Eroglu criticizes President Christofias for his address at the UN General Assembly and tries to justify Turkey’s occupation in Cyprus
Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes (23.09.11) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has criticized President Christofias for his address at the General Assembly of the United Nations. In statements yesterday in New York, Eroglu alleged that President Christofias reiterated his “known allegations” against Turkey and used an aggressive language. Eroglu alleged that the position which President Christofias possesses today does not belong to him and that he does not represent the Turkish Cypriot “people” and the whole of Cyprus.
Eroglu claimed that what President Christofias said in his speech were not true and accused him of distorting the historic realities and of deceiving the international community on the issue of the ongoing Cyprus talks.
Eroglu alleged that Turkey did not invaded Cyprus in 1974, but saved the Turkish Cypriots from being annihilated and brought peace to the island. He accused President Christofias of occupying “the post of the 1960 partnership Republic”.
Eroglu alleged that the ongoing negotiations between President Christofias and himself aim at a “new partnership” and not at turning a unitary state into a federation, like President Christofias has said in his speech. He claimed that this bi-zonal, bi-communal federal partnership will have two founding states of equal status. Eroglu argued that President Christofias distorted the truth by saying that the Turkish Cypriot side drew back from the convergences agreed by the sides in the past. He claimed that President Christofias refrains from announcing what these convergences are and at the same time he prevents the UN Secretary-General to announce these convergences.
Referring to the explorations for oil and natural gas by the Republic of Cyprus, Eroglu described them as “provocative actions which are contrary to the aim and spirit of the negotiations that have reached a critical and decisive stage”. “In front of these actions, we are determined to protect our rights and interests in cooperation with our guarantor and motherland Turkey”, he said and alleged that as Turkish Cypriot side, they are focusing all their efforts on the negotiations for finding a just and viable agreement on the island.
Eroglu went on and alleged the following: “The activities of Christofias to unilaterally influence Cyprus’ future in the direction of his own interests by hiding behind the Resolutions of the United Nations have no other use than harming the relations between the two sides and making the solution more difficult. The relevant UN Resolutions provide for the settlement of the problem through negotiations held between the sides at equal level. Given that the ground and the parameters of the negotiations are known, trying to create new debates on this issue only shows the lack of political will of the Greek Cypriot side on this issue. We believe that the international community and mainly the esteemed UN Secretary-General will evaluate in the necessary manner the aggressive and deceptive statements made by Mr Christofias using this tribune which he occupies unilaterally. In spite of the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot side and its provocative actions, the Turkish Cypriot side is determined to continue its constructive stance in the search of a compromise through negotiations within the framework of the good will offices of the UN Secretary-General”.
