Federation wars in Greek Cyprus

The discussions on the Cyprus issue are getting increasingly heated as the presidential election draws near. The rightists, especially the Democratic Party (DIKO) of which Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos was the chairman, are claiming that comments suggesting a bi-zonal and bi-communal federal state as a solution to the Cyprus issue are made to damage the trustworthiness of the president.

It seems that Mr. Papadopoulos is suffocating from the offensives built up on his fruitless Cyprus policy and for dragging the Cyprus issue to a dead end because of his ideologies still resting on the conditions of the 1950s.Each candidate plays a different tune on the federation concept.

Archbishop Hrisostomos II, who is not a politician but an ecclesiastic, also joined the band playing his own tune on the federal solution for Cyprus issue. He made an official call and asked the Greek Cypriots to gather around DIKO. He also commented that the “Cyprus problem” is the only political subject the Cyprus Orthodox Church is fighting about.

These comments of Hrisostomos II clearly show that the Cypriot church is politicized and mixing politics with spiritual matters. According to Hrisostomos II, when Archbishop Makarios signed the 1977 top-level agreement with Denktas there were no settlers from Turkey, and Greek immigrants were supposed to return to the northern territories and Turkish Cypriot immigrants to the south.

As the Greek Cypriots would return to the north, the population ratio would change in favor of the Greeks, and the majority would again be Greek Cypriots in the north as well as the south. The movement of Turkish Cypriots who fled to the north in 1974 heading back south would only contribute to a Greek majority in the north.

So by this method the majority in both sections of the island would be Greek Cypriots and, according to Hrisostomos II, this is why Makarios signed the agreement.In fact he also accepted the intervention right of Turkey as a guarantor government as mentioned in the 1960 Cyprus Treaty of Guarantee.

Of course no Greek politician mentions this.

When I read this information, I suddenly remembered a picture taken on Feb. 12, 1977 right before the official meeting producing the 1977 top-level agreement. I haven’t forgotten this picture in the last 30 years, and has it stayed in my memory as fresh as the first day. In this picture Makarios sits in an armchair in the left corner of the photo and looks directly into the camera. UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim sits in the middle and is focused on a point somewhere below the camera. Denktas is in the right corner and sits on an armchair, looking to his left with a smile on his face.

The reason why I remember this picture so well was the look on the face of Makarios. It was mealy and had no connection at all to visage of the Makarios of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, which tended to be lofty.The look on Makarios’ face in this picture was totally different than the one taken on Jan. 1, 1960, when Makarios was declaring the invalidation of the 1960 Cyprus Agreement, or when he was signing the “cease-fire” agreement with Dr. Fazıl Küçük on Jan. 7, 1964 as if he was a triumphant commandant, or even the one taken on July 26, 1967, in the Greek Parliament right after the unanimous acceptance of an “enosis” resolution, when the look on his face was of the “eternal hero of the Hellenic world.”

The look on his face right before the official meeting of the 1977 top-level agreement was not related at all with the face of the vainglorious Makarios during the genocide period for Turkish Cypriots or the dark years between 1963 and 1974. His face bore the look of a defeated, deplumed hen. In fact he did not live long after signing the top-level agreement with Denktas, passing away a couple months later from a heart attack.

The agreement he signed with Denktas consisted of four items that laid out the framework for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal republic, including the intervention right of Turkey as a guarantor government as mentioned in the 1960 Cyprus Treaty of Guarantee. Spyros Kyprianou and Papadopulos were both hand-in-hand against his signature, claiming this agreement would pave the road to partition on the island.

For the next 25 years, the Greek Cypriots pretended as though they were negotiating on the basis of the 1977 agreement, all in the hope of gaining time to solidify their position being recognized as the only government of Cyprus.

Now all the three candidates are calling for the Turkish Cypriots to discuss the “federation” as a solution to the Cyprus issue despite having never mentioned it for the past 30 years.

Of course, the “federation” in their minds is totally different than the federation concept in the minds of the Turkish Cypriots. While Greek Cypriots seek a solution, including the withdrawal of Turkish troops, return of the so-called “settlers” and cancellation of the guarantor rights of Turkey, the Turkish Cypriots think the opposite.

With the still-fresh bitter experiences of 1963-74 in their minds, they insist on the presence of the Turkish military, their Turkish collateral on the island, and particularly on solid guarantees for Turkey.

They no longer trust the Greek Cypriots.

Marcoullis: Key to Cyprus issue in hands of Turkish army


The new Greek Cypriot foreign minister targeted the Turkish military in her first remarks to the Turkish media since being appointed, saying that the key to the Cyprus issue was in hands of the Turkish military and not in the hands of the political leadership of the country.

Erato Kozakou Marcoullis "There are two aspects of the Cyprus issue. One of them is domestic affairs, which should be discussed by community leaders. The other one is its international dimension -- the presence of [Turkish] troops, the guarantorship system and the security of the Turkish Cypriots," Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis was quoted as saying on Monday in an interview with NTV, in her first remarks to the Turkish media after being appointed in mid-July.

