Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

Greece did NOT support the Annan plan.

I live here and work in Greece since 1975. I followed the Annan process closely.

Karamanlis was in favor of a negotiated solution. This reflects the policy adopted a long time ago which is summarised as "Cyprus decided and Greece stands in support". Note that there is no mention of Greece's strategic and other interests on Cyprus. Apparently Greece has decided to withdraw from Cyprus and leave it to its own devices.

Days before the Burgenstock meeting, where the final decision was made, there were some "journalists" who appeared almost hourly on TV and radio talk broadcasts, supporting the plan. Coincidentally, some of those who did this are now displaying unmistakable signs of wealth. Like we say in Greek, coughing and money cannot be hidden. But that is another story.

There were many opposing voices, mostly from Cypriot intellectuals who live and work in Greece (no I am not one of them).

The impression cultivated in Greece was that Erdogan, whom Karamanlis regards as a friend, would arrive in Burgentstock with a package of inducements to the GC side which would encourage them to accept the plan. In the end there was no such package, but just the opposite- Erdogan boasted how Turkey had won the day without yielding an inch of territory. This statement by itself proved to the public in Greece that those supporting the plan were suspicious and those opposing it had been right all along.

If anyone wants names of those "media personalities" who supported the plan I can post them, although now it is not that relevant.But it is interesting to see the kind of argument they used. One them said on a TV talk show, responding to a Cypriot:

"I bet you are one of those EOKA people, a supporter of Matsis and Afxentiou, those two "heroes" of yours who carried out ethnic cleansing of Turkish Cypriots"." Both Matsis and Afxentiou were killed by the British in 1956, a full year before the first ethnic clashes on the island.

A former minister said that accepting the Annan plan was a one way street since the Greek side had been militarily and diplomatically defeated by Turkey. To which one Cypriot man responded, "so why dont you give them Chios, Samos and Mytilene, then?" . Said minister, when he lost his post, spent a whole year in the USA, the place he vilified as a leftist.

There are many such instances of mysterious support for the Annan plan, but they were never official. They were part of the media blitz encouraged and financed by foreign governments. We should ALL worry when foreigners are willing to bypass the people and spend money on such parrots for hire.

[DT.]

Greece did NOT support the Annan plan.

I live here and work in Greece since 1975. I followed the Annan process closely.

Karamanlis was in favor of a negotiated solution. This reflects the policy adopted a long time ago which is summarised as "Cyprus decided and Greece stands in support". Note that there is no mention of Greece's strategic and other interests on Cyprus. Apparently Greece has decided to withdraw from Cyprus and leave it to its own devices.

Days before the Burgenstock meeting, where the final decision was made, there were some "journalists" who appeared almost hourly on TV and radio talk broadcasts, supporting the plan. Coincidentally, some of those who did this are now displaying unmistakable signs of wealth. Like we say in Greek, coughing and money cannot be hidden. But that is another story.

There were many opposing voices, mostly from Cypriot intellectuals who live and work in Greece (no I am not one of them).

The impression cultivated in Greece was that Erdogan, whom Karamanlis regards as a friend, would arrive in Burgentstock with a package of inducements to the GC side which would encourage them to accept the plan. In the end there was no such package, but just the opposite- Erdogan boasted how Turkey had won the day without yielding an inch of territory. This statement by itself proved to the public in Greece that those supporting the plan were suspicious and those opposing it had been right all along.

If anyone wants names of those "media personalities" who supported the plan I can post them, although now it is not that relevant.But it is interesting to see the kind of argument they used. One them said on a TV talk show, responding to a Cypriot:

"I bet you are one of those EOKA people, a supporter of Matsis and Afxentiou, those two "heroes" of yours who carried out ethnic cleansing of Turkish Cypriots"." Both Matsis and Afxentiou were killed by the British in 1956, a full year before the first ethnic clashes on the island.

A former minister said that accepting the Annan plan was a one way street since the Greek side had been militarily and diplomatically defeated by Turkey. To which one Cypriot man responded, "so why dont you give them Chios, Samos and Mytilene, then?" . Said minister, when he lost his post, spent a whole year in the USA, the place he vilified as a leftist.

There are many such instances of mysterious support for the Annan plan, but they were never official. They were part of the media blitz encouraged and financed by foreign governments. We should ALL worry when foreigners are willing to bypass the people and spend money on such parrots for hire.

DO you remember Dora Bakoyiannis words then?

[Nikitas]

Doar Bakoyiannis was expressing a personal view on the Annan plan. The official view of the Greek state was to abide by the decision of the Cypriot people. It had no other option reallysince the express and only foundation of the Greek constitution of 1975 is "the sovereignty of the people".