Category: Main Issues

Turkey will never get in EU unless it pulls out of Cyprus

Cyprus president Dimitris Christofias has said that Turkey has no chance of getting into the European Union unless it withdraws its army from Cyprus completely, Bulgarian media reports said on May 31 2011.

Christofias made the statement in Sydney during his visit to Australia.

There is an expectation on the part of both the Greek and Turkish Cypriots that there would be a swift resolution to the problem, but the continuous flow of Turkish migrants to the north part of the island, which is under Turkish control, is destabilising the island’s demographics and causing “catastrophic” problems for the future, and for the Turkish community in particular, Christofias said.

“The demographic situation of the Turkish Cypriots has changed dramatically and this is a military crime,” he said.

“We must launch court proceedings against tens of thousands of Turks who have forcibly taken the property of Greeks and expelled from their homes in the north part of the island. This is a crime,” Christofias said.

Christofias is a left-wing Greek Cypriot politician and the current and sixth president of the Republic of Cyprus.

He led the AKEL and is Cyprus’s first, and the European Union’s first and so far only, communist head of state. He won the 2008 Cypriot presidential elections in the second round of voting. Throughout the election campaign, it was his priority to galvanise talks between the Greeks and the Turkish Cypriots to find a solution to the Cyprus dispute and reunify the island.

Cyprus remains separated following the 1974 Turkish invasion that was triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup.

via Turkey will never get in EU unless it pulls out of Cyprus – Cypriot president – Foreign – The Sofia Echo.

June 1, 2011
Cyprus conflict defies ready solution

DEMETRIS Christofias, the president of Cyprus, is in every sense an original, if not an exotic, among international statesmen. He is the only national leader in the European Union who is a communist. He is a close friend and supporter of Israel, as indeed he is of Russia.

He is worried about the burden of asylum-seekers on his native land, and thinks it’s unsustainable. He is hugely critical of American foreign policy, but his chief antagonist is Turkey.

He is also a very good friend of former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, the UN Secretary-General’s special adviser on Cyprus, and full of praise for Australia generally. With about 100,000 Cypriot-Australians, we are host to the largest population, after Britain, of the vast Cypriot diaspora.

What seems to be this bewildering list of contradictions in the Christofias political personality is really just a reflection of the contradictory pressures and exigencies of Cyprus’s own national situation.

A former British colony, Cyprus’s population is divided between ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks. Since 1974, about 37 per cent of its territory has been controlled by a separatist state calling itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey, which has some 40,000 troops stationed there.

This may seem an obscure ethnic conflict, but it has king-size strategic consequences. Turkey wants to join the European Union. That requires unanimous agreement from all the EU members. It is inconceivable that Greece or Cyprus, both EU members, would ever agree to Turkey’s membership while it is in effect an occupying power in northern Cyprus.

I caught up with the charming Christofias for his only extended interview during a visit to Australia. After elected president in 2008, Christofias made reunification his highest priority; he re-engaged the UN and began meeting with the leaders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He remains ambitious that a reunification settlement can be reached before the end of 2012.

“The state of Cyprus will be a bizonal, bicameral, federal state with political equality of the two communities,” he says.

“That does not mean numerical equality, but effective participation of the two communities in the nation’s institutions. It will have a single, indivisible sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality.”

In 2008, the two sides met under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General and Downer. Observers say that the broad outlines of an agreement are there, but the main sticking points are where to put the border, what happens to the properties of Greek Cypriots in northern Cyprus which were seized after 1974, and to what Christofias describes as “Turkish settlers”, that is, mainland Turks who have settled in the north since 1974.

Christofias remains ambitious for a solution, but is soberly realistic: “It’s sad to say we’ve come to a conclusion that Turkey is not ready yet to change her attitude to Cyprus.”

