Under the front-page banner title “Tough warning”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (26.10.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has alleged that President Anastasiades should unconditionally return to the negotiating table, otherwise everyone in Cyprus “will go his own way”. Addressing a meeting in Istanbul, Eroglu reiterated the claim that the Greek Cypriots do not intend to share power and prosperity with the Turkish Cypriots and argued: “The Republic of Cyprus has unfortunately become a state recognized by the world. The Greek Cypriots have occupied the state and continue to play games in the international arena being at the position of both the guilty and the powerful”.
Eroglu reiterated the allegation that the Turkish Cypriots are the side which exerts efforts with good will in the direction of reaching an agreement at the negotiating table and the Greek Cypriot side is the one which allegedly rejects the agreements.
According to Eroglu, the Greek Cypriots “abandoned the table without any reason” and started making statements accusing Turkey in the world. He alleged: “Ships belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces, to the Turkish Naval Forces will of course go around in the Mediterranean. Of course, we also have the right for seismic explorations. We are also partners in the wealth which is under the sea in the area”.
Explaining what their struggle is about, Eroglu said that they are struggling for an agreement which will be protecting the rights of both the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey in Eastern Mediterranean. Eroglu noted that two elements are strengthening him at the negotiating table today. The one, he added, is the “guarantees of motherland Turkey and the presence of the Turkish Armed Forces” and the other is “our people and the TRNC state”.
Meanwhile, Kibris reports also that addressing the 9th general assembly of the Turkish Cypriot chamber of shopkeepers and craftsmen (KTEZO), Eroglu said that the Greek Cypriot side conveyed to them, though the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, a proposal saying that “Turkey should withdraw its ships from the area for a three-month period”, but they did not accept it, because they thought that “if the Greek Cypriots have self-esteem, does Turkey not have self-esteem?” It was not possible to carry such a proposal to Turkey, he alleged, adding that they rejected the proposal because it would be tantamount to “playing with time”.
According to Eroglu, another Greek Cypriot proposal [conveyed by Eide] was to issue a joint statement saying that “the Turkish Cypriots have also rights on the natural gas to be found in Cyprus”, but this was also rejected because “the whole world knows and accepts” that the Turkish Cypriots have this right.
Eroglu went on and once more referred to proposals allegedly submitted by the Greek Cypriot side at the negotiating table on the issue of the territory.
(I/Ts.)
2. Turkish Cypriot political parties assess Eroglu’s statement that everyone will go his own way if Anastasiades does not return to the table
Under the title “Which is our way?”, Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (27.10.14) publishes statements by representatives of Turkish Cypriot political parties and organizations commenting Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu’s allegation that President Anastasiades should unconditionally return to the negotiating table, otherwise everyone in Cyprus “will go his own way”.
Responding to the paper’s questions, Faiz Sucuoglu, “deputy” with the National Unity party (UBP) alleged that Eroglu insists on President Anastasiades returning to the negotiating table and that if the Greek Cypriot side returns to the table by making some concessions, this could contribute in the negotiating process.
Asim Akansoy, “deputy” with the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) said that all arguments outside the federal Cyprus are a “figment of imagination” and are not something which will protect the interests of the Turkish Cypriots.
Another “deputy” of the CTP, Erkut Sahali, said that Eroglu is acting contrary to the promise he has given in his letter to the UN Secretary – General that he would remain faithful to the agreements reached during the Talat – Christofias period.
Hasan Tacoy, general secretary of the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG) argued that Eroglu wanted to emphasize that if President Anastasiades continues the same stance, there will be no issue called “the Cyprus problem”. He said that this is a message to President Anastasiades, similar to the messages given by the self-styled foreign minister Ozdil Nami.
Zeki Celer, “deputy” with the Social Democracy Party (TDP), said that President Anastasiades “should be convinced” to return to the table.
Ali Cirali, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot “chamber of industry”, argued that Eroglu is right to an extent and that a time limit should be put to the negotiations.
Koral Asim, foreign relations’ secretary of Dev-Is trade union, said that Eroglu has always wanted two states in Cyprus and this is what he has in his mind now.
Ahmet Kaptan, chairman of KTAMS trade union, accused Eroglu of not protecting the people’s interest, but only his own interests and those of the “stooges who are surrounding him”.
Okan Dagli, spokesperson of the Famagusta Initiative, said that Eroglu has been supporting two states in Cyprus from the very beginning and added that this is not possible to happen, since the negotiations will continue until a federal solution is reached in Cyprus.
