"Turkey to freeze EU ties if Cyprus gets EU presidency"

[Leoreth]

Iceland, really? After it publicly said "screw you" to the Netherlands and UK?

 

[Babbler]

Why would Turkey want to join the European Union now, given how badly Greece is doing with in it?

 

[Winner]

Iceland, really? After it publicly said "screw you" to the Netherlands and UK?

If the alternative is to keep paying what amounts to a substantial portion of the Icelandic GDP to these countries for the next hundred years or so, then yes. I wouldn't formulate it exactly like that, but...

It's not like Iceland will join anyway, I am pretty confident Icelanders will vote against the membership in a referendum.

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As for why Turkey gives a damn about Northern Cyprus and why Greek Cypriots do as well - nationalism, vested interests, sunk cost fallacy, and so on. Though I understand why the Greek Cypriots don't want to live in a permanently divided country, whose northern half is occupied by a hostile power that keeps threatening their existence.

BTW:

 

[Dumanios]

Bad move, Erdogan. Bad move.

With all this discussion of Cyprus, I just had an idea for a civ scenario where Cyprus merges and then defeats Greece and Turkey, as unlikely as that sounds.

 

[kronic]

Interesting map. So the Turks managed to grab half the island? Nice.

 

[NovaKart]

I went to North Cyprus last year and got really sick on the fast ferry ride back to Turkey. Will definitely take the slow ferry if I go again even though it takes forever.

North Cyprus is kind of famous in Turkey for the casinos.

 

[luiz]

Erdogan essentially gave a lot of credibility to the argument that democracy and Islam are not compatible. I don't believe in that argument, but then again I never liked Erdogan.

 

[Lord of Elves]

The OP betrays absolutely no bias whatsoever.

 

[luiz]

The OP betrays absolutely no bias whatsoever.

But the OP was not claiming to be unbiased. There's nothing wrong with supporting a position; it makes for much more civilized and productive discussion when people inform theirs. This isn't a news site after all; OPs here are supposed to be biased.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Erdogan essentially gave a lot of credibility to the argument that democracy and Islam are not compatible. I don't believe in that argument, but then again I never liked Erdogan.

Nah, it doesn't say that. All it says is that as of recently, Turkey has been incredibly full of itself, and has been swinging it's dick around in order to try and show off.

 

[GamezRule]

We taught them well.

 

[Joecoolyo]

We taught them well.

Except we have the power to back it up

 

[Tee Kay]

Except we have the power to back it up

To an extent, so does Turkey.

 

[wolfigor]

De-facto Turkey is saying goodbye to EU membership.
They don't openly say so, but they are effectively allowing EU to scrap their membership bid.
After the illegal invasion of North Cyprus and illegal settlement of colonist from Anatolia, Turkey well know that respect for Cyprus is one of the top conditions to join EU.

It's quite puzzling why they are doing it...
Does the government needs to surf over a nationalistic tide to keep itself in power or there is a better, long term, and more coherent plan about it?

The map in wikipedia is more detailed:

 

[r16]

cyprus and the Turkish minority have been gainfuly employed to drive Turkish policy to whatever direction West desired , though it has so far fallen short of the ultimate goal of driving this country out of Western security arrangements . 1974 was a great shot that failed equally , the operation /invasion netted 3/8s of the island and no civil war ensued in Turkey as our defeat on the beaches was planned . Then there was the convoy , where the Greeks started a conspiracy of them sending a task force to reinforce their "army" on the island and when we contacted Wahington that Greek ships were flying Turkish flags en route , Washington transferred the Athenian response that we were free to sink anything we found . Which we did by sinking a destroyer of ours . Instead of the US 6th Fleet Greeks were hoping to be in place by the time .

current day ? America / Europe reaps what they sow . Would any other party would act differently ? No , issues trancends parties .

 

[Tani Coyote]

Well, so long as it doesn't leave NATO(though that could be the next step at the rate they're going), I don't see an issue with it personally.

I'm far more concerned on how the debacle with Israel will turn out, though I'm just glad an actual conflict won't result.

They're acting all tough, showing one obscene hand gesture after another to the West, but we all know they'll keep on remaining allied and begging for aid. Play both sides, you know?

 

[r16]

actually it requires we should be voted out of NATO , the problem with Israel is more of a UN vote on Palestine issue so that Americans can argue ever increasing threats to Israel etc , this is what our Foreign Ministry thinks because you know they had promises . And it will be incredible to realise that we haven't been begging . When the time comes .

 

[Winner]

Interesting map. So the Turks managed to grab half the island? Nice.

I am not sure I'd describe it with the word "nice". Anyway, if I am not mistaken, the population ratio before the invasion was roughly 20% Turks vs. 80% Greeks. Both sided engaged in ethnic cleansing, but the map shows who was more successful in it.

The OP betrays absolutely no bias whatsoever.

I don't claim to be neutral.

De-facto Turkey is saying goodbye to EU membership.
They don't openly say so, but they are effectively allowing EU to scrap their membership bid.

For which I am grateful.

After the illegal invasion of North Cyprus and illegal settlement of colonist from Anatolia, Turkey well know that respect for Cyprus is one of the top conditions to join EU.

You know, this whole Cyprus issue sheds colourful light at their anti-Israeli posturing. So, they're criticizing Israel for

a) invading a territory settled by another ethnic group;
b) driving some members of this ethnic group out of their homes, seizing their property and making them refugees;
c) settling members of a different ethnic group on the land thus vacated;
d) not wanting to return the occupied territories.

Even if all of that was true and Israel was guilty as charged, how is that different from what the Turks did on Cyprus? And I am not saying two wrongs make a right, but it reveals the sheer hypocrisy of their position

It's quite puzzling why they are doing it...
Does the government needs to surf over a nationalistic tide to keep itself in power or there is a better, long term, and more coherent plan about it?

Turkey has always been fiercely nationalistic. Now, add a bit of islamic populism into the mix, stir, and voilà...

 

[Tani Coyote]

actually it requires we should be voted out of NATO

...Since when was EU membership required to remain part of NATO?

the problem with Israel is more of a UN vote on Palestine issue so that Americans can argue ever increasing threats to Israel etc.

What? How does America factor in at all to Turkey's decision to escort aid ships going into Gaza?

It doesn't. Turkey is showing solidarity with the Palestinians, end of, regardless of what the Israelis think.

And it will be incredible to realise that we haven't been begging

Turkey may not be "begging," but they're all too happy to reap the rewards of being a Western ally. As such, they will saber rattle, but would never anger the West too much because that means an easy source of money and aid goes away.

 

[Joecoolyo]

To an extent, so does Turkey.

Mmm yes, they're more regional though. They don't have the power to romp around both Europe and the Middle East.