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Our adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....
  
There has been lots in the newspapers this week about the commencement of EU entry talks for Turkey, after a lot of political to and fro as usual. A sort of will they, won't they situation. I don't think anybody believes that it is going to be an easy ride and the feeling seems to be for a 10 year period before they get in, or maybe even more years than that.
A couple of things have however come to light. First the Greek Cypriot veto is still in place against the EU financial and trade assistance to Northern Cyprus, promised after the referendum. That's not really a big surprise and only what we expect from them. The Greek Cypriots are still trying to use the EU to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, mainly because they have a vote and some control. Strange how 350,000 people can hold 100 million in the EU to ransom by just the power of the veto. On the positive side, the President of the EU has been on a visit to Cyprus, guess w
hich side he visited ( no prizes for the right answer) and he made it very plain in his closing speech that the opening of negotiations with Turkey was going to play an important part in ensuring a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem. He likened the problem to a "family dispute" which was no longer sustainable and said that the unification of the island was now indispensable. Probably much to the disgust of the south, he did go on to reiterate the role of the EU and reconfirmed that the united nations was the sole and only platform on which the two communities could sit together and resolve their issues. He also announced a new contact group in the European Parliament was going to deal with the issue of direct trade and financial aid promised to the Turkish Cypriots to lift the Turkish Cypriots out of isolation. Don't hold your breath folks. Cynical or what?
As a result of all this, an article by the editor of Cyprus Times should be of interest to all. As a result of the failure by the Greek Cypriots to divert the problem of the divided island to the EU and having to accept that the UN is the guide to settlement, the Annan Plan is back on the table as being the basis of negotiation. Under the Annan plan it quite clearly states that if you have acquired property after 1974 and have improved it from its original condition, the new occupier has the right to buy from the original owner or sell on. The Annan plan guarantees that no one will lose their investment. The article goes on in more detail about mortgages for the locals etc, but should make people feel much more secure in their beds and maybe start to lift the property market again.
This one is a special request for Caron, Michael and Barbara's daughter. Take a look at what they are spending your inheritance on Caron. One of a pair now.
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