Latest Cyprus News

[Tsontos]

London (ANA-MPA / L. Tsirigotakis) - Documents referring to the late Greek statesman Constantine Karamanlis dating from the year 1976 were unveiled on Friday, when the British Foreign Office confidential archives for that year were automatically declassified with the passage of 30 years.

Of particular interest for Greece are the reports by the then British ambassador to Greece Sir Brooks Richards on the domestic situation in Greece and the efforts by Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis to make Greece a member of the EEC and improve Greek-Turkish relations.
In his report, dated December 23, 1976, Sir Brooks Richards wrote, among others, that Greeceʼs parliamentary system depended to a great degree on Karamanlis, stressing that without him it would have been considerably less stable. He also believed that his staying in power would benefit the West, stressing that he was most capable to lead (Greece) to an agreement with Turkey on their bilateral differences. In addition, he stressed, that the likelihood of a coup was small at that time but Karamanlis was still at risk of being assassinated.

The British senior diplomat also mentioned that Karamanlisʼ move to the countryʼs presidency was likely to cause a rift in the New Democracy party, a view also shared by government minister Athanasios Tsaldaris according to a confidential document signed by British diplomat John Denson.

On the state of the Greek opposition parties during that time, the British ambassador wrote that the main opposition party is weak and the creation of a united political front with the participation of centrist and leftist parties before the next parliamentary elections appeared to be unlikely. He stressed that the party of Georgios Mavros (Union of the Center - New Forces party) will not collaborate with PASOK or a leftist party while, on his part, Andreas Papandreou (the founder of PASOK) would find it very hard to adjust his policies and personality to such a political formation.

In another report to the British Foreign Office, Ambassador Sir Brooks Richards points out that the two major priorities for Constantine Karamanlis were Greeceʼs accession into the EEC and the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations. Greeceʼs accession into the EEC was Karamanlisʼ great obsession because he believed that it could protect and stabilize democracy in Greece while ensuring the European Communityʼs support on the issue of Cyprus, underlined the British diplomat.

On the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations, the Greek prime minister had entered into a correspondence with his British counterpart Harold Wilson. In a seven-page-long letter he had outlined Greek positions regarding Greek-Turkish differences, stressing that Greeceʼs intention was to bring Greek-Turkish differences on the Aegean to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The British prime minister, in his diplomatic response, had ruled out the likelihood of an initiative by the British government, saying that there was no role for third countries in settling Greek-Turkish differences on the Aegean.

Meanwhile, the documents also unveiled that a partition solution for Cyprus was being considered as a possibility by the British Foreign Office at that time. The then British ambassador to Ankara Sir Horace Philips had mentioned in a document addressed to British Foreign Secretary Anthony Crosland that, in the case that the two sides could not agree on a federation solution and if, particularly the Turks, appear to favor partition, Britain shouldnʼt be reluctant to discuss an alternative solution.

[Tsontos]

Greek Cyprus's Oil Desire May Cause War in E. Mediterranean

* Greek Cyprus's desire to eliminate Turkish rights over the Cyprus island may cause hot conflict in the eastern Mediterranean

* Turkey has dispatched warships to international waters off Cyprus island in response to oil exploration deals that Greek Cyprus signed with Egypt and Lebanon. Turkish military chief of staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said the warships are a routine patrol and that there has been no additional force sent to the region.


ANKARA - A dispute between Turkey and Greek Cyprus over Greek Cypriot attempts to open tenders for offshore oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean took on new dimensions yesterday when news reports said the Turkish military had sent warships to the international waters off Cyprus.

Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaþar Büyükanýt denied the reports soon after they were first broadcast on Turkish television, saying there were no additional ships in the Mediterranean other than those that were already on duty in the area.

"We always have warships on duty in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean. This is not something new. There is no need to send any new warships," Büyükanýt told reporters before a closed-door meeting with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül.
But tension was high in Greek Cyprus, where officials said national forces were ready to respond to Turkish military moves. "We are monitoring the situation in consultation with the National Guard and other security and intelligence forces, and we will act accordingly in the event that our territorial waters are violated," said Greek Cypriot Foreign Ministry official Alexandros Zenon. "We have to confirm all this and formulate our response," he added.
Zenon also criticized Turkey's stance over the oil issue as a "provocation" and "unbefitting" a country aiming for membership in the European Union.

Tension has been brewing since Ankara became aware of an agreement between Greek Cyprus and Lebanon, signed on Jan. 17, to delineate their undersea border to facilitate future oil and gas exploration. Similar accords were struck with Egypt last year.

