Gul gives the final word on Cyprus

I guess they think Turkey is stupid or totally ignorant when it comes to diplomacy as they hope Turkey will fall into the traps they are laying.
Just look at them. First they come up with a list of seven demands, which soon shrank to the two they are asking Turkey to satisfy before Dec. 17. The point Cyprus has now reached is even worse. They have failed to get any of their demands met. The most they have been able to achieve has been a recommendation letter on the matter of recognition.
The government led by Tassos Papadopoulos can’t stand it. They are threatening to create trouble for the European Union if their demands are not met.

Papadopoulos deceived both the EU and all those who were after a resolution of the Cyprus issue. He appeared to support a solution and together with Turkish Republic of Cyprus (KKTC) President Rauf Denktas ensured that the plan was rejected in the referendum. From U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to European Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, all consider Papadopoulos to be the one responsible for the collapse of the efforts.
He should pay for at least some of what he has done. First he deceived the world, then he punished the Turkish Cypriots and then went to the EU to tell them not to give Turkey a date to start the negotiations unless it recognizes Greek Cyprus.
Enough is enough.

I admit, our conduct in the past had not been too different from his. Many times we appeared close to accepting a proposed solution and then backed away.
That was yesterday. Today is what matters. The referendum and the Annan plan are behind us, and a new page has been turned.
Despite everything that happened in the past, no one can accept the EU giving in to this blackmail and just watch the destruction of the KKTC. The EU can’t be this blind.

I believe Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül gave the final word on the matter.
He said, “There can be no recognition before a solution,” clearly expressing Ankara’s opinion.
He is right. It appears Papadopoulos believes everything will come to him easily.
It’s not that simple. First, he needs to sit at the negotiating table and reach an agreement based on the Annan plan, and then comes the recognition.
It doesn’t matter how many carrots they dangle in front of us, no one can made Ankara recognize Cyprus without anything in return.

Chirac relaxed about Turkey

The French Socialist Party has allowed President Jacques Chirac to breathe a sigh of relief. In a vote held by the party on Wednesday, it agreed to support the EU Constitution at the referendum.
This decision is very important for Chirac. The rejection of the constitution would create turmoil in Europe and result in a serious loss of prestige for both Chirac and for France. If the socialists had said no, the result of the referendum would have been in serious doubt. Just to eliminate this danger, Chirac was considering postponing the start of the membership negotiations with Turkey. For the socialists, opposing Turkish membership is synonymous with opposition to Chirac.
Chirac will be a little more relaxed these days. He no longer feels a need to try and postpone the negotiations with Turkey. Ankara’s path has opened a little more.