Marcoullis said she didn't believe that Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat has had a say in matters concerning the presence of Turkish troops in the northern part of the island, the guarantorship system or in the provision of security to the Turkish Cypriots.

"The key is in the hands of Turkey on these issues. So, needless to say that we want to discuss these issues either with [Turkish] Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan or with the Turkish military. If speaking frankly, we believe that the key is in the hands of the Turkish military, not in the hands of the politicians in Turkey," she said.

Israel may buy produce from Cyprus during Shmita

The Cyprian Ministry of Agriculture on Monday announced that it was engaged in discussions with Israel Over the possibility that it would supply Israel with vegetables during the upcoming Shmita year, when Jewish farmers are forbidden by Jewish law to harvest the land, JTA reported.

Cyprus provided Israel with some of the produce it needed during the previous Shmita year, in 2000, but may need to step up its export due to the fact that produce from the Gaza Strip has been banned since the Hamas takeover in June.

Greek Cyprus defies oil exploration warning

The Greek Cypriot administration said it would go ahead with plans to explore oil and gas in eastern Mediterranean after Ankara appealed to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to express its concerns over the bid.

Turkey's permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Baki İlkin, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month, diplomatic sources told Today's Zaman last week.

Ambassador İlkin drew Secretary-General's attention to the fact that the Greek Cypriot administration claims to be representing the entire island through it's insistence on moving ahead with this tender, despite all warnings by the Turkish Cypriot side as well as from Ankara, officials said.

The present Greek Cypriot licensing round involves major oil companies purchasing seismic data and two-dimensional templates of the Mediterranean seabed. The date for application submissions has been postponed by one month, from July 16 to August 16.

Greek Cypriot Commerce Minister Antonis Michaelides said that Nicosia would not back down. "The Cyprus Government won't give into Turkey's threats because its position is grounded in law and is fully in line with clause 83 of the Law of the Sea," he told the press yesterday.

Greek Cyprus signed accords with Egypt and Lebanon this year, delineating the sea boundaries between them and the limits of its continental shelf.

Ankara opposes both agreements since according to international law, the sea boundaries between the countries and the limits of the continental shelf of each country need to be delineated via a consensus among all coastal and neighboring countries when the issue is a semi-closed sea like the East Mediterranean.

"Greek Cyprus is trying to create 'fait accompli' in the region," İlkin said in his letter.

Turkey complains to UN over Greek Cyprus oil bid

Ankara has stepped up its efforts toward the international community as the deadline for offshore oil and gas exploration licensing in the waters around divided Cyprus, launched by the Greek Cypriot administration on behalf of the whole island, rapidly approaches.

Ambassador Baki İlkin Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Baki İlkin, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last Thursday, diplomatic sources told Today’s Zaman on yesterday.

“Ambassador İlkin drew Mr. Secretary-General’s attention to the fact that the Greek Cypriot administration claims to be representing the entire island through it’s insistence on moving ahead with this tender, despite all warnings by the Turkish Cypriot side as well as from Ankara,” diplomatic sources, speaking under condition of anonymity, said.

The present Greek Cypriot licensing round involves major oil companies purchasing seismic data and two-dimensional templates of the Mediterranean seabed. The date for application submissions has been postponed by one month, from July 16 to August 16.

Greek Cyprus signed accords with Egypt in 2005 and with Lebanon this year, delineating the sea boundaries between them and the limits of its continental shelf. At present, two exploration blocks on the Lebanon side are not included in the licensing round.

Nevertheless, Ankara opposes both agreements since according to international law, the sea boundaries between the countries and the limits of the continental shelf of each country need to be delineated via a consensus among all coastal and neighboring countries when the issue is a semi-closed sea like the East Mediterranean.

“Greek Cyprus is trying to create ‘fait accompli’ in the region,” İlkin said in his letter while stressing, “Turkey is determined to protect its rights and interests in the East Mediterranean.”

The issue was subject to a statement by the influential National Security Council (MGK) earlier this summer. Late in June, describing the Greek Cypriot government as an “element of instability” in the region, the MGK warned that the Greek Cypriots’ unilateral move concerning the region could stoke tensions in the region. The MGK also noted than that its attempts to take steps on behalf of the entire island were “invalid.”

At the time, the response to the MGK statement came from the Greek capital via a statement by a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

“The fundamental factor for stability in our wider region is the European Union, of which the Republic of Cyprus is a member state, exercising its sovereignty and sovereign rights with full respect for international law,” Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson George Koumoutsakos said.

Top commander: French deal with Greek Cyprus illegal

Chief of general Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt criticized France late monday for signing a defense and military agreement with Greek Cyprus.

"This deal is a clear violation of international law,” Büyükanıt told reporters at a reception held on the occasion of the Turkish Cypriot Armed Forces Day.