He hopes the Turkish attitude might change after its elections next month, but like a lot of acute observers of international politics he is troubled by trends in Turkey: “There are several contradictions in Turkey in recent years. On the one hand they want to become Europeans. That means reforms, a less decisive role for the military, more democracy. I’m not sure (Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erodgan has overcome the decisive role of the Turkish military in the Cyprus problem. The military follows an expansionist attitude towards Cyprus.

“At the same time Turkey is following a policy of intense economic development and her influence in the region is upgraded as a result. It has a theory that Turkey can become a model for other Muslim countries.

“But this creates a certain arrogance on the part of Turkish leaders. On the one hand they want to become part of the EU, but they also look to the Middle East and North Africa and want to become the leading country of that region. One contradicts the other. Sometimes they say we don’t need the EU — Turkey is a superpower.

“Another contradiction is that they stick to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. As you know, Hamas follows an extreme policy towards Israel.”

I ask Christofias whether he is concerned with a creeping Islamisation of Turkish politics and society. He says he is not sure. “People could suspect that behind their hands they have such a big idea. Everyone is anxious about which direction Turkey will go.”

In Cyprus, Downer has sometimes been a subject of controversy. Neither side finds his approach wholly congenial, which is almost certainly an indication that he is doing his job, as both sides must make painful compromises to reach a solution.

Christofias would not answer directly whether he thought Downer was doing a good job, instead saying: “I have to be very delicate. Downer is a facilitator, not a mediator. I have often very friendly discussions with him. There are forces which criticise Downer and I don’t agree with those forces. Downer’s job is to help us and our job is to help him help us.”

Clear on that, then?

On Australia, Christofias has no such ambivalence: “We are very grateful to Australia. In all our difficult times, Australia always followed the principle of supporting our independence. For many years it has contributed to peacekeeping in Cyprus,”

Christofias is certainly the most agreeable communist I have ever met. He explains his communism by saying that the ex-communist states of Eastern Europe didn’t do a very good job. He approaches issues of economic justice by concentrating on the welfare of the lower and middle classes.

Above all, he says, his is a pragmatic approach, concentrating on reunification of Cyprus and the immediate practical problems his society faces, leaving larger theoretical questions of dogma for another day. If only all the world’s communists were like him.

May 30, 2011
Too late, too ugly

It is because of my admiration for Turkey that I find it difficult to understand its insensitive position on the Armenian issue. After all, it was not this generation that spilled the blood 100 years ago.

By Yossi Sarid

I have achieved a great success: Finally the Knesset plenum has enabled its Knesset Education Committee to conduct a public discussion of the genocide of the Armenian people. This is the discussion that was prevented for decades. For generations our governments firmly opposed it.

And this, of all governments, is the one that agreed. All the MKs present voted in favor, nobody was opposed, a unanimous decision that exudes a bad smell: too late, too ugly, yuck.

Zahava Gal-On, who returned to the Knesset with renewed strength, made a very nice speech. That is how she assumed her place in the relay race and the mission of her movement, the only one in Israel to avenge the honor of the Armenian people and demand that the historical lesson be learned from an orphaned genocide – victims without murderers. Ahead of time I wished her success where her predecessors – the heads of Meretz – had failed; and my wishes came true.

But it was not my wishes that changed the parliamentary decision, and the reason for the reversal is clear: The Israelis no longer favor the Turks, and are willing even to give up the charms and temptations of Antalya; that’s how angry they are. Now we will demonstrate to you what happens to a country that Israel no longer favors – we will seat it in the low chair; revenge against the gentiles. Now we’ll show them who’s boss.

So we showed them, and how do we look: All the past explanations in favor of the Turks suddenly sank to the bottom of the glass of anger, for which Israel is famous. These, as we recall, were profound explanations from the Sea of Marmara, to which our leaders lent an ethical character, even accompanying them with historiosophical insights.