Turkey had warned Lebanon and Egypt on Tuesday not to press ahead with the oil and gas exploration deals signed with Cyprus, saying Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots also had rights in the region. It also warned that it is "determined to protect its rights and interests in the eastern Mediterranean and will not allow attempts that would erode them."
Greek Cyprus, on the other hand, said Wednesday it would protest to the UN and the EU over Turkey's warnings and vowed to press ahead with a tender for the project.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, speaking to journalists in �stanbul yesterday, said the Turkish Cypriot state would not give up on exploration rights. “In the same way that we did not give up on Cyprus, we won’t give up our rights to its resources,� Talat said. “We have equal rights on the island.�

Greece, a natural ally of Greek Cyprus, has criticized the Turkish position. “(Turkey’s reaction) is not productive and opposes aims that are peaceful and are designed to promote economic development in the eastern Mediterranean region,� Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. “(It) is in total contradiction with international law and the right of sovereign governments to negotiate international agreements,� he said. Previous estimates put natural gas and oil reserves underneath the seabed off Cyprus at around 6 to 8 million barrels worth $400 billion.

* Lebanon gives assurances

In Beirut, the Lebanese government on Wednesday reassured that it was committed to “excellent� relations with Turkey despite signing the agreement with Greek Cyprus for delineating underseas areas for future oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean.
Hisham Dimashkieh, a senior official at the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, discussed the Turkish warning and other issues with Turkish Ambassador �rfan Acar at the Foreign Ministry, according to a statement carried by Lebanon’s official National News Agency.

“Dimashkieh stressed to Acar that Lebanon is committed to its excellent relations with Turkey and clarified that Lebanon stands at an equal distance from all friendly countries out of keenness to preserve the rights of all parties,� he was quoted as saying by The Associated Press in the statement.

There are two states on the island: Greek Cyprus and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). However the Greek side does not recognise the North and claims that all of the territorial and water areas of the island are belongs to the Greek Cyprus. The Greeks joined the European Union in 2004 while the Turkish Cypriots were kept outside the EU. The Greek Cyprus is the first and only state which was accepted as full member to the EU with border disputes.

[Orphic_Hymn]

Μετέτρεψε εκκλησία σε γκαλερί
8/2/2007 11:09:00 πμ


Πηγή: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

Αμερικανίδα, με την ανοχή του παράνομου κατοχικού καθεστώτος, αγόρασε παράνομα την εκκλησία των Αποστόλων Πέτρου και Παύλου, στο κατεχόμενο χωριό Φτέρυχα στην επαρχία Κερύνειας, μετατρέποντάς την σε κατοικία, εργαστήρι τέχνης και γκαλερί. Την αποκάλυψη αυτή έκανε ο πρόσφυγας Αλέξης Χαραλάμπους σε τηλεοπτική εκπομπή του ΡΙΚ. Ο πρόσφυγας είχε επισκεφθεί πρόσφατα το κατεχόμενο χωριό του. Στο χωριό Φτέρυχα, παρατηρείται μια άνευ προηγουμένου εκμετάλλευση των ελληνοκυπριακών περιουσιών, καθώς τα περισσότερα σπίτια αγοράσθηκαν παράνομα και αναπαλαιώθηκαν από Βρετανούς και Γερμανούς.

Source:
ert.gr

[Half Greek]

Turkey's aim is control of Cyprus

Turkey’s aim is control of Cyprus, Tassos tells UN


Reaffirms commitment

to July 8 agreement



TURKEY’S long-standing objective is to gain political and military control over Cyprus and even the allure of accession to the European Union has not changed Ankara’s intentions, President Papadopoulos said.

Addressing the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the President also accused Turkey of systematic violations of Cyprus’ air and maritime space, of demolishing Greek Cypriot houses and destroying cultural and religious heritage in the occupied north and of stepping up the exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties there.

At the same time, he reaffirmed his commitment to the July 8 agreement and to a settlement of a bizonal, bicommunal federation "with the correct meaning of each of these terms".

"The only process that can take us forward is that established by the July 8 agreed process", he added.

Taken from Cyprus Weekly

[pankration]

Are the majority of Americans banging their heads against the walls in response to every moronic decision made by their Foreign Secretary's office? Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Cuba et. al. represent a list of foreign policy blunders that would make a raving lunatic blush. These bureaucrats actually believe (and state) that Turkey will be their key MUSLIM anchor in the region. Wasn 't that Iraq's job before Hussein told them to screw themselves? What about Saudi Arabia, the most repressive country in the civilized world? Aren't they a key Muslim country? The motivation to establish a Turkish Cyprus is so laughable that you wonder for the collective mental health of this administration. Greek Cypriots have been on that land forever and the neo-colonialism of the Turks and the opportunistic feeding frenzy of the English carpetbaggers will not change that. Turkey will NEVER be a European country; it's as Muslim as Iran. Eventually, secularism will be pushed aside and Muslim radicals will overrun the moderates and we'll have another Iraq. American Greeks, where are you?

