Turkish daily Milliyet reveals that Ankara intents to put into force a Plan B in Cyprus in case that a solution to the Cyprus problem is not possible to be found until the 1st of July

Under the title: “The name of the TRNC will be ‘Cyprus Turkish State”, Turkish daily Milliyet (16.04.12) reports that as it was announced, a plan B which Ankara gave voice about but still was not implemented, is going to be put into use in case that a solution to the Cyprus problem is not possible to be found until the 1st of July, when the Republic of Cyprus will take on the EU term presidency. According to this, writes the paper, the name of the “TRNC” will change and will become “Cyprus Turkish State”, as it was at the Annan Plan and the recognition of the new “State” by the world is to be asked.

The paper writes:

“The ‘TRNC’ has started to be represented under the name of the “Cyprus Turkish State” at the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with OIC’s decision during 2004. It is said that with this step, the 57 member countries of the OIC will recognize the ‘Cyprus Turkish State’. TRNC President Dervis Eroglu has stated that in case that no solution is found in 2012, they will continue with a new constitution and new laws, saying that they even might change the name of the state. Eroglu has stated that if they will change the name of the state, this could be ‘Cyprus Turkish State’”.

Plan B to be set into force

A high ranked official who spoke to Milliyet paper on the issue, has said that “Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side who continue efforts for a solution to be found, predict that no progress is to be achieved during 2012, due to the fact that Greek Cypriots don’t want a solution. The official also pointed out that together with the EU term Presidency of the Greek Cypriots, Turkey’s- EU ties will be interrupted. He added: “After this period, the negotiations in Cyprus are not expected to continue. After this date, a plan B will be set into force”.

According to the paper, the same official has said that Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side counts the days until the implementation of a plan B in Cyprus are added: “A total diplomatic action will be launched and the recognition of the Cyprus Turkish State will be demanded”. The official who has explained also that the recognition of the “TRNC” is prevented by UN’s decisions, spoke as follows:

Representation at OIC

“If the name is ‘Cyprus Turkish State’, nobody could say “no” to the demand for recognition. There is sympathy on this name. At the same time, the ‘Cyprus Turkish State’ is being also represented at the OIC. It is also included at the Annan Plan which is considering a UN’s plan in which the Turkish Cypriots said ‘yes’ to the Annan Plan and accepted the Cyprus Turkish State”.

Plan B signals

Eroglu, upon an invitation he received from the Secretary-General of the OIC, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, went to Gaza for the first time with the title of the “President”. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has stated during the meeting of the ambassadors which took place in Ankara, that in case the negotiation process will come to a deadlock because of the Greek Cypriots’ stance, the “bi-zonal-bi-communal” solution model will be abandoned. He stated that they will adopt a new solution model based on two independent states.

The “TRNC” Foreign Minister, Huseyin Ozgurgun, said: “The state which exists in North Cyprus, is a Turkish state and it should  start to be seen as such. In other words, there is no other choice, no other alternative”. The Cyprus Turkish side has also started exerting efforts with the aim to open the close city of Varoshia under the control of the Turkish Cypriot side.

Three-stage plan

According to the high rank official, the plan B is to be implemented in three stages. Firstly, the demand for recognition will be announced, Afterwards, Varoshia will open. And finally the recognition of the “Cyprus Turkish State” will be demanded again. If all these are rejected, steps for the annexation with Turkey are to be taken.