under a
deal that the two leaders could reach, creation of two independent states
after an agreement between the two leaders if they are unable to reach a
deal for reunification, or annexation of the [Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus] to Turkey," Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said.
These harsh statements are mainly related to the deadlock over EU-Turkey
relations under the conditionality of the Cyprus conflict, experts argue.
According to Istituto Affari Internazionali Deputy Director Nathalie Tocci,
Bagis' statements are reminiscent of Turkey's stance towards the 1997-1999
Cyprus conflict when veiled threats of annexation were also made.
"It is no coincidence that such threats are being made again now," Tocci
told *SETimes*. "In both cases -- 1997-1999 and today -- Turkey's relations
with the EU were, and are, in a dire state. In the past, because of the
cold shower received by Turkey at the Luxembourg summit in 1997, and today
because of the stalled accession negotiations."
However, experts are not of the same mind concerning the greater
significance of the statement.
European University of Lefke's Mehmet Hasguler thinks the recent emphasis
made by Bagis is a significant counter-move showing that there is a wide
range of alternatives on the table for the current deadlock over the Cyprus
issue, she told *SETimes*.
"When AK Party came to power, it took over a heavy agenda on Cyprus and
started to reverse the longstanding trend of accusing the Turkish community
to block any solution."
However, being a guarantor state in Cyprus according to the 1960 Treaty of
Guarantee, Turkey is prohibited from any annexation scenario, Cyprus 2015
Initiative Research Director Ahmet Sozen said.
"Bagis risks violating the very treaty obligations of Turkey under
international law when he -- as a formal representative of Turkey --
discusses alternative solution models in Cyprus in this detail even for
tactical reasons," Sozen told to *SETimes*.
Sozen said that annexation is not only devoid of the international law
basis, but also of popular support among Turkish Cypriots.
"According to a public opinion poll that Cyprus 2015 Initiative conducted
[in late 2010], 52% of the Turkish Cypriots find the 'annexation with
Turkey' solution model as 'entirely unacceptable', while only 23% finds
this option as 'satisfactory'."
But, tactical or not, all moves do have a price tag.
"Of course it is risky to show such harsh reactions concerning the Cyprus
issue. But, if Turkey is determined to make such an annexation, we can
assume that Turkey made a final decision about its EU membership bid,"
according to Hasguler.
"This should make all those -- in Cyprus, Turkey and the EU -- interested
in a solution on the island realise how pivotal Turkey's accession
prospects are to reconciliation in Cyprus," Tocci said.
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2012/03/06/feature-04
06/03/2012
Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis' comments to Turkish
Cypriot newspaper Kıbrıs sparked a debate over whether Turkey might proceed
in annexing North Cyprus.
By Menekse Tokyay for Southeast European Times in Istanbul -- 06/03/12
[image: photo]
"All options are on the table for a solution to the Cyprus issue," Turkey's
European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said. [Reuters]
Frustrated by the lack of progress over the Cyprus issue, Turkey's top
government officials have repeatedly declared that if there is no solution
by July 1st, when Cyprus takes over the rotating EU presidency, Turkey
would suspend dialogue with the Union until the following presidency in
January 2013.
"All options are on the table for a solution to the Cyprus issue. The
solution [that Turkey would consider] would include reunification under a
deal that the two leaders could reach, creation of two independent states
after an agreement between the two leaders if they are unable to reach a
deal for reunification, or annexation of the [Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus] to Turkey," Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said.
These harsh statements are mainly related to the deadlock over EU-Turkey
relations under the conditionality of the Cyprus conflict, experts argue.
According to Istituto Affari Internazionali Deputy Director Nathalie Tocci,
Bagis' statements are reminiscent of Turkey's stance towards the 1997-1999
Cyprus conflict when veiled threats of annexation were also made.
"It is no coincidence that such threats are being made again now," Tocci
told *SETimes*. "In both cases -- 1997-1999 and today -- Turkey's relations
with the EU were, and are, in a dire state. In the past, because of the
cold shower received by Turkey at the Luxembourg summit in 1997, and today
because of the stalled accession negotiations."
However, experts are not of the same mind concerning the greater
significance of the statement.
European University of Lefke's Mehmet Hasguler thinks the recent emphasis
made by Bagis is a significant counter-move showing that there is a wide
range of alternatives on the table for the current deadlock over the Cyprus
issue, she told *SETimes*.
"When AK Party came to power, it took over a heavy agenda on Cyprus and
started to reverse the longstanding trend of accusing the Turkish community
to block any solution."
However, being a guarantor state in Cyprus according to the 1960 Treaty of
Guarantee, Turkey is prohibited from any annexation scenario, Cyprus 2015
Initiative Research Director Ahmet Sozen said.
"Bagis risks violating the very treaty obligations of Turkey under
international law when he -- as a formal representative of Turkey --
discusses alternative solution models in Cyprus in this detail even for
tactical reasons," Sozen told to *SETimes*.
Sozen said that annexation is not only devoid of the international law
basis, but also of popular support among Turkish Cypriots.
"According to a public opinion poll that Cyprus 2015 Initiative conducted
[in late 2010], 52% of the Turkish Cypriots find the 'annexation with
Turkey' solution model as 'entirely unacceptable', while only 23% finds
this option as 'satisfactory'."
But, tactical or not, all moves do have a price tag.
"Of course it is risky to show such harsh reactions concerning the Cyprus
issue. But, if Turkey is determined to make such an annexation, we can
assume that Turkey made a final decision about its EU membership bid,"
according to Hasguler.
"This should make all those -- in Cyprus, Turkey and the EU -- interested
in a solution on the island realise how pivotal Turkey's accession
prospects are to reconciliation in Cyprus," Tocci said.
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2012/03/06/feature-04