Cyprus-Forum.com

[Sotos]

BRITISH FOREIGN Secretary Jack Straw has accused the government of unacceptably using EU membership to solve the Cyprus problem and of deliberately marginalising the Turkish Cypriots.

The comments, made during a House of Commons session on Tuesday are sure to spark another political furore on the island and further damage already strained relations between Cyprus and Britain.

A furious government spokesman George Lillikas last night blasted the comments as provocative, unacceptable and as having twisted the truth.

He said official representations would be made to Britain through the Foreign Ministry.

During the Commons debate, Straw said it was a matter of great regret that President Tassos Papadopoulos had refused to see him and that the Greek Cypriot side has sought to distance themselves from the Turkish Cypriot community “and to cease to have any contact with it”.

The British Foreign Secretary was snubbed by President Tassos Papadopoulos over his decision to also visit the Turkish Cypriot leader in the north’s ‘presidential palace’. Two days later in Ankara, Straw lent his support to Turkish proposals to revive the negotiations, which further angered the Greek Cypriot side.

“Moreover, because of their unhelpful approach towards the aid proposals for the north from the European Union, they are in my judgment seeking to marginalise the Turkish Cypriot community and not in any way to assist in their economic development,” he said.

“I suspect, the government of Cyprus are now seeking to use their membership of the EU to try unacceptably to seek progress on their United Nations-related issues,” he added.

At the end of his visit last month, Straw suggested the Greek Cypriots should be grateful for Britain’s support for its accession.

However Lillikas said the truth was that Britain had helped for the simple reason that it assumed that accession would go hand in hand with the failed Annan plan, which he said supported Turkish and British interests. “What Britain doesn’t forgive is Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the plan,” said Lillikas.

“These statements show that Mr Straw identifies fully with the Turkish Cypriot position and that clearly Britain cannot be an objective mediator on the Cyprus issue. Britain no longer has the necessary credibility. They are neither neutral nor objective.”

Lillikas said the Cyprus government had shown in practice its support for the Turkish Cypriots. “He is twisting the truth and the facts. He knows very well there is a whole package of support measures for Turkish Cypriots includes substantial aid, not to mention medical care and work. He knows because he’s part of a government that knows about the Cyprus problem and that’s what is very sad.”

The spokesman said that the government would not ask for Britain to be excluded from future negotiations because they were directly involved. “But we will clearly ask for involvement of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council,” he said.

Lillikas also accused Straw of making veiled threats with regards to the recognition of the north. Although he repeated that Britain did not recognise the ‘TRNC’, Straw said the current approach of the government of Cyprus “does not in any way represent movement towards a united Cyprus and objectively is likely to lead to the opposite result.”

He also suggested that the Greek Cypriot side did not know what it was doing with regards to a solution. “Mr Iacovou, the Foreign Minister of Cyprus whom I saw, could offer me no alternative prospect for his own people and for solving their problems.

“That is why I regret very much the negative approach that that government are taking,” he said.

[Pasha]

“These statements show that Mr Straw identifies fully with the Turkish Cypriot position and that clearly Britain cannot be an objective mediator on the Cyprus issue. Britain no longer has the necessary credibility. They are neither neutral nor objective.”

What's the source for this article?
Is the RoC just trying to create more enemies, publicly discrediting Britain will not get you anywhere.

[lysi]

pasha, is cyprus still a british colony ? Jack straw and the brit government will always be pro turkish just like the usa, the brits dont want to lose there free bases .
Jack straw is a useless english arsehole.

[twinkle]

Article from MSN News


"Cyprus government lashes out at Britain
NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus accused Britain on Wednesday of losing credibility as a mediator trying to reunify the divided island in response to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's comments to British lawmakers on his trip to Cyprus last month.

Straw's trip, to gauge support for the possible resumption of U.N. peace talks, angered the Greek Cypriots because he saw the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in the breakaway north of the island as well as Greek Cypriot officials.

In response to questions from members of parliament on Tuesday, he said it was "a matter of great regret and entirely counter-productive that" Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos objected to him seeing Talat.

Straw added the Greek Cypriot administration was seeking to "marginalise the Turkish Cypriot community and not in any way to assist in their economic development" in the way it handled aid proposals from the European Union.

Cypriot government spokesman George Lillikas said Straw's comments were unacceptable, adding to already frosty relations between Britain and Cyprus.

"These statements show that Mr Straw identifies fully with the Turkish Cypriot position and that clearly Britain cannot be an objective mediator on the Cyprus issue. Britain no longer has the necessary credibility. They are neither neutral nor objective," he said.

Lillikas said official representations would be made to Britain, the former colonial power of the island.

"The Cyprus government has shown in practice its support for the Turkish Cypriots," he said, adding there was medical and employment support as well as other measures.

Relations between Britain and the Greek-Cypriot government have been strained since Greek Cypriots rejected at referendum a U.N. reunification plan the Turkish Cypriots accepted.

Greek Cypriots, who represent the island in the European Union, are also uneasy about Britain's support for Turkey's bid to join the 25-nation bloc."


I think the Cypriot Government should demand the money owed in back rent for the bases or/and push them out. Their position as a "Guarantor" to Cyprus is a useful as a chocolate teapot!

[twinkle]

[Pasha]

pasha, is cyprus still a british colony ? Jack straw and the brit government will always be pro turkish just like the usa, the brits dont want to lose there free bases .
Jack straw is a useless english arsehole.

Lysi what difference does it make? You can accuse Britain, USA and whoever else of being Pro-Turkish 'till your blue in the face, but if the tables were turned I'm sure you would be telling me where to go right now if I started to complain. You're just shifting the blame onto anyone else but yourselves.

Oh, and there's no need to bring Jack Straw's race into this thanks.

[Greek goddess]

American propaganda delivered by straw.
They still can’t accept that we said no to that plan.

[Pasha]

American propaganda delivered by straw.

Riiiight....

[Greek goddess]

American propaganda delivered by straw.

Riiiight....

Read the news look at the pattern see that I am right.

[cypezokyli]

straw is for sure undeplomatic. its a clear attack on pap.
even though, such attacks are giving votes to tassos and christofias. so for domestic propaganda one can even consider it a present. especially with elections in may..

for our international position, we will see if we will do anything to prove him wrong, both propaganda wise and practical wise...lets say...opening ledras...start negotiatins, or any other way..?