Latest news with #EU-Turkey
12 hours ago
- Politics
EU help in healing Cyprus' ethnic split could bring benefits to all, officials say
NICOSIA, Cyprus -- The European Union can help resolve Cyprus' decades-old ethnic division by underscoring to all sides in the dispute that a peace accord would bring with benefits and a significant improvement in relations with the 27-member bloc, officials said Tuesday. Johannes Hahn, the EU envoy for Cyprus, held his first meeting Tuesday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in his new capacity, which officials hope will build momentum toward reviving stalled negotiations led by the United Nations. Cyprus was cleaved along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup that aimed to unify the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island's northern third where Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops. Hahn said after the discussion with Christodoulides Tuesday that he would reach out to all stakeholders, including Turkey, to help build confidence and support for Maria Angela Holguin, who is heading up peace efforts as the envoy to Cyprus representing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Asked how the EU could help bridge what appear to be diametrically opposed positions held by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, Hahn said 'all parties have particular interests related to the European Union and this is exactly what I try to figure out in all my meetings.' Although Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern Greek Cypriot part where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full membership benefits. Turkey began EU membership talks in 2005, but those have stalled over its refusal to recognize the Cypriot government as the island's sole legal authority. Turkey remains keen to conclude visa liberalization talks with the EU that began in 2013. Cyprus backs closer EU-Turkey ties as long as there is clear progress on Cyprus peace talks, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. The primary obstacle to restarting peace talks is Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a deal that would recognize two states on the island. This goes against a peace blueprint endorsed by the the U.N. Security Council that foresees a federated Cyprus with Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking zones. Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkey also insists the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions.
San Francisco Chronicle
13 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
EU help in healing Cyprus' ethnic split could bring benefits to all, officials say
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The European Union can help resolve Cyprus' decades-old ethnic division by underscoring to all sides in the dispute that a peace accord would bring with benefits and a significant improvement in relations with the 27-member bloc, officials said Tuesday. Johannes Hahn, the EU envoy for Cyprus, held his first meeting Tuesday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in his new capacity, which officials hope will build momentum toward reviving stalled negotiations led by the United Nations. Cyprus was cleaved along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup that aimed to unify the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island's northern third where Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops. Hahn said after the discussion with Christodoulides Tuesday that he would reach out to all stakeholders, including Turkey, to help build confidence and support for Maria Angela Holguin, who is heading up peace efforts as the envoy to Cyprus representing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Asked how the EU could help bridge what appear to be diametrically opposed positions held by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, Hahn said 'all parties have particular interests related to the European Union and this is exactly what I try to figure out in all my meetings.' Although Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern Greek Cypriot part where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full membership benefits. Turkey began EU membership talks in 2005, but those have stalled over its refusal to recognize the Cypriot government as the island's sole legal authority. Turkey remains keen to conclude visa liberalization talks with the EU that began in 2013. Cyprus backs closer EU-Turkey ties as long as there is clear progress on Cyprus peace talks, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. The primary obstacle to restarting peace talks is Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a deal that would recognize two states on the island. This goes against a peace blueprint endorsed by the the U.N. Security Council that foresees a federated Cyprus with Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking zones. Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkey also insists the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
EU help in healing Cyprus' ethnic split could bring benefits to all, officials say
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The European Union can help resolve Cyprus' decades-old ethnic division by underscoring to all sides in the dispute that a peace accord would bring with benefits and a significant improvement in relations with the 27-member bloc, officials said Tuesday. Johannes Hahn, the EU envoy for Cyprus, held his first meeting Tuesday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in his new capacity, which officials hope will build momentum toward reviving stalled negotiations led by the United Nations. Cyprus was cleaved along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup that aimed to unify the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a 1983 Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island's northern third where Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops. Hahn said after the discussion with Christodoulides Tuesday that he would reach out to all stakeholders, including Turkey, to help build confidence and support for Maria Angela Holguin, who is heading up peace efforts as the envoy to Cyprus representing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Asked how the EU could help bridge what appear to be diametrically opposed positions held by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, Hahn said 'all parties have particular interests related to the European Union and this is exactly what I try to figure out in all my meetings.' Although Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, only the southern Greek Cypriot part where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full membership benefits. Turkey began EU membership talks in 2005, but those have stalled over its refusal to recognize the Cypriot government as the island's sole legal authority. Turkey remains keen to conclude visa liberalization talks with the EU that began in 2013. Cyprus backs closer EU-Turkey ties as long as there is clear progress on Cyprus peace talks, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said. The primary obstacle to restarting peace talks is Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a deal that would recognize two states on the island. This goes against a peace blueprint endorsed by the the U.N. Security Council that foresees a federated Cyprus with Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking zones. Greek Cypriots reject any agreement that would formalize partition, fearing Turkey would seek to control the entire island in light of its demand to maintain a permanent troop presence and military intervention rights in Cyprus. Turkey also insists the minority Turkish Cypriots should have veto rights over all federal government decisions.