Eleven years ago, on the 85th memorial day, I went to the Armenian church in Jerusalem, and as “a human being, as a Jew, as an Israeli and as the minister of education of the State of Israel” – that is how I introduced myself – I spoke about the historical justice that must be done, about the special commitment of the Jewish people to the Armenian people, and about my plan to teach our students the universal significance of genocide.

The scandal erupted immediately. My prime minister objected sharply, and Ehud Barak was swiftly joined by Shimon Peres: “These events,” he said, “should be left to historians and not to politicians.”

He was struck dumb last week, when the right thing was done for the wrong reason, and the voice of Shimon was not heard.

At the time the Turks declared me a persona non grata. They, like me, sometimes get confused between rivals and friends, and I consider myself their friend. Turkey is today a developing world power, an example of economic prosperity, which conducts its affairs in the regional and international arena wisely. It is also proof that an Islamic regime is not necessarily Iranian, and that Europe is bitterly mistaken when it locks the gate to Ankara instead of opening it.

The bad guy – Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan – is good for the Turks, and was reelected by an increasingly large majority. This week he said that he tried to convince Hamas to recognize Israel, and will continue to do so.

It is just because of my admiration for Turkey that I find it difficult to understand its insensitive position on the Armenian issue. After all, it was not this generation that spilled the blood 100 years ago; many countries have accepted responsibility for crimes committed in their name a long time ago. Only this week Queen Elizabeth II visited the Irish Republic and offered her hosts regret and identification with all the Irish people who ever suffered at the hand of England. It is not clear why Turkey alone remains intransigent.

But it is quite clear why Israel supported it all these years. In addition to security and financial interests, there is something else concealed here: If everyone begins to acknowledge the tragedy of the other – his own part in the Nakba – what will become of us?

via Too late, too ugly – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

May 27, 2011
Israel Matzav: Knesset preparing to slap Turkey across the face

The Knesset is preparing to give the Turkish government a smack across its arrogant face. With Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan making false accusations against Israel, the Knesset looks like it will finally fight back. After years of succeeding Israeli governments avoiding giving it recognition, the Knesset is on the verge of officially recognizing the Armenian genocide (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

Shortly before the one year anniversary of the Free Gaza Flotilla that marked a low point in Israel-Turkey relations, the Knesset made history Wednesday afternoon when it held its first open discussion on recognition of the Armenian genocide.

With a number of Armenian religious and lay leaders watching in the visitors’ gallery, MKs ranging from Shas to Meretz took the stand to speak in favor of officially recognizing the series of massacres and deportations that killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in the years during and shortly after World War I.

For years, consecutive governments had blocked attempts by MKs to raise the subject of recognizing the genocide out of concern that such recognition could damage relations with Ankara. This year, however, the government did not block the hearing.

MKs voted by a unanimous vote of 20-0 following the hearing to refer the subject for a further hearing to the Knesset’s Education Committee, a hearing that will also be broadcast, at least via Internet. In contrast, any previous discussions concerning the genocide had been held exclusively behind the closed doors of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Isn’t this great? In one move, we’re doing the right and moral thing and b**ch-slapping a government that has become a bitter rival.

Here’s hoping the Mavi Marmara sinks the day after Israel officially recognizes the Armenian genocide.

Labels: Armenian genocide, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:23 PM

via Israel Matzav: Knesset preparing to slap Turkey across the face.

May 23, 2011
Turkish Cyprus PM to travel to Britain on Monday

Kucuk will travel to British capital of London on Monday to attend events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Cypriot Association.

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk will travel to British capital of London on Monday to attend events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Cypriot Association.

Kucuk will leave for London on Monday morning. He is scheduled to deliver a speech at a conference titled “Latest Political Developments in TRNC.”

