Cyprus-Forum.com

[Expatkiwi]

The following article appeared in today's edition of the Moscow Times. It makes for interesting reading...

Could Turkey be the Next Country to Recognize Abkhazia?
16 September 2009
By Paul Goble
Despite a year of intense effort, Moscow has secured recognition for the breakaway republics of Abkhazia only from pariah states like Nicaragua and Venezuela and then only by extending aid packages to them so large that even Russian commentators have suggested they represent little more than bribes.

But now, there appears to be a chance that Turkey, despite denials by its officials, might break the embargo against recognition because of Ankara’s desire to play a greater role in the Caucasus region, its own long-standing experience as the only country to recognize the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, and the influence of its own Abkhaz and Circassian communities.

A week ago in Tbilisi, Turkish Foreign Minister Akhmet Davutoglu said he intends to visit Abkhazia in order to “get acquainted with [that republic] and attempt to regulate its relations with Georgia,” thus potentially positioning Turkey to play a role paralleling the one it has offered to play between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Two days later, Unal Cevikoz, deputy undersecretary of the Turkish foreign ministry, visited Sukhumi and met with Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba. While Turkish officials said that Ankara had informed Georgia about the visit and had not changed its policy of supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia, Cevikoz’s visit raised hopes in Sukhumi.

Shamba told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that “we certainly hope that Turkey will recognize Abkhazia,” adding that “there are some positive signals” that this might happen in the wake of the decisions of Nicaragua and Venezuela to do so.

According to Hurriyet journalist Dondu Sariisik, an additional factor pushing Ankara to explore opening a channel to Abkhazia was the seizure of the Turkish vessel Buket in international waters by Georgian naval forces, which accused the ship of being involved with smuggling oil to Abkhazia.

Shamba said that Abkhazia “wants Turkey to make its position clear that the capture of a Turkish ship in international waters is not admissible. It is in the interest of regional stability to prevent any escalation from taking place.” (Davutoglu apparently did just that: Tbilisi released the ship’s captain from prison as a result of the Turkish foreign minister’s visit.)

“We’d like to develop economic and humanitarian contact with Turkey,” Shamba continued, including “the opening of communications and passenger transport.” Abkhazia is especially interested in doing so, he said, because there are some 500,000 Turkish citizens of Abkhazian origin, many of whom “have been lobbying for the recognition” of Abkhazia.

Burka Ozugergin, spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry, said despite the visit of Cevikoz, “there is no policy change in the Caucasus,” something that Shamba acknowledged when he said that “it is difficult to say now” when Turkey might take that step, something Turkey’s closest allies very much oppose.

But Shamba said that he very much hopes that Turkey will play a mediating role with Tbilisi concerning the Georgian shipping blockade and indicated that he expects to visit Ankara to push this agenda. “We have constant contacts at different levels,” he told Hurriyet. “If it is needed we can visit. It is possible in the near future, but it’s not yet fixed on the agenda.”

Such contacts, which Turkish officials say are entirely “natural” given Turkey’s geographic and political position in the world and its own Abkhaz population, do not necessarily point toward recognition, but they do provide yet another avenue for Abkhazia to establish itself on the diplomatic scene, something that is likely to strengthen its cause.

And while Moscow would not seem to be in a position to offer the kind of financial incentive that would lead Ankara to recognize Abkhazia, the Russian government could dangle another possibility: a shift in Russia’s position on North Cyprus, which one Russian analyst on Friday called “the elder brother of Abkhazia.”

Any such moves on the political chessboard of the South Caucasus seem extremely implausible — but perhaps no more implausible than Turkey’s rapprochement with Armenia, a development that has not only reordered relations in that region but underscored Ankara’s new interest in playing a broader and more independent role there.

[utu]

The following article appeared in today's edition of the Moscow Times. It makes for interesting reading...

Could Turkey be the Next Country to Recognize Abkhazia?
16 September 2009
By Paul Goble
Despite a year of intense effort, Moscow has secured recognition for the breakaway republics of Abkhazia only from pariah states like Nicaragua and Venezuela and then only by extending aid packages to them so large that even Russian commentators have suggested they represent little more than bribes.

