Erdogan’s interview on Cyprus and other issues

Columnist Semih Idiz, writing in Turkish daily Milliyet (online, 07.10.11), under the title “The new constitution must be finished in a year”, reported on a private meeting of Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Pretoria, with columnists accompanying him during his tour of South Africa. Idiz wrote that Erdogan answered their questions on various issues ranging from problems with Israel, the work on a new constitution, the missile shield project, terrorism perpetrated in the name of Islam, as well as Cyprus’ oil exploration.

Semih Idiz, inter alia, wrote the following:
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Answering another question, Erdogan denied reports in the Greek Cypriot press to the effect that Turkish and Israeli warplanes had engaged in ‘dogfights’ in the eastern Mediterranean.
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Answering a question on the US position with regard to the oil and natural gas exploration activities of the Greek Cypriot sector [Tr. Note: Republic of Cyprus], Erdogan said: ‘The United States is also being sensible on this issue’.

Stating that this issue was discussed during his recent meeting with the US President, Erdogan said: ‘Obama said that the people of Cyprus, and therefore Turkish [Cypriots], must be able to benefit fairly from any resources that may be found there. He did not describe our actions as being negative. The process we have started there will continue.’

Erdogan signalled that he was disturbed by the US posture that it cannot act against the American company conducting drilling for the Greek Cypriots on the grounds that ‘we cannot intervene because this is a private company’.

Also criticizing the UN Secretary-General, Erdogan said: ‘The Greek Cypriot decision to start this work in collaboration with Israel has increased tensions. A similar initiative was taken during the Annan period also, but it was stopped. This time, Ban Ki-moon failed to stop it.