Eroglu: “If negotiations fail the alternative is accepting the existence of two different states”

Turkish daily Today’s Zaman newspaper (13.08.12) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu stated that if Cyprus negotiations fail the alternative is accepting the existence of two different states.

Eroglu made these and various other allegations during an iftar (fast-breaking meal) meeting with reporters in occupied Lefkosia on Friday evening.

“There are other options but it is the reunification as a federal state that is under discussion right now. If this fails, the alternative is accepting the existence of two different states,” Eroglu alleged and went on as follows: “There are already two different states; one is internationally recognized, the other is not. But even though one of them is not recognized, this is the reality. Therefore, I am saying that we can reach a lasting solution if we take action on the basis of the reality.”

Eroglu also alleged that the UN must take action and accept the ending on negotiations.

“The UN secretary-general should accept that the negotiations are going nowhere. He should assess if a solution is really forthcoming and write a report [to be presented to the UN Security Council] accordingly”, he asserted.

According to the paper, Eroglu claimed that he expects the new “Greek Cypriot leadership” to be more uncompromising than its predecessor when it comes to concessions for a reunification with the Turkish Cypriots.

“This is because the leading candidate for president, the center-right DISY (Democratic Rally) leader, Nicos Anastasiades, is unlikely to become the president by relying solely on support from his own party. This would require him to seek backing from smaller and what Eroglu calls ‘fanatical nationalist’ parties that oppose several basic elements of a future settlement”, writes Today’s Zaman.

In addition, Eroglu also claimed that the Turkish Cypriots are so pessimistic about a settlement, that the Greek Cypriots’ assuming the EU’s term presidency as representative of the entire island for six months in July has made no impact at all on them.

 “As the hopes for a settlement die, we need to take steps to revive the spirit of our people”, Eroglu asserted.

“What he means by those steps is a combination of actions that Turkey as the main backer of the KKTC could take, such as encouraging investments there to revive the local economy, and of actions by the international community to get rid of the isolation, namely recognition”, the paper writes.

Today’s Zaman also reports that the Turkish Cypriot side may use the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the recognition of the occupation regime. The paper alleges the following:

“The Turkish Cypriot officials look to the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), headed by a Turkish secretary-general, as a possible actor that could give the KKTC the sought-after recognition. Officials say granting the KKTC full membership would amount to a collective recognition of the KKTC as a sovereign state. But with negotiations on reunification on the island still under way, many countries, including OIC members, are reluctant to take steps towards recognition. A UN declaration calling the talks a failure would also be particularly significant because it is the two resolutions from the UN Security Council, dated 1983 and 1984, that constitute the main barrier for KKTC’s recognition. The two resolutions condemn the declaration of independence by the Turkish Cypriots and calls on the member countries not to recognize the KKTC as an independent state”, the paper alleges and reports that further the Turkish Cypriot leader claimed the following:

“You cannot ask for recognition as long as the negotiations continue. But if you end the negotiations in one way or another, but definitely in a way that is approved by the UN, then people will start to understand that perhaps these two peoples are not going to reunite.”

The paper however, writes that Eroglu is “aware” that such a report from the UN secretary-general that acknowledges the talks are dead “will face opposition from some Security Council members, most notably the Greek Cypriot ally Russia, as well as from China and France as well”.

“The secretary-general knows that such a report will face veto. Either the secretary-general will be very strong or countries such as Russia, China and France will stop playing this game,” alleged Eroglu.