Direct Trade

They're several personalities making the news today--all raising the same point and that is direct trade between the EU and Northern Turkish breakaway State. Mr. Talat who was addressing the conference at Sabanci University in Turkey said “End of isolation will bring Greek Cypriots to negotiating table.” Mehmet Ali Birand from the Turkish Daily News also brought up the same issue in his column. Mr. Birand reminded us today once again of who rejected the Annan Plan. He starts off his article by saying “Following a "no" vote from the Greek Cypriots in a referendum on the Annan plan”… and then he goes on to say that there is no direct trade between the EU and Northern Cyprus because of the “lies Papadopulos told the EU.” Isnt direct trade an economic attribute of an independent state? Who are these people kidding? In his article, Mr. Birand goes on to criticize Rauf Denktas for not being cunning enough with the previous plans for if he was…Cyprus might not have been admitted in the EU. I remember reading a lot of news articles back then and I don’t recall any columnists from Turkey criticizing Rauf Denktas for his strong opposition to previous plans. In the last few lines of Mr. Birand’s article, he concludes by saying “And that is the story of how we arrived at the point at which we are today with the Greek Cypriots, who hate us.” He categorizes all Greek Cypriots as hating Turks. What an absurd statement to make by a Turkish columnist who is clearly throwing up a smoke screen. Maybe Mr. Birand can tell us which group of people actually enjoy being forcefully displaced?