But now, there appears to be a chance that Turkey, despite denials by its officials, might break the embargo against recognition because of Ankara’s desire to play a greater role in the Caucasus region, its own long-standing experience as the only country to recognize the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, and the influence of its own Abkhaz and Circassian communities.

A week ago in Tbilisi, Turkish Foreign Minister Akhmet Davutoglu said he intends to visit Abkhazia in order to “get acquainted with [that republic] and attempt to regulate its relations with Georgia,” thus potentially positioning Turkey to play a role paralleling the one it has offered to play between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Two days later, Unal Cevikoz, deputy undersecretary of the Turkish foreign ministry, visited Sukhumi and met with Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba. While Turkish officials said that Ankara had informed Georgia about the visit and had not changed its policy of supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia, Cevikoz’s visit raised hopes in Sukhumi.

Shamba told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet that “we certainly hope that Turkey will recognize Abkhazia,” adding that “there are some positive signals” that this might happen in the wake of the decisions of Nicaragua and Venezuela to do so.

According to Hurriyet journalist Dondu Sariisik, an additional factor pushing Ankara to explore opening a channel to Abkhazia was the seizure of the Turkish vessel Buket in international waters by Georgian naval forces, which accused the ship of being involved with smuggling oil to Abkhazia.

Shamba said that Abkhazia “wants Turkey to make its position clear that the capture of a Turkish ship in international waters is not admissible. It is in the interest of regional stability to prevent any escalation from taking place.” (Davutoglu apparently did just that: Tbilisi released the ship’s captain from prison as a result of the Turkish foreign minister’s visit.)

“We’d like to develop economic and humanitarian contact with Turkey,” Shamba continued, including “the opening of communications and passenger transport.” Abkhazia is especially interested in doing so, he said, because there are some 500,000 Turkish citizens of Abkhazian origin, many of whom “have been lobbying for the recognition” of Abkhazia.

Burka Ozugergin, spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry, said despite the visit of Cevikoz, “there is no policy change in the Caucasus,” something that Shamba acknowledged when he said that “it is difficult to say now” when Turkey might take that step, something Turkey’s closest allies very much oppose.

But Shamba said that he very much hopes that Turkey will play a mediating role with Tbilisi concerning the Georgian shipping blockade and indicated that he expects to visit Ankara to push this agenda. “We have constant contacts at different levels,” he told Hurriyet. “If it is needed we can visit. It is possible in the near future, but it’s not yet fixed on the agenda.”

Such contacts, which Turkish officials say are entirely “natural” given Turkey’s geographic and political position in the world and its own Abkhaz population, do not necessarily point toward recognition, but they do provide yet another avenue for Abkhazia to establish itself on the diplomatic scene, something that is likely to strengthen its cause.

And while Moscow would not seem to be in a position to offer the kind of financial incentive that would lead Ankara to recognize Abkhazia, the Russian government could dangle another possibility: a shift in Russia’s position on North Cyprus, which one Russian analyst on Friday called “the elder brother of Abkhazia.”

Any such moves on the political chessboard of the South Caucasus seem extremely implausible — but perhaps no more implausible than Turkey’s rapprochement with Armenia, a development that has not only reordered relations in that region but underscored Ankara’s new interest in playing a broader and more independent role there.

This scenario is crazy, but is it crazy enough to be true?

[Expatkiwi]

This scenario is crazy, but is it crazy enough to be true?

Look around the world today, Utu. The world is crazy.

[turkkan]

It wont happen, turkey hasextensive economic links with georgia and turkish companies dominate the georgian commercial landscape- and this is without taking into consideration the massive sums that georgia spends on turkish millitary arms acquisitions from the turkish defence sector for the georgian armed forces. THeir is not much moscow can/will do for any side in cyprus except sell arms. Turkey will obtain nothing from this except destroy its relationship with georgia so it wont happen.

[halil]

RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS HELD CONTACTS IN TRNC AS GUEST OF CT CONTRACTORS’ UNION

A delegation of Russian Journalists who were in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as guest of the Cyprus Turkish Contractor’s Union is leaving the country today.