“If you take a look at such agreements unilaterally, the Greek Cypriot administration cannot sign such a deal… The two sides, both France and Greek Cyprus, violated international law,” he added.
In March, the Turkish Foreign Ministry similarly showed adverse reaction to France and argued that such attempts had a negative impact on efforts aimed at a comprehensive solution to the decades-old Cyprus problem.

“Greek Cyprus – which is not recognized by Turkey – has no authority to conclude such deals,” said the ministry and emphasized that Greek Cyprus did not represent the entire island.

Gen. Büyükanıt declined to comment on the Turkish government's reaction and repeated, “As a soldier I say that the agreement stands contradictory to law.”

The top general said the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will protect Turkish Cypriots forever.

"Turkish Cypriots are facing an illegal isolation. We strongly condemn those who see the TSK that protects the existence, the life of the Turkish Cypriots, as an invading force," Büyükanıt noted.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Ergin Saygun said a high-level military official from the Pentagon visited the Turkish military headquarters with regard to U.S.-made weapons turning up in the hands of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists.

Saygun said the U.S. official denied claims that the United States was providing the PKK with weapons and that said Washington delivered weapons to Iraqi military officials. Saygun also said around 5,000 American youngsters fled to Canada in an attempt not to join the U.S. army.

“I think now they (U.S. officials) understand how our soldiers in southeastern Anatolia feel,” he said.

Canada's soldiers decompress in Cyprus after Afghan tour

Battle-hardened Canadian soldiers are being indulged in the five-star luxury of the holiday island of Cyprus to re-acclimatise them to civilian life after enduring Afghanistan's war zones.

Most of Canada's 2,500 troops in Afghanistan will undergo "decompression" -- military terminology for a programme designed to ease the physical and mental rigours of life in the combat zone.

After completing their six-month tour on the Afghan battlefront, some 2,100 soldiers are under orders to enjoy five days of sun and sea in this eastern Mediterranean holiday playground before they rotate back home.

But it is not just gratuitous pampering. The programme is also about mending the battle-scarred minds of those who may be grappling with the pain of loss.

"Some soldiers have experienced the loss of friends and colleagues, that's why we have mental health staff on hand to deal with such cases," said Major Michel Ouellet, the 47-year-old Montreal native in charge of a 40-person team overseeing the month-long decompression tour.

"A fair amount of soldiers will have been affected by such loss. This was expected and that's why we planned for it," he said.

Since the US-led occupation of Afghanistan was launched in October 2001, 66 Canadian soldiers have been killed there -- 22 of them so far this year.

The most recent fatalities were on July 4, when six Canadian soldiers were killed by a bomb southwest of Kandahar in Canada's highest single-day toll in the country since 2002.

The Cyprus decompression tour is the second within a year. Twelve months ago some 1,700 Canadians were billeted in five hotels in the island's southern coastal town of Larnaca.

"It's just common sense," said Ouellet. "The weather and location of the island are perfect. It's not too far from Afghanistan... it's an ideal place for the troops to relax."

Canada is not skimping on creature comforts meant to keep the pleasure quotient high, which helps soldiers shed battlefield stress and switch off from combat mode.

This time they are enjoying the Azia Resort and Spa near Paphos, a five-star complex of spacious hotel rooms, private bungalows and ultra-exclusive suites commanding daily rates upwards of 2,400 dollars (1,700 euros).

"The people here are very welcoming everywhere you go. It's a million-dollar view. You don't get this often. Everything is impressive," Ouellet said.

The palm tree-ringed resort on the southwest coast has every amenity including a world-class spa that Ouellet said soldiers are encouraged to use.

In fact a spa, pool, nearby airport and easy access to a hospital were among the criteria stipulated in a Canadian Department of National Defence decompression tender. The Azia fits the bill.

"The welfare of the troops comes first, especially to provide the best for them to enjoy and decompress appropriately. We had requested from bidders specific items that they had to have. It's all been factored in," Ouellet said.

Roughly 150 soldiers stay at the hotel in each five-day cycle, translating to a plane-load of soldiers every other day.

The first soldiers have already arrived and the last decompression rotation will depart Cyprus on September 11.

Chartered and military aircraft fly the troops from Kandahar to Paphos airport after a brief stopover at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The first day is spent settling in while days two and three are reserved for debriefings by mental health specialists flown in specifically to help the soldiers come to terms with their experiences.
Ouellet said that if follow-up treatment is deemed necessary, it would take place later back in Canada.

All evenings as well as the fourth day are free for the soldiers to do as they please. The final day is reserved for packing and departure.

"Our assessment is that a five-day stay is ideal. It could be longer, but you also have to weigh that against the soldiers' desire to get home relatively quickly," he said.

All soldiers double up in each room and rank does not confer privileges. Ouellet said a brigadier general is among those scheduled to decompress in Cyprus -- and he will double up just like any other buck private.