By Chris Elliott……
Friday the 24 June the world woke up to the unbelievable news that a referendum in the UK had returned a majority vote to leave the EU.
In the following 3 days we saw signs of not only UK but international financial losses with rampant suggestions where the misery may or may not end.
The EU fearful of an Exit contagion, demanded that the UK initiate article 50 by no later than 28th June and proved the point that they are political bullies. Following the Brexit vote Prime Minister David Cameron announced he would stand down and be on hand until a new Prime Minister was elected who would have the responsibility of enacting article 50. News from London now is that a new Prime Minister will be elected and in place by early September so it seems the EU will have to grin and bear it which will give them time to put right some of their failings which may please some of the other exit minded countries.
If that was not enough uncertainty, many other spanners were thrown in the works with the British Labour party going into meltdown with many shadow front benchers resigning in protest at the poor leadership of their leader. Now it was the time of Scotland to start dreaming again of becoming a separate country and then from Northern Ireland mutterings of perhaps joining with Eire. OMG many people were saying where will it end. The truth is – no one knows.
So from 2,200 odd miles away in North Cyprus what perhaps are expats and others thinking about this European sideshow?
If the UK large or small leaves the EU will the south of Cyprus turn screws on the UK expats and perhaps even jump on the hobby horse of demanding the British leave their military bases and then who would South Cyprus offer them to – Russia, China, France, Israel and the list goes on.
Seeing the US running around trying to get the UK and the EU talking amicably to each other there are many more issues than were at first apparent.
So what of dear old North Cyprus which has continued to ask for a fair hand from the UK, the EU and so many others only to be ignored for 50 plus years. Well they have continued with good faith to negotiate for a settlement of the Cyprus problem with the other side moving the goal posts and for what reward? EU membership??
Do they still want to be in the EU? Let’s throw another spanner in the works as everyone else is acting like mad hatters.
Firstly massive quantities of piped water are due to flow round the TRNC very soon and much of it will be used to help boost the agricultural industry. Just imagine oranges, lemons, curved bananas, melons, strawberries, olives, potatoes, tomatoes and many more salad items will be grown and then we have Hellim, Turkish Yogurt and Turkish Delight. So what could we do with it, well why not offer to supply the UK as they will be looking for new trading partners and we have a spare airport at Geçitkale mothballed and just waiting to be turned into a transport hub.
Ercan airport is fast being expanded to become an unrecognised international standard airport as we speak and offers could be made to the UK as departing EU member to start direct flights with tourists, imports and exports flowing in both directions.
With many in the UK saying they should be given special treatment or deals by the EU after barely one week of a UK Brexit vote, the Turkish Cypriots are entitled after 50 years of broken promises from the EU and the UK to fair treatment, unless suggestions of the EU being a Christian Club are nearer to the truth than they would have us believe.
A mad hatters dream perhaps, but with the mad hatters tea party currently in progress we may even see the TRNC offer many fine buildings and good low cost workers to the International Banking Sector and others, if they decide to depart from the UK.
As you say, Chris, something of a dream but nothing wrong with dreaming! As to the British Sovereign bases, they are just that – British Sovereign territory and the British will stay there for as long as they wish. In this, they differ from the American bases in Britain, which were leased and always on British land.
Thank you Ray, I think my feet are nearer to the ground than a lot of dreamers in the UK who are losing the plot on reality by the minute.
Not, alas, that the TRNC ever benefitted very much from British support in the EU Parliament, except for the efforts of MEPs Baroness Ludford and Sir Graham Watson;but we have just voted to leave this influential body, thus denying ourselves another means of exercising our status as “Guarantor power”. Some might say that power was now “more honoured in the breach than the observance.”
As you and Shakespear said John, “Much Ado About Nothing”
Well said Chris, perhaps you should be on the negotiating team, both in TRNC & the EU
Thank you Roger,
Living in the TRNC gives you a close insight to the reality of the Cyprus issue which is often lost by some pundits who live thousands of miles away
I think it would be a great idea for Britain to trade with the trnc and let the EU see that countries can trade freely without all the red tap and restrictions that go with being a member of a very expensive club
Thank you Neil for your thoughts on the Brexit issue.
Will we notice any difference having lived in a non EU country for the past 11 year and now being a holder of a non EU country passport??.No intentions of going back to the UK and if I didn’t need a passport for all the burocracy here wouldn’t bother to renew it!!
Thank you for your question Carole which is not easy to answer at the moment.
Firstly there are many in the UK who do not want to accept the Brexit decision and are demanding the leave vote be reversed.
Secondly the EU have been making it clear that they want the UK to issue article 50 (a letter of resignation) as soon as possible and to leave the EU. This is not likely to be submitted until there is a new Prime Minister in the UK which will be no later than 2nd September 2016.
When article 50 is initiated by the UK it will take 2 years it seems before the UK is finally out of the EU.
So back to the question of passports, it seems that existing British EU passports will be valid up to the time when the UK leaves the EU. We have seen comments that the UK passport authority are not planning to replace these until they need replacing at the end of the validity which may be after the date when the UK leaves the EU.
In the meanwhile will other countries take a different view of UK EU passports and treat the bearer as non EU members at a date they determine? We will just have to wait and see.
Interesting. Just a couple of points.
SBAs are not leased or rented to UK by RoC. RoC can’t demand that they leave. 1960 treaty of establishment allowed Cyprus to become an independent Republic, free from British control. Within the agreement, two Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) at Akrotiri and Dhekelia were identified as real estate that would remain as British sovereign territory and therefore remain under British jurisdiction.
All of Cyprus is in the EU, but the application of the Aquis Communitaire (EC laws) are ‘suspended’ in the north because the Government does not exercise effective control. Should the island be ‘reunited’ automatically the T/C federated state will be part of the E.U. and all Turkish Cypriots, in the same way as all East Germans, will be citizens of the Union”. They will not have to apply or be invited.
Thank you P Bramley,
You have made a couple of very valid points but we all know that in the murky world of politics, the truth is hard to find and not freely given.
As we said, the old chestnut may be banded about again regarding the British Bases by the extremist for political gain and talking about that, the RoC have taken yet another step that could upset EU members, Nato, the US and Ukraine for major gain through their love of conducting the International Musical Chairs game with everyone.
Cyprus news Report
“Cyprus’ parliament passed a resolution on lifting the sanctions imposed by the EU against Russia, thus making the country the first EU member that has requested the sanctions be removed.”
One thing is for sure the TRNC goalkeeper at the peace talks is playing a fine game despite the RoC continuing to move the goal posts and the TRNC side just need to watch out for a Trojan Horse being kicked in their direction.