Turkish membership in the European Union (EU) is like the alternative Islamic and Turanian options, more about permanent friendships than permanent interests. Defining European interests might now be seen in a historical development from national to milieu interests. Turkish interests in a Cyprus settlement are discussed in terms of the impact on the integrity of the Turkish state and economic interests. european interests are in creating peace in the Eastern Mediterranean and in taking seriously its new self-definition as a multicultural and security actor protecting minorities and human rights. A possible way forward from the present impasse on the island is for an international conference to define a new framework settlement, modelled on the Israeli-Palestine agreement on Jerusalem in 1995.

Cyprus --- Cyprus Question --- European Union membership --- Turkey --- accession process

Membership negotiations between the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union (EU) have so far had at best a rather ambiguous effect on the Cyprus conflict. While there was a last-minute push to enter face-to-face negotiations, the initial official Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot reaction was moving away from, and not towards a solution, and it is not clear at the time of writing whether a solution can be found within the scope of the current talks. Therefore, the 'cataclysmic effect' that the membership negotiations were initially proposed to have failed to materialize, which was due to a number of misguided assumptions about the conflict and the role of the EU therein. Nonetheless, this paper argues that the EU can have a positive role to play in the process towards a lasting and peaceful solution in Cyprus if both sides join the EU. This positive role is due to the postmodern features of the EU as an institutional and discursive framework that would allow actors to reconceptualize their identities and relations between each other. Although this framework does not automatically and in itself bring about change, the history of European integration illustrates the potentially subversive character of integration that makes the EU a particularly good framework within which the Cyprus conflict can be settled.

Cyprus --- Cyprus Question --- European Union --- European Union accession --- Turkey --- Greece

With its GDP per capita being high enough and already approaching Western Europe on averages, the Republic of Cyprus appears to be one of the best candidates for European Union (EU) membership and its negotiators are making rapid progress in accession negotiations with Brussels. Yet, the continuing stand-off between the island's Greek- and Cypriot communities raises questions as to the exact status under which Cyprus will soon accede to the EU. The article addresses this problem and outlines what seems most likely to happen with the signing of the accession agreement. Given that the issue might crucially affect the way the European order of the near future will be shaped, the article also discusses the implications Cyprus' accession could possibly have on EU-Turkey relations and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

Cyprus --- Cyprus Question --- European Union --- EU accesssion --- Greek Cypriots --- Turkish Cypriots --- Turkey --- Greece --- European Security and Defence Policy --- ESDP