Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

Kivanç Galip Över: Let’s expose the real face of the Greek Cypriot administration


  The Greek Cypriot administration was not pleased with rumors of a new U.N. initiative concerning Cyprus. It doesn't want to appear intransigent to the international community, but wants to get what it wants piece by piece.

  It wants to be seen as the side that seeks a solution, but its real face has been exposed.

  Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, also known as ?Mr. No,? is against a set timetable for a Cyprus solution or a mediator for the matter. Such preconditions prevent any talks from moving forward. Despite the efforts by the Greek Cypriot administration, the world agreed to put an end to embargoes imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) after the April 2004 referenda. The European Union's efforts to keep its promises to the KKTC were blocked by Greek Cyprus. It wants to control all aid going to the KKTC and block direct trade relations.

  Papadopoulos wants to keep the KKTC weak in order to push it into accepting his conditions. Moreover, he is still trying to portray Turkey as responsible for the continued KKTC isolation, even though it is Greek Cyprus that is to blame.

  The isolation of Turkish Cypriots began in 1963, when President Makarios violated the 1959 and 1960 treaties that set out guidelines for power sharing, thus protecting the Turks. Papadopoulos was a member of his team. Turkish Cypriots were pushed out of large cities, forced to migrate to the north of the island and were prevented from doing business. Turks faced significant pressure to hide their ethnic identities. Had it not been for the Turkish military, the Turkish Cypriots could have faced a calamity similar to the Holocaust.

  Before and after the coup of 1974, numerous Turks were massacred in Cyprus. The international community turned a blind eye to the developments while Turkey was forced to act as a supporting power to the KKTC.

  The Greek Cypriots should acknowledge their culpability in the affair and apologize to the Turkish Cypriots. Papadopoulos, in a recent interview with Arab daily Al-Khaleej, shamelessly claimed that not a single Turk had been killed between 1963 and 1974.

  U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is well aware of Papadopoulos' lack of desire for a settlement.

  Despite the disinformation campaign waged by the Greek Cypriot administration, some countries are initiating steps to end the KKTC's isolation. Israel has approved private investment in the KKTC. Israeli economic magazine Hebrew-Globes reported that the Israeli government was prepared to invest in the KKTC. The magazine said Israeli businessmen would be encouraged to invest there.

  Russia, which remains impartial on the matter, has the political will to cooperate with both parties. At the Organization of the Islamic Conference meeting in June 2004, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with KKTC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas¸. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog<breve>an during his visit to Turkey in December 2004 that he supported the Annan plan and that KKTC's isolation was unfair.

  If Russia approves the Annan report currently in the U.N. Security Council, it will leave a substantial mark on the peace process.

  The report notes measures needed required to end the KKTC's isolation, names Papadopoulos as the only obstacle to peace and states his concerns about the Greek Cypriot unwillingness to share their prosperity with their Turkish counterparts.

  Putin's statements about ending the KKTC's isolation caused panic among the Greek Cypriot leadership. Papadopoulos scheduled a visit to Russia just to persuade the Russian leader.

  The time to show the real face of Greek Cyprus is now. The EU should exercise its political will and fulfill its promises. Otherwise it will risk damaging its reputation. The end of the KKTC's isolation will be a boost to a settlement.

  The negotiations should be carried out under U.N. auspices while both sides do their best to establish a lasting peace.  

[brother]

‘One step forward, two steps back’
By By Jean Christou


PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos used his official visit to Hungary as a platform to launch a critical attack on the Turkish side yesterday.

Papadopoulos, who for the past week has been sparring with Turkish Cypriot ‘Prime Minister’ Mehmet Ali Talat, was speaking at a joint news conference in Budapest with his Hungarian counterpart Ferenc Madl.

Commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to have UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan resume Cyprus talks, Papadopoulos said he was not aware of any such initiative.

The initiative Erdogan had in mind was adherence to the Annan plan, which had been rejected by Greek Cypriots in referendum, he said.

“Annan expresses the view that there are now no prospects for a resumption of the dialogue but my opinion is to co-operate so that, if possible, those circumstances are created for such a resumption,” Papadopoulos said.

He added that Ankara usually appeared to take a step forward, when in fact it was taking two steps back.

“An example for this is the continuous and organised arrival of Turkish settlers in Cyprus and the selling of Greek Cypriot property to foreigners,” Papadopoulos said.

The government has recently written to international organisations expressing its concern over a new wave of Turkish settlers coming to the island. Thousands have been brought in over the past few months, according to reports.

Papadopoulos said that his government’s aim remained a just and viable solution to the Cyprus issue and expressed his desire for a greater input from the EU in reaching a settlement.

