Comments on: Cyprus and Iraq http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/cyprus-and-iraq/ European Opinion Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:05:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: David Officer http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/cyprus-and-iraq/#comment-2744 David Officer Thu, 26 Feb 2004 16:14:37 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=392#comment-2744 For those who may be interested in the course of the accession of Cyprus and the possible transformation of the Cyprus Problem a new Cyprus based blog "Changing Trains - Cyprus in Transition" is up and running. For those who may be interested in the course of the accession of Cyprus and the possible transformation of the Cyprus Problem a new Cyprus based blog “Changing Trains - Cyprus in Transition” is up and running.

]]> By: FransGroenendijk http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/europe-and-the-world/cyprus-and-iraq/#comment-2743 FransGroenendijk Mon, 23 Feb 2004 06:57:00 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/wordpress/?p=392#comment-2743 Although long indeed and "old" (in the blogosphere) it's a nice article indeed. One remark on the "landslide" victory of Erdogans "Justice and Development Party" who "won the elections far more easily than anyone had expected". The huge majority in parliament they actually owe to the old parties that raised the electoral treshold to keep small parties out but committed suicide through this. Erdogan's party won very little compared to previous regional elections. Discussion at Crooked Timber continues. I conclude my contribution over there with "....it could trigger a chain of events all very positive. Of course this was the objective of getting rid of Saddam but that first step had lots of negative consequences immediately. On beforehand even. But otoh all that positive events need huge efforts still. Turkeys membership of the EU is not that unthinkable as some seem to judge it, -actually the discussion on Turkey's membership in the Netherlands concentrates on whether Turkey's membership will slip through without enough debate!- but it needs real courage from European politicians on international politics. I hope "Turkey" will play an important role in the upcoming EP-elections and indeed "that the EU will demand a complete cessation of torture as a precondition of entry for Turkey." Although long indeed and “old” (in the blogosphere) it’s a nice article indeed.
One remark on the “landslide” victory of Erdogans “Justice and Development Party” who “won the elections far more easily than anyone had expected”.
The huge majority in parliament they actually owe to the old parties that raised the electoral treshold to keep small parties out but committed suicide through this. Erdogan’s party won very little compared to previous regional elections.
Discussion at Crooked Timber continues.

I conclude my contribution over there with “….it could trigger a chain of events all very positive. Of course this was the objective of getting rid of Saddam but that first step had lots of negative consequences immediately. On beforehand even.
But otoh all that positive events need huge efforts still.
Turkeys membership of the EU is not that unthinkable as some seem to judge it, -actually the discussion on Turkey’s membership in the Netherlands concentrates on whether Turkey’s membership will slip through without enough debate!- but it needs real courage from European politicians on international politics. I hope “Turkey” will play an important role in the upcoming EP-elections and indeed “that the EU will demand a complete cessation of torture as a precondition of entry for Turkey.”

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