"It is not Cyprus standing in the way of Turkey's accession to the EU
The real stumbling block is its illegal occupation of our republic since 1974
Martin Kettle's claim that the EU's relationship with Turkey is 'held hostage by the atavistic parochialism of a Greek Cypriot statelet', in his article on Turkish membership of the EU (Disgracefully, Turkey's EU accession bid is going nowhere soon, 29 October), portrays a lack of understanding of the fundamental principles of the union. Population and GDP have never been prerequisites either for EU membership or for statehood. Aggression and the threat of use of force, however, have always been incompatible with the founding principles and goals of the EU. Let us not forget that historically it emerged out of the ruins of the second world war, aiming at the reunification and pacification of the continent."
More:Response: It is not Cyprus standing in the way of Turkey's accession to the EU | Comment is free | The Guardian