TRNC premier will also have talks with representatives of Turkish Cypriot community and NGOs in London. 22 May 2011

AA

May 23, 2011
The other side of Cyprus

GO CYPRUS : Former junior minister LIZ MCMANUS visits the northern part of the island where natural beauty and cultural richness are attracting a growing number of tourists

GREEK CYPRUS is such a well-known and popular tourist destination that it is easy to overlook northern Cyprus.When the island was partitioned in the 1970s, northern Cyprus – the Turkish-speaking part – was considered an inaccessible, occupied area and yet its natural beauty and cultural richness have attracted a growing number of visitors. Access has become easier with new border crossings and daily flights via Istanbul to Ercan Airport.

Progress has come with a familiar price, very familiar to anyone from Ireland. We visited a divided island that had a property bubble and the ghost estates to prove it. That said, it is also true that, in the carve-up, the Turkish Cypriots got the best scenery.

We stayed in the pretty harbour town of Kyrenia (Girne in Turkish) that nestles under a dramatic range of mountains. We travelled with a group organised by Explore Worldwide Ltd and stayed in the Nostalgia Hotel, a small establishment tucked into a narrow street close to the harbour. It is designed in a traditional Cypriot style and some rooms have four-poster beds.

I’d been sent a questionnaire by the travel company. What did I want on the trip? Walking and history, I’d replied dutifully. On both counts northern Cyprus delivered spectacularly. We spent a week walking in the Kyrenia mountains, clambering up to Crusader castles and exploring historical sites along the coast.

CYPRUS WAS the stepping stone for waves of Persian, Roman, Byzantine, French, Italian and British cultures that left a bloodstained legacy in stone. Happy the country without a history, my guide book quoted, and then went on to describe Cyprus – because of its turbulent history – as an unhappy shuttlecock.

On day one our walk took us up a mountain track. As it was springtime there was a profusion of wild flowers; pink and white rock roses, crown daisies, asphodel, alliums. There are 30 species of orchids in northern Cyprus. Under the mimosa and carob trees red poppies ran riot in the grass. The local myth relates that the goddess of love Aphrodite (born in Cyprus apparently, although another myth claims she was born out of castrated testicles of Uranus) was in love with Dionysus. When he was killed, so the story goes, his blood and her tears mingled to produce the wild poppies that we saw around us.

After a Cypriot picnic made for us by the wife of Mustapha, our driver, we descended into the quiet village of Bellapais. It is noted for its 14th-century abbey and is also famous for its appearance in Lawrence Durrell’s book Bitter Lemons of Cyprus . Bellapais boasts not just one but two Trees of Idleness (each, it is claimed, is the original).

It was said that if you sat long enough under the tree you’d be overcome by an indolence that had the villagers living so long the gravedigger was out of a job. We struck lucky as the Bellapais Music Festival was in full swing and, later in the week, we had dinner overlooking the abbey before attending a musical recital inside its lofty refectory.

The next day, we passed one of the many military barracks that are evident across northern Cyprus. A lone soldier waved us on to St Hilarion Castle. The castle straddles a mountain top and the steep climb is worth every step.

It is a remarkable piece of architecture that rises organically out of rock. Stone stairs lead up the crenellated walls and turrets of the castle to give vertiginous views. There are three castles positioned strategically across the mountain range. Buffavento Castle is the highest of the three.

The climb there is demanding but well worth the effort. The construction of these castles was driven by fear. From their battlements the French knights used smoke signals to warn of an impending attack from the east. As it happened, in the end, the Venetians took over and removed much of the stone in order to reinforce their coastal castles at Kyrenia and Famagusta.

Inside the castle at Kyrenia harbour there is a large courtyard that houses the Shipwreck Museum and the remains of a cargo boat that was raised from the seabed in 1968 by American archeologists. The vessel is 2,300 years old. It carried almonds, millstones and amphorae which are on display in the museum.

Beyond the mountain range lies the central Mesaoria Plain. Turn west and you get to the dusty suburbs of Lefkosa (Nicosia). Much better to turn east and head for Gazimagusa (Famagusta).