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Pascal Blanchard : «Today, we're inventing countries of departure, destination, and waiting»
مدة القراءة: 3' How do you assess the evolution of migration policy in Africa, particularly in Morocco? Are African countries still under European influence, or are they asserting their own vision more strongly? That's a broad question. To put it simply: for a long time, migration policies were shaped solely from the perspective of destination countries—namely, the West. Migration flows were either restricted, organized, or redirected. But the world has changed. We are no longer in the era of empires. Countries of origin, or transit countries, have started to be integrated into migration policies. We're no longer working only with immediate countries of origin, but also with those on the periphery. And what does this periphery offer? It allows for the anticipation of departures, the blocking of arrivals, or the «storage» of migrants. Migration has become a diplomatic issue. The link between migration and development has been explored, and we've started thinking in terms of larger geographic zones. It became clear that migration is not linear. People don't leave point A to go directly to point B, they often pass through five or six countries. «South-South» migration often precedes «South-North» migration. And all of this means that countries previously on the margins of migration policy, like Morocco, are now becoming central. We see the same dynamic in Southeast Asia, along China's borders, or between Papua New Guinea and Australia. The world is changing. Today, we can map migration across three categories: destination countries, origin countries, and intermediary countries. This is a new reality and it's the future. Morocco finds itself between two worlds. It is no longer just a country of departure, which it still is, nor merely a country of destination, which it is increasingly becoming, although that perception is not yet widespread. It is also a key transit country, a mediator between North and South. Is migration becoming a political issue in its own right? It already is. We're witnessing the commodification of migration flow management. There's a transactional relationship between wealthy and poorer countries, and that relationship generates potential financial gain. Look at Libya, or the EU-Turkey agreement, it's massive. The same applies to Tunisia and Italy, or the UK's plan to send migrants to Rwanda. They were talking about more than €110,000 per migrant! So yes, there is a migration economy. It has long existed informally, through smugglers, in the Sahara, the Mediterranean, the English Channel. But today, this economy is being institutionalized. States and major international organizations are taking hold of it. And it's not stopping anytime soon. The model of «peripheral camps» is becoming entrenched. It was tested on the Rohingya, on Syrian refugees. Tomorrow, it will apply to climate migrants. We will pay Southern countries to host 2, 3, even 10 million people. It will be outsourced migrant management. And this model isn't limited to poor countries. There's a logic: yes, a migrant costs money, but yes, a migrant also generates revenue. It's harsh to say, but it's reality. And we prefer for it to happen far from home. And that instinct isn't uniquely European, Moroccans also prefer that it doesn't happen in their own country. In light of these changes, where do you think we're headed? Toward an institutionalized outsourcing model, a fully assumed political economy of migration, and the multiplication of buffer zones. We are entering a new logic where migration becomes a diplomatic lever, even a tool of geopolitical pressure. We saw it with Turkey and Europe. We see it with Morocco and Spain. With Tunisia and Italy. With Libya, despite its instability. Countries acting as intermediaries are becoming indispensable players. They negotiate, bargain, resist, or cooperate. It's no coincidence that the African Union chose Rabat as the headquarters of its Migration Observatory. Morocco is not an isolated case, but rather an emblematic example of these global shifts.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top EU lawmaker says Turkey ties at risk after İmamoğlu's jailing
The leader of the conservative European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament has said that the basis for cooperation between the EU and Turkey is at risk following the imprisonment of Turkish opposition politician Ekrem İmamoğlu. "The EU wants a close partnership with Turkey, but that can only work on the basis of shared values," EPP leader Manfred Weber told dpa, adding that the use of the judiciary as a political weapon was incompatible with these values. Weber accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of leading the country "on the wrong track," adding that the rule of law and democracy in Turkey were at risk. İmamoğlu, a key rival of Erdoğan, was jailed on Sunday over corruption charges and is facing a separate probe over terror allegations. He denies the charges. On Sunday he was also "temporarily" suspended as mayor of Istanbul. Despite his imprisonment, Turkey's main opposition party, the secular CHP, named İmamoğlu as its presidential candidate on Sunday. Possible cancellation of talks under discussion In the EU, the possible cancellation of planned talks on expanding cooperation with Turkey was discussed in light of the recent developments. The talks had been announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen just days before İmamoğlu's arrest. According to available information, preparations had been made for an EU-Turkey dialogue on economic issues in April, as well as another on migration and security. The plans were based on a mandate from EU heads of state and government at a summit in April 2024, where it was agreed that relations with Turkey should be strengthened if possible — particularly given its key role in stabilizing the eastern Mediterranean and addressing migration challenges. Previously, initiatives such as the modernization of the customs union and visa liberalization had been put on hold due to concerns over the rule of law, fundamental rights and freedom of expression in Turkey.
