[WordSkill]

No, I had not been following it, interesting, thank you for drawing my attention to it.

Based on the relevant Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus%E2%80%93Turkey_maritime...) and a few other sources I briefly looked over, it appears that the nub of the argument is that, due to a different, earlier dispute with Greece, Turkey was one of only 15 countries (including Venezuela, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Kyrgyzstan) that refused to sign UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Under international law, Cyprus has a right to certain areas of sea around its internationally recognized territory. All 167 countries who signed UNCLOS agree with the principle of territorial waters.

Turkey's invasion and annexation of the north of the island was against international rules at the time and has never been recognized as legal by any other country. Even today, Turkey is the only country which recognizes Northern Cyprus.

Now that gas deposits have been discovered in Cypriot waters, the Turks have threatened military action against any equipment installed to extract that gas. No other country believes that this would be anything other than an illegal interference in another country's territory.

Again, I do not see how this strong man nationalism and isolationism is helping the Turkish people. If Turkey had not invaded Cyprus in 1974 it would probably have become a full member of the EU by the late 1980's, shortly after Greece. That would, I believe, have been of great benefit to the Turkish economy and the Turkish people, including better human rights and better relations with neighboring countries.

[tugberkk]

It is obvious that you like to read and know many things. Please research the reasons of the invasion. Innocent people and families (babies included) were killed by force, people were massacred. You can find pictures online, not that hard. You can still see the bullet holes in houses and bathtubs in Turkish houses.

I was personally sorry to see this phrase "If Turkey had not invaded Cyprus.." Being a full member is definitely not a choice when compared to dying citizens. These are all theories.

I also think that a country with Muslim majority and Ottoman background would never be accepted in European Union.

[gorkemyurt]

UNCLOS is problematic when it comes to islands, disputes are usually solved on 1-1 agreements between countries or not solved like South China Sea. Google "Kastellorizo", a small island between Rhodes and Cyprus. Greece claims EZ on almost all the waters between Cyprus and Rhodes because of these 3 small islands.

Cyprus should not have been admitted to EU before accepting the Annan plan, unfortunately they were and now the last generation of Cypriot Turks and Greeks are getting old a solution is still far away..

Countries have no problem recognizing "British Overseas Territories" scattered around the world, conveniently 2 large town sized military bases in Cyprus, but when it comes to a less powerful country like Turkey using military power, this is reason for international isolation. Erdogan is taking it way too far now but it's been like this before him too. It's ruthless out there.

[WordSkill]

> UNCLOS is problematic when it comes to islands

No, it really is not. It is exactly how 167 countries have agreed that maritime territory should be allocated. China's island-making shenanigans in the South China Sea are merely an attempt to hack that agreed standard.

What is problematic is Turkey's unique claim that islands should only be entitled to a 12 nautical mile territory rather than the usual 200 that Turkey and other countries are entitled to. Highly convenient for a country with lots of nearby islands inhabited by other people.

> Cyprus should not have been admitted to EU before accepting the Annan plan

The invasion was illegal by any internationally accepted standard. Therefore, the invaded people were under no obligation to accept any compromise. They democratically rejected it. It would have been against the core principles of the EU to withhold membership until they voted "the right way".

Delaying Turkey membership on the basis of invading other countries, or its human rights record, is different. That is about getting them to align with those principles before joining. Ultimately, the government of Turkey decided that their own principles were better aligned to the fast-growing nations of the Middle-East.

[gorkemyurt]

Colonization was an internationally accepted standard doesn't mean it was fair.

Turkey and Ottoman Empire before her, was forced to sign many deals that hindered her development and let European counties pillage all the resources, this is just another one.

[StavrosK]

On the other hand, Turkey claims that islands don't count, even when they've been inhabited by Greeks for millennia. Kastelorizo isn't some rock, it's an actual inhabited island and tourist destination. Might as well argue that Crete doesn't count towards an EEZ.

[mrighele]

> Might as well argue that Crete doesn't count towards an EEZ.

This is more or less what they did with their maritime deal with Libya's GNA [1]

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libya%E2%80%93Turkey_maritim...

[StavrosK]

And Rhodes is right out. Yay.

[gorkemyurt]

Well mainland Turkey is also inhabited by Greeks for a millennia they all converted to another religion and not called Greeks anymore. I don't think we can decide what's right and what's wrong by trying to analyze flimsy political identities.

[StavrosK]

We can't decide what's right and what's wrong with any criteria, except for all the criteria.