On the way a visit to St Barnabas Monastery is a must. Until 1976 the monastery was inhabited by three aged monks, brothers in faith but also biological brothers who financed its upkeep by painting icons. Not only are the icons worth a look but there is an astonishing collection of artifacts from 2000 BC until Byzantine times.

The ancient city of Salamis is another must-see. Much of it is, as yet, unexcavated but if you’re into Roman plumbing you’ll enjoy the gymnasium, theatre, baths and the latrines. We stopped there on our way to Famagusta, which is a walled town full of surprises. Within the walls, St Nicholas Cathedral dominates over a mixture of buildings of different styles. Modelled on the cathedral at Rheims it is now a mosque. A weird melding of religions greets you when – shoeless of course – you step inside the high space with its Gothic windows and Turkish carpeted floor. Outside the city walls, an entire suburb of houses, shops and churches is sealed off; the ghost town of Varosha, a quarter that was abandoned by fleeing Greeks and has been left to decay in a no-man’s land.

THERE IS MUCH to see in Famagusta and it has a gorgeous cafe to visit when you’ve seen enough. Inside the Petek Pastanesi, there is every mouth-watering confection imaginable. Our guide, an English expat, had told us of its delights but we didn’t believe her until we sampled them for ourselves.

There are British ex-pats as well as British tourists in northern Cyprus. I was told they come because it is outside the eurozone, but the relationship between the English and Cypriots goes back a long time – to the days of Richard the Lionheart who managed to sell the island twice, first to the Knights Templar, then to the French.

Today, there is no shortage of bars with names such as the Fisherman’s Inn or the Horseshoe Bar and you need never want for an English breakfast there. Middle England comes to northern Cyprus, I imagine, because it is quiet, clean, safe and beautiful.

It is not all one-way travel. In a village on the Karpas peninsula a local man told me that the population was 200 but that 2,000 more of them lived in London.

Cyprus has always been a meeting point for East and West – hence its troubled past. Despite the obvious political difficulties over the future of Cyprus, things are changing; the border is more porous, the number of EU-funded projects in northern Cyprus is well signposted, every Turkish Cypriot is entitled to an EU passport. Only a matter of time, I imagine, before Michael O’Leary gets landing rights into Ercan airport and a new invasion begins.

Northern Cyrpus where to…

Stay

Nostalgia Boutique Hotel, Kyrenia, tel 00-90-392-815-3079, nostalgaboutiquehotel.com. Modestly-priced 28-room hotel with Cypriot-style decor and a restaurant attached.

The Colony, Kyrenia, tel 00-90-392-815-1518, parkheritage.com. Upmarket, uptown 90-room hotel with a casino next door. Expensive but has a reputation for good food and excellent service.

Portofino Hotel, Famagusta, tel 00-90-392-366-4392. Budget hotel with 53 rooms near to the walls of the old town.

Eat

Gazan restaurant, Kyrenia, tel 00-90-392-815-3079. Beside the Nostalgia Boutique Hotel and has the same owner. Great meze and modest prices. We had the best Cypriot dinner of our stay there.

Cafe Carob, Kyrenia, tel 00-90-392-815-6277. Italian restaurant with balcony overlooking the harbour. Fantastic view if you can get a table on the balcony or roof.

Petek Pastanesi cafe, Famagusta, tel 00-90-392-366-7104. Magnificent confectionary and pleasant surroundings. Must be enjoyed at leisure – you can spend a long time just making your choice.

Go

Kyrenia harbour. A lively and attractive harbour with restaurants, cafes and a Shipwreck Museum in the castle. The town is a good base with a choice of accommodation.

Bellapais. A mountain village with a 14th century abbey and links to writer Lawrence Durrell.

Famagusta. A town rich in history and pleasant pedestrianised centre. A visit to St Barnabas Monastery and the ancient city of Salamis on the way is well worthwhile.

More information

North Cyprus by Diana Darke, published by Bradt Travel Guides.

May 21, 2011