The group of 20 journalists was invited to promote the TRNC to the Russian market.

Last night, the Cyprus Turkish Contractor’s Union hosted a dinner in honor of the group of Russian media representatives.

The evening was attended by the head of the Russian community in the TRNC Igor Sergeivic Filatov, the Director of the Russian Inter-media news agency Evgeniy Safranov, the chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Contractor’s Union Soner Yetkili and members of the Russian delegation.

Ulas Gokce who is an official from the TRNC Presidency responsible for Eurasian Affairs also attended the evening dinner.

Speaking during the event, the Chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Contractors’ Union Soner Yetkili said that the organization of the visit by the Russian delegation was the product of 2 months of work.

Pointing out that the visiting delegation were highly impressed with the TRNC, Yetkili said that the journalists had been briefed and informed about business prospects in the country, particularly on the ailing construction sector.

For his part, the head of the Russian community in the TRNC Igor Sergeivic Filatov thanked the union representatives for inviting and hosting the delegation of Russian journalists.

Also speaking the Director of the Russian Inter-media news agency Evgeniy Safranov said that their visit to the TRNC had been very productive and useful and thanked the Turkish Cypriots for their warm hospitality.

[insan]

Abkhazian Minister said that they are ready to recognize the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (21.09.09), under the title Abkhazia in return for TRNC, reports on an article that has been published in Moscow Times by Paul Goble. According to the report, as a result of the cooperation in the Caucasus it is argued that Ankara may recognize Abkhazia and Moscow TRNCs sovereignty.
Moreover, the paper reports that when the foreign minister of Abkhazia Sergey Samba was asked whether they will recognize or not the sovereignty of the breakaway regime, said: If they are ready to recognize us, we are also ready and added that mutual contacts have been going on and that a short while ago a delegation from the occupation regime visited Abkhazia.

http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/tcpr/200 ... .tcpr.html

[Get Real!]

Abkhazian Minister said that they are ready to...

They are ready!

He is ready!

I am ready!

It seems everyone is always ready but nothing ever happens…

[Lit]

Abkhazian Minister said that they are ready to recognize the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (21.09.09), under the title Abkhazia in return for TRNC, reports on an article that has been published in Moscow Times by Paul Goble. According to the report, as a result of the cooperation in the Caucasus it is argued that Ankara may recognize Abkhazia and Moscow TRNCs sovereignty.
Moreover, the paper reports that when the foreign minister of Abkhazia Sergey Samba was asked whether they will recognize or not the sovereignty of the breakaway regime, said: If they are ready to recognize us, we are also ready and added that mutual contacts have been going on and that a short while ago a delegation from the occupation regime visited Abkhazia.

http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/tcpr/200 ... .tcpr.html

If i would have posted this article....you would have called it propaganda. Your such a clown.

[YFred]

Abkhazian Minister said that they are ready to...

They are ready!

He is ready!

I am ready!

It seems everyone is always ready but nothing ever happens…

Don't worry you will recognise it when it hits you. It will be like when you get constipated for a very long time. It takes along time to release the first bit, but then the flood gates open and there is no stopping it. It will be splattered all over the places.

[insan]

Abkhazian Minister said that they are ready to recognize the breakaway regime in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus
Turkish daily Milliyet newspaper (21.09.09), under the title Abkhazia in return for TRNC, reports on an article that has been published in Moscow Times by Paul Goble. According to the report, as a result of the cooperation in the Caucasus it is argued that Ankara may recognize Abkhazia and Moscow TRNCs sovereignty.
Moreover, the paper reports that when the foreign minister of Abkhazia Sergey Samba was asked whether they will recognize or not the sovereignty of the breakaway regime, said: If they are ready to recognize us, we are also ready and added that mutual contacts have been going on and that a short while ago a delegation from the occupation regime visited Abkhazia.

http://www.hri.org/news/cyprus/tcpr/200 ... .tcpr.html

If i would have posted this article....you would have called it propaganda. Your such a clown.

I'm posting the ones u intentionally don't post... What a clown u r reh Lit. U even behave selective when posting the propaganda material; if u consider suitable for ur propaganda needs.