Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (17.08.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has alleged that two separate “sovereign states and peoples” exist in Cyprus and that they will search for an agreement on the island having these realities as their starting point. In statements yesterday at a ceremony on the occasion of the celebrations for the 37th anniversary from the occupation of Lefka, Eroglu said he hopes that “the Greek Cypriot side could come to the road of peace and agreement”, in case the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) follow the “correct path”. “Otherwise, that is, in case the Greek Cypriot side is left on its own, and the realities are not shown and explained to it, waiting that an agreement will be reached is [tantamount to] daydreaming”, he argued.

Reiterating the Turkish view regarding an agreement where Turkey’s active and effective guarantees will continue and bi-zonality will not be “diluted”, Eroglu alleged: “We have extended our hand for friendship and peace and we are waiting for the Greek Cypriot side. Either they will come or let them stop preventing our way and be unfair to us”.

Eroglu said that if a solution is not found soon to the Cyprus problem in the way they wish and in the direction of their efforts, another problem awaits the area and the island. He alleged: “It is evident that natural gas and oil fields exist in the area around the island of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots act assuming that they will be able to use these resources in the way they wish and enter into some relations. We could not accept this. The determination of motherland Turkey and our decision unanimously taken in our Republican Assembly is there”.

Eroglu threatened that new problems will be caused on the island in July 2012, if an agreement in harmony with the “realities” is not signed before the Republic of Cyprus’s EU term presidency. He argued: “Motherland Turkey has clearly stated through esteemed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself that it will freeze its relations with the EU in case the Greek Cypriot side becomes EU term president in 2012, that it could not accept the Greek Cypriot side as its interlocutor and that not one but two states exist in Cyprus. This statement should seriously be taken into consideration and the sides concerned should persuade the Greek Cypriot side to come to the right way. Otherwise, both EU and Turkey and the negotiations process in Cyprus will suffer great damage from the developments?”