“We hope for a more active involvement on behalf of the EU in the efforts to solve the Cyprus issue, which we hope will be undertaken by the United Nations,” he said.

Mandl said Hungary supported the efforts by the government towards a solution, and that his country also “applauded the European perspective of Turkey”.

“As it was stated at the European summit, this willingness on behalf of the EU does not mean any commitment for the accession of Turkey to the Union yet, because Turkey has to comply with a number of conditions set by the EU and one of them is the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus,” he said.

“There are more conditions… this is not a stance of prejudice against Turkey's accession.”

Before leaving for Hungary on Sunday, Papadopoulos said Turkey’s obligations to the EU “do not depend on individuals”. He said the Turkish side must base its positions for a settlement on principles and UN resolutions.

“It is not a one-way deal, it takes reciprocity and the response of the Turkish Cypriot side,” he said.

Papadooulos called Talat to allow trade to the north since his government had already made many concessions with regard to trade regulations.

”If Mr Talat wants to show his positive intentions, then the first thing he has to do is to allow products from the southern government-controlled part of Cyprus to the occupied north,” Papadopoulos said.

The comments came in response to an interview Talat gave to Politis, which was published on Sunday. Talat said Papadopoulos was negative and stubborn towards progress on the issue and the implementation of EU regulations, and that as far as he could see, there would be no progress in the next three years, the remainder of Papadopoulos’ current term in office.

[-mikkie2-]

Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, also known as ?Mr. No,?

Err, the Turkish press really are confused. Denktas is widely known as 'Mr No'!

[brother]

No arguement there, but tassos after the referandum and his current policy in refraining to come to talks and no ideas on the changes for the annan plan or ideas for solution, he is now sharing the Mr.No title.

Now we both have one each

[turkcyp]

Err, the Turkish press really are confused. Denktas is widely known as 'Mr No'!

Yes. It has been decided!!! There can only be one "Mr. No". "Taklitlerinden sakinininiz"...

[magikthrill]

The Greek Cypriots should acknowledge their culpability in the affair and apologize to the Turkish Cypriots. Papadopoulos, in a recent interview with Arab daily Al-Khaleej, shamelessly claimed that not a single Turk had been killed between 1963 and 1974.

If this is true about Papadopoulos (let's face it you can't take the author of this article seriously) then that is very wrong. This is just like Turkey's claims that the Armenian genocide is a hoax.

Of course, the GCs should apologize to Turkey, after of course Turkey apologizes to the Armenians, the Kurds, the Greeks and the GCs. In each single case I believe more people have been harasses/killed than TCs in Cyprus.

[insan]

Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, also known as ?Mr. No,?

Err, the Turkish press really are confused. Denktas is widely known as 'Mr No'!

The Turkish press is not confused, mikkie. The author said that "also"... Everyone knows that Tassos has been against all proposals for a solution to the Cyprus problem; including London-Zurich agreements. If he has been in power, in the last 45 years like Denktash; he would have rejected all proposals that Denktash rejected and accepted. Tassos is coming from Makarios tradition, therefore he can't change his stance. He devoted his life for the cause of Hellenismos Kypros. We wll know what's the cause of the Makarios and his successors. We well know what's the cause of Grivas and his extremist followers. We are on the road to nowhere, anyway.

Towards the end of this year; I guess a war against Iran and its consequences will change the world's agenda and priorities. There's no doubt this time, the fire of war will be spreaded to whole middle-east and Europe. The terrorist attacks will turn the big capitals of Europe into shambles. You better look yourself a bomb-proof shelter or a safer place to flee. After the 10 years will last war we may sit down and start talking where we left it; if of course, we could have managed to survive...

[Saint Jimmy]

Towards the end of this year; I guess a war against Iran and its consequences will change the world's agenda and priorities. There's no doubt this time, the fire of war will be spreaded to whole middle-east and Europe. The terrorist attacks will turn the big capitals of Europe into shambles. You better look yourself a bomb-proof shelter or a safer place to flee. After the 10 years will last war we may sit down and start talking where we left it; if of course, we could have managed to survive...

[metecyp]

Towards the end of this year; I guess a war against Iran and its consequences will change the world's agenda and priorities. There's no doubt this time, the fire of war will be spreaded to whole middle-east and Europe. The terrorist attacks will turn the big capitals of Europe into shambles. You better look yourself a bomb-proof shelter or a safer place to flee. After the 10 years will last war we may sit down and start talking where we left it; if of course, we could have managed to survive...

I'm impressed by your imagination...really.

[Saint Jimmy]

Before and after the coup of 1974, numerous Turks were massacred in Cyprus.