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Turkey to oppose Greek part of Cyprus EU entry The Turkish Cypriot defence and external relations minister Tashin Ertugruloglu said, "the Turks are going to react strongly if Cyprus enters the UE". During his visit to Madrid, Mr Ertugruloglu assured that the Turkish Cypriot government would intervene in the affair if only the recognised part of Cyprus enters officially the UE. The Turkish people will also be opposing strongly this entry: "We will not accept it and we will react strongly against. There will be repercussions that will not please anybody: neither the UE, the Greek Cypriots nor ourselves. We are not threatening, but if the deal reached is not to the interest of everybody, we will all regret it." Mr Ertugruloglu said. He explained that it was still early to talk of what kind of action could be taken, although it was not excluded that this could be military one. Turkey had said that it might annex the northern part of Cyprus if only the Greek part is admitted in the EU. However, sources close to the Greek representation told EUobserver that "this would be a very serious and illegal act, and would surely hinder Turkey's entry into the EU". The government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not recognised by the EU and the UN or any other country with the exception of Turkey itself. Tashin Ertugruloglu insisted from his position of minister of defence and external relations that this territory of the Mediterranean island is "under the Cypriot legitimacy and not Greek." He also said that the Turkish Cypriots are in a disadvantaged position compared to the Greek Cypriots, as their identity is not recognised. The Turkish Cypriot minister also rejected the announcement of the European Union that Greek Cypriots have the right to the houses that they left when they fled from the northern part of the island. He said that "it was not only the Greeks who lost their properties in the North; also the Turks of the South", mentioning the danger that Greek Cypriots would start occupying houses of the Turkish Cypriots. The invasion of the Turkish Army in 1974 in the northern part of the island had led to the division of Cyprus in two parts. UN led talks are being held between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot part in order to find a solution between the two sides before Cyprus enters the EU. However EU commissioner Günter Verheugen, Greek orime minister Costas Simitis, and Danish prime mMinister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, have said that a solution to the problem is not a precondition for the island's accession to the EU. Written by Sharon Spiteri Edited by Daniela Spinant Printet from www.EUobserver.com 12.04.2002 Copyright EUobserver. The informations may be used for personal and non-commercial use only. This article can be found on: www.EUobserver.com/index.phtml?action=view&selected_topic=none&article_i d=5823 --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
