Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

The Associated PressPublished: July 31, 2008


ZURICH, Switzerland: FIFA and UEFA moved Thursday to bring the disputed territory of northern Cyprus closer to involvement in international football.

The two governing football organizations met with Turkish Cypriot Football Association (CTFA) president Omer Adal to offer a proposal on greater co-operation with the officially recognized Cyprus Football Association.

Details of the offer have been kept confidential until it has been considered by all of the CTFA, an unofficial body representing football in the northern part of the politically divided island. Its teams and players are not allowed to take part in international matches.

"There is now a concrete proposal with the Turkish Cypriot association, which shows the progress that has been made," FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola said. "This process only started last September and these types of negotiations are not easy."

When talks began last year, one of the stated goals was to explore creating a united national team.

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The Cyprus national team recruits players only from the Greek Cypriot side of the island, which has been divided since Turkey invaded the north in 1974. Only Turkey recognizes the state subsequently declared by the Turkish Cypriots.

FIFA recognizes just the Greek Cypriot association because its rules forbid competing associations.

Cyprus, which is ranked 64th in the world, will try to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in the same group as Italy, Bulgaria, Ireland, Georgia and Montenegro.

[RichardB]

Bloody heck Zan you're on Holiday

Get back to the bar with the missus and kids

Hope you're having a good time

[zan]

Bloody heck Zan you're on Holiday

Get back to the bar with the missus and kids

Hope you're having a good time

The Missus is sitting next to me sipping a Vodka and orange correcting my speelling mistakes......I have told her that I use a spell check but she chooses to ignore me. same with the bloody TomTom....I have two women telling me where to go!!

Now I have a sore arm...OUCH!!!

[RichardB]

Well Good evening to Mrs Zan (keep him away from politics for the rest of your hols)

And Zan may all your bruises be large and blue (or maybe in your case you'd prefer red )

Anyway have a good one

[zan]

Well Good evening to Mrs Zan (keep him away from politics for the rest of your hols)

And Zan may all your bruises be large and blue (or maybe in your case you'd prefer red )

Anyway have a good one

She hits me so I do not bruise and cannot prove anything.....

Thanks for the well wishes mate..

OUCH!!!

[utu]

Interesting development. Will this lead to sports teams representing the entire island, rather than the southern portion? I can see the possibility for friendly games, but as far as international, I can't see Turkish Cypriots standing to attention at the Cypriot Anthem, seeing that it's also the Greek one. Still, sports can be a great ice breaker, and cultivating sporting ties might bear fruit in the diplomatic and political arena.

[Kikapu]

Utu,

Here is the rest of the story that you may have missed on this subject.

ReutersPublished: July 31, 2008

FIFA offers Turkish Cypriots chance to play friendlies

ZURICH: World football's governing body FIFA has offered an interim deal to the Turkish Cypriot Football Association that could allow the disputed northern territory to stage friendly international matches.

FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA announced on Thursday that an offer had been made following a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot FA (CTFA) "with a view to improving relations between the football communities on the island of Cyprus".

FIFA did not disclose any further details but CTFA chairman Omer Adali told Reuters the proposal would allow friendly matches to be played against foreign teams as well as sides from the Greek Cypriot part of the divided island.

"This is an interim measure prior to a solution to the Cyprus problem," Adali told Reuters by telephone.

"To play in formal competitions you have to be a member of FIFA. The only way would be to join the Greek Cypriot league, but we are not willing to do this. Therefore we would only be able to play friendly matches under this proposal."

NOT EASY

The offer still has to be accepted by CTFA and Adali said this would "not be an easy decision".

Turkish Cypriot teams were involved in the founding of the Cypriot FA in 1934 but withdrew from the island's unified league in 1955 after disputes between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities worsened.

Turkish Cypriot teams and players have since been unable to participate in official international matches.

The Turkish Cypriot enclave of about 240,000 people was carved out of territory seized by Turkey in an invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup in Cyprus, and has only been officially recognised by Ankara.

Cyprus has frustrated a long list of mediators attempting to reunite the island's two communities.

FIFA's articles only allow associations from independent states "recognised by the international community" to become members and accepts only one association for each country.

The unofficial Turkish Cypriot FA has repeatedly rejected calls to join the officially recognised Cypriot FA, arguing that the body does not represent their region.

(Writing by Mark Ledsom in Budapest, additional reporting by Simon Bahceli in Nicosia)

(Editing by Ken Ferris)

http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/200 ... CYPRUS.php

Cyprus FA says FIFA decision causing ‘unnecessary trouble’
By Leo Leonidou

THE Cyprus Football Association (CFA) yesterday said that a deal to allow the Turkish Cypriot Football Association (CTFA) to stage friendly matches “has created a lot of unnecessary noise and trouble.”

On Thursday, football’s world and European governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA, announced that they had made an offer to the unofficial CTFA “with a view to improving relations between the football communities on the island.”

Two days later, FIFA clarified that the proposal only applies to club matches.

“The offer would allow Turkish Cypriot clubs to play friendlies against clubs from other countries but we are not talking about the setting up of a new national side,” FIFA spokesman Pekka Odriozola was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“There are also two conditions attached. Firstly any clubs wanting to take up the offer would have to be affiliated to the official Cypriot FA.

“Secondly, in accordance with our statutes, the official FA would have to give its approval for these matches to go ahead.”

Yesterday, CFA Vice President Charis Loizides confirmed to the Mail that, “in order for any matches to be staged in the north, the CTFA must sign a document whereby they recognise the CFA and agree to become members. This must be done by September.”

He added that current FIFA members have so far “not accommodated any request for a friendly match without our prior approval.”

On Thursday, CTFA chairman Omer Adali described the offer as “an interim measure” and told Reuters that its acceptance by the CTFA’s members would “not be an easy decision.”

Turkish Cypriot teams were involved in the founding of the Cypriot FA in 1934 but withdrew from the island’s unified league in 1955 after disputes between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities worsened.

Turkish Cypriot teams and players have since been unable to participate in official international matches.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008


http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=40712

So basically, these are the same conditions that was asked of the north to be able to play with Luton Town last year, which was refused, and as a result, the game was cancelled, and Talat got "pissy" and cancelled an important meeting with Papadopoulos.

[humanist]

it'l be good if we could get more details on the offer

[DT.]

Nothing has changed, Dinos Lefkaritis the UEFA No 2 and the Turkish director who who are both on extremely friendly terms have agreed that the only conditions under which any football match can be played in the island of Cyprus is with the approval of the CFA.

[utu]

Sounds like the idea is a non-starter then. Pity. Sport would be an ideal ground-breaker, like the 'ping-pong' diplomacy of USA and China...