[zefs]

Look how nice the Turks are. They sure want to join the EU.Assholes.
Turkish politicians support restoring former names of villages in KKTC
A proposal regarding the restoring of former names of villages within the borders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) has found support from ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Zeynep Dağı and former parliamentary foreign affairs commission leader Mehmet Dülger.





Academic Mehmet Hasgüler brought the issue to the agenda as a "passive call for peace." Dağı emphasized that cultural heritage should be protected, while Dülger said there are examples of signage with place names written in different languages such as those in Brussels.
According to Hasgüler, the names of approximately 300 villages in the KKTC were changed in 1974, including the village where the newly elected president of the Greek Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias, was born. Christofias' village, Dikmen, is located in Girne -- a town on the northern coast of the island known for its historic harbor and castle.

Dağı, who is also the head of the Turkish group at the Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary assembly, stated that this new project would be viewed positively among the public and would be a step for peace. Dülger emphasized that the current names should be kept and the old names should be added to signs, saying that to drop the current names would be wrong in terms of cultural continuity. He also stated that keeping the former names of the villages would be a goodwill gesture.

Dülger reiterated that a change in the names of locations without keeping the current names also on the signs would break people's links to the past.

[Truth Bearer]

Cyprus leaders to meet next week
The new Cyprus president, Demetris Christofias, is due to meet the Turkish Cypriot leader on 21 March, according to a UN office on the divided island.
After he was elected last month, Mr Christofias asked the UN to arrange a meeting with Mehmet Ali Talat to revive peace talks which stalled in 2004.

A spokesman said the meeting would take place at the UN compound in Nicosia.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey sent troops into the north, after a coup by Greek Cypriots.

In 2004, Greek Cypriots rejected UN-backed proposals to reunite Cyprus which had been backed by Turkish Cypriots.

The island's partition has long stood as an obstacle to Turkey's bid to join the EU, and remains a source of contention between Nato allies Turkey and Greece.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognised by Turkey.

Last month, Mr Talat congratulated Mr Christofias on his election triumph and said: "I believe that it won't be a surprise if we solve the problem by the end of 2008".



Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...pe/7291459.stm

Published: 2008/03/12 10:08:41 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

[Tsontos]

I have a bad feeling about this.



From the BBC:

Cyprus leaders begin peace talks



Friday, 21 March 2008

The new president of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, is holding talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat aimed at reunifying the divided island.

It is the first time the two men are meeting since Mr Christofias was elected president last month.

Both leaders are from the political left and have been optimistic about the chance to work towards a settlement.

Talks have been stalled since 2004 when Greek Cypriots rejected a UN peace plan that was backed by Turkish Cypriots.

Mr Christofias and Mr Talat shook hands at the start of their meeting in a UN buffer zone near the abandoned Nicosia airport.

"We will have Cypriot coffee together," Mr Christofias said, AFP news agency reports.

Differences

The question now is whether that goodwill can be translated into the elements of a solution, the BBC's Tabitha Morgan reports from Cyprus.

Both leaders have promoted contact between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, but it is not clear how negotiations will proceed.

Mr Talat favours returning to the 2004 UN-backed plan. But because the plan was rejected by 75% of Greek Cypriot voters, Mr Christofias prefers discussions to build on an agreement reached in July 2006.

This focused on individual confidence-building measures and practical areas where progress could be made.

Before the talks, Mr Christofis said he hoped for a deal to open a crossing point at Ledra street, a pedestrian thoroughfare in Nicosia that runs along the city's dividing line.

The street has come to symbolise the partition of the island.

Our correspondent says that whatever route is decided, negotiations are likely to be long and complex, for - as Mr Christofias himself has said - this diplomatic initiative cannot afford to fail.

The talks are being moderated by the UN's special representative to Cyprus, Michael Moller.

The Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been divided since 1974, when Turkey sent troops into the north, after a coup by Greek Cypriots who wanted union with Greece.

The island's partition has long stood as an obstacle to Turkey's bid to join the EU. The Greek Cypriot south, which joined the EU in 2004, hold veto rights over Turkey's accession.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7308128.stm

[Truth Bearer]

Tsontos the idea from Christofias is to develop a Cyprian consciousness as the only way of settling the divide.That will mean change of anthem(Greek) create "Cyprian" national holidays develop a "Cyprian" language(maybe a mixture b/w Greek & Turkish?) that way they can appease the Turkish minority.Christofias needs to neutralise the Greek influence and Turkish influence of the people.Whether u or me agree I suppose is irrelevant it's up to the Cyprians themselves to decide.I don't know the solution it will sadden me when or if they try to eradicate the Hellenistic nature of the majority but I suppose what else can they do?I don't have any answers nor solutions mate.

[olvios]

Turkish consciousness and goals will not change and if Cypriots choose not to be Greeks they are sealing their fate.They would be taken over by Turkey and finito.