Cyprus-Forum.com

[fanourıo]

Another ‘ridiculous’ argument
By Fanos Droushiotis
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Turgay Avcı slammed his Greek Cypriot counterpart, George Lillikas, who had argued that the Greek Cypriot administration gesture last week to demolish a wall along the boundary that split Lefkoşa was "a gesture of good will" and that it was time for Turkish troops to withdraw from the area, as if the reasons why the troops are here ceased to exist.
In remarks published over the weekend, Lillikas was quoted as saying: "We have made a gesture of good will in order to bring Turkey face-to-face with its own responsibilities. The wall was a defense point aiming at blocking movement of invader Turkish forces in 1974. Now they have to leave the area. At the same time, the safety of civilians should be provided and mines at abandoned houses should be cleaned up," while he also reiterated that the Greek Cypriot administration wanted to open eight more crossing points along the Green Line to facilitate inter-communal communication and to demilitarize the area.
Describing Lillikas' remarks in the press as "ridiculous," Avcı said that there are no Turkish troops in the area that Lillikas mentioned. "The sole military unit in the area is a unit from our own security forces. We won't let the Greek Cypriot side avoid its responsibilities by distorting the issue. The Greek Cypriot leadership -- who insisted on not doing its part to mutually open the Lokmacı Gate until today -- last week demolished 'the wall of shame' upon our insistent calls and international attempts," Avcı said.
In December 2006 the Turkish Cypriots dismantled a footbridge on the other side of the wall in a goodwill gesture to facilitate fresh peace talks under UN auspices -- a move that was welcomed by the EU as well as by European politicians. Avcı also hinted that the Greek Cypriot administration was not sincere in its statement regarding the opening of eight more crossing points along the Green Line, urging the Greek Cypriots for first of all fulfilling necessary preparation for opening of the Lokmacı Gate. "We can consider opening new gates after Lokmacı Gate is opened, but we will not let the Greek Cypriot side avoid its responsibilities via maneuvers like this one."
Lillikas also said that the sole solution was returning to the table for negotiations, while he linked the issue to the political atmosphere in Turkey, saying that both presidential and general elections would be held in Turkey in 2007, and thus nobody expected a crucial reconciliation to be achieved this year. Expressing surprise over Lillikas' comments on the political atmosphere in Turkey, Avcı recalled that it was the Greek Cypriot leadership which has so far blocked progress in a UN-brokered process.
In a November letter sent to both Cypriot leaders, Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari urged that "a stock-taking meeting" between the two leaders and a senior representative of the UN secretary-general take place by the end of March 2007.

[zan]

Old habits die hard ey Fanour

[fanourıo]

YEAP! How ridiculus a poltician can get?