Cyprus-Forum.com

[paliometoxo]

Yet another breach of international law and

provocative violation of sovereignty’



By Menelaos Hadjicostis


NICOSIA slammed Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s trip to the occupied north as proof of Ankara’s gambit to scuttle reunification and deepen the divide along religious lines.

Moreover, the symbolism of occupied Cyprus being Gul’s first trip outside Turkey was not lost on political leaders.

"This illegal visit is yet another breach of international law and another provocative violation of the Cyprus Republic’s sovereignty," Acting President Demetris Christofias told a Larnaca gathering.

In a scathing attack against Gul, Christofias said the international community should strongly denounce the visit whose timing undermines a fresh bid to get the July 8 agreement on track.

Protests have already been lodged with the European Commission. Cyprus’s permanent representative in Brussels Nicos Emiliou conveyed Nicosia’s anger to Director General for Enlargement Michael Leigh.

Christofias said what Gul’s visit accomplished was to punctuate the fact that Ankara is determined to formalise the island’s partition.

"Mr Gul arrives to the occupied north and addresses Mr Talat as ‘president’ and says that (Greek Cypriots) must accept de facto partition and to recognise a second state on Cyprus with which they have to come to terms."

‘Two states’

Gul said Cypriot reality is that there are "two states, two democracies two languages and two religions" on the island.

"It is difficult to find a settlement without taking these into account," Gul told reporters after talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

Christofias said Gul also sent out a clear message that a prerequisite to attaining the Turkish presidency is to acquiesce to the country’s all-powerful military establishment.

"The military establishment wants Cyprus hostage to Turkey…if this is the view of Mr Gul and (Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, then the situation appears even worse," said Christofias.

Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis said Gul simply "parroted" what the general’s wanted to hear as if he had to "pass an examination" for proper presidential behaviour.

In an earlier written statement, Kozakou-Marcoullis said Gul’s visit furnishes an answer to those who "assumed or where under the illusion" that Gul’s rise to power "might bring about some changes in Turkey’s tactics and policies" on Cyprus.

Explicit

She said Turkish officials – from Erdogan, to Gul and Turkish Grand National Assembly President Bulent Arinc – "explicitly and unequivocally stressed that Turkey’s aim is to promote international recognition of the illegal secessionist entity and the creation of two states in Cyprus".

Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas said Gul "now speaks clearly that (Ankara’s) aim is to create and entrench a state in the occupied north".

Palmas said Gul again raised the Turkish approval of the Annan Plan because the UN blueprint was heavily weighed in its favour and would not truly reunify the island.

Greek Foreign Ministry Spokesman George Koumoutsakos labelled Gul’s visit "an unproductive move against international legal order" that stand in the way of the swift implementation of the July 8 agreement.

Edek leader Yiannakis Omirou said the "bitter truth" is that Turkey’s Islamist government struck a deal with the generals to keep Cyprus in the army’s hands in exchange for political power.

Gul didn’t help his cause when he introduced religion as an element of what further drives the island’s two communities apart.

An angry Nicosia seized on that remark to put its finger on a raw nerve that Islamist Gul himself brought to the fore – religion drives the wedge deeper between a Muslim north and a Christian south.

With Western governments trying to build bridges between Islam and Christianity, the "two religions" remark prompted a high-profile rebuttal from British High Commissioner Peter Millett.

Political

"For us, the Cyprus issue is a political one and we don’t want it to become a religious difference," Millett told reporters after talks with Diko leader Marios Garoyan.

Garoyan responded that his party "unreservedly condemns" Gul’s remarks that for the first time cited religion as a point of difference between the two communities.

"Matters that bear no relation to the substance of the Cyprus issue shouldn’t be raised," said Garoyan.

Gul appeared to have gotten the message. In his address to the Turkish Cypriot ‘parliament’ a day later, the Turkish President spoke of "political equality and balance" as being key ingredients to a Cyprus settlement.

But not a word was uttered about religious differences.

Gul again dismissed President Tassos Papadopoulos’s remark that Cyprus’s only enemy is the Turkish occupation army.


http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/default. ... geID=304_2

[humanist]

Gul's statement may lead him to believe that partition will occur but at least the actions re-affirm my beliefs that Talat and his adminitration have no say on what happens on the Island. It is Cypriots against Turks.

[humanist]

basically what he is saying is talat your de man (turns head other way) you bloody fool I have you where i want you till my work is done. talat we will not let you down we have to aim to get into the EU and then will help you ...... turns head other side ........by letting you sink

[Eric dayi]

Nothing but whinging and whining by the GCs again just to prolong the inevitable.

[paliometoxo]

there u go dreaming again eric with all this inevitable talk.... no way will TRNC ever be recognised but anyone but turkey

[Viewpoint]

Looks like the tide has turned due to the lack of progress if Gul is saying partition is the only way forward this must have some support from either the US, UN or EU. Make up your minds as the longer there is no progress the higher chance of agreed partition or at worst relaxation of the isolation on the TRNC.

[Kifeas]

The problem is not what a Turk like Gul for instance, has uttered during his "visit" in Cyprus! The problem is that not even one single TC has stood up to tell him even a polite "shut up!"

[Viewpoint]

The problem is not what a Turk like Gul for instance, has uttered during his "visit" in Cyprus! The problem is that not even one single TC has stood up to tell him even a polite "shut up!"

Why do you think that is Kifeas?

[Kifeas]

The problem is not what a Turk like Gul for instance, has uttered during his "visit" in Cyprus! The problem is that not even one single TC has stood up to tell him even a polite "shut up!"

I believe what we GCs have only being left to do, is (a,) to gradually start preparing ourselves psychologically (and materially) that there is no such a thing as a peaceful settlement, liberation and re-unification of our country, and (b,) to explain in no uncertain terms to all our EU partners that an unrepentant invader, occupier, coloniser and usurper of another country’s and peoples’ heritage, properties and homeland; cannot possibly have an EU accession process!

[Kikapu]

Looks like the tide has turned due to the lack of progress if Gul is saying partition is the only way forward this must have some support from either the US, UN or EU. Make up your minds as the longer there is no progress the higher chance of agreed partition or at worst relaxation of the isolation on the TRNC.

Gul is just playing a "mind game" in trying to force some kind of an agreement with the RoC by throwing in the Partition word in there. Perhaps he thinks this will scare the GC's into an agreed partition on an agreed borders and not a forced one, which what it is today. Time is running out for Turkey and without looking like a loser to the RoC, come next year, when Turkey needs to "shit or get off the pot" regarding opening her ports to RoC, Gul is trying all he can to put pressure on the RoC. It is unfortunate, because it is giving false hope to all our Partitionist friends on the forum when Gul know full well, that a forced Partitioned "TRNC" is the "death nail into her EU accession's coffin".