Saturday, 1 October 2005Greek Cyprus put veto on EU-Azerbaijan negotiations within the framework of "Enlarged Europe. New Neighborhood" as the latter launched air communications with the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in July. The European neighborhood initiative is designed for the three South Caucasian states (Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia). Therefore EU postponed negotiations with all of these three countries because of the Greek Cyprus. The Armenian media argued that the EU betrayed its own principles by punishing the region.
One of the private Azerbaijani companies fly to TRNC which is not recognized by the EU and the Greek side. In fact the EU promised to lift all the economic and political sanctions against the Turkish Cypriots. However despite of the 2004 promises, the EU accepted the Greek Cyprus as full member to the EU and kept the Turkish Cypriots outside. After the membership, the Greeks on the island have been very reluctant for peace negotiations. The Greek Cypriot Government plans to ÔÇÝsolve' the problems inside the EU because the Turks are not inside the EU. The Greek Cyprus also tries to veto Turkey-EU relations. Thus a tiny member block the EU's relations with the Caucasus and 75-million-size-Turkey.
GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA ARE NOT HAPPY
At a joint press conference with Armenian foreign minister on Sept. 29, the EU special representative to the South Caucasus confirmed the information by the Armenian and Azeri press that the European Union has postponed negotiations with Armenia and Georgia because of the Greek Cyprus.
Heikki Talvitie said that they decided to postpone the talks because of some problems between Azerbaijan and a EU state Greek Cyprus). The Finn diplomat said that unless those problems are settled in a month the EU would apply ÔÇÝindividual' approach to each country.
"GREEK CYPRUS HIJACKED EU'S RELATIONS"
Dr. Sedat Laciner from ISRO said the decision would undermine the EU-Caucasus relations. "A tiny country severely damage the EU's relations with whole region. The Greek Cypriots not only hijacked Turkey-EU relations but also Caucasus-EU relations" Laciner added.
JTW
Jan SOYKOK, 1 October 2005
|
Saturday, 1 October 2005
EU and Caucasus
|
|
