February 18, 2003

New Cypriot leader 'eager' for talks

Cypriot President-elect Tassos Papadopoulos has said he will start talks on reunification of the divided island in a positive spirit despite calling for changes to the plan.
[...]
However, correspondents say the UN is concerned that Mr Papadopoulos's nationalist, anti-Turkish past may further hinder attempts at a diplomatic settlement.

UN negotiators have set 28 February as the last possible date for agreement between the Greek and Turkish communities if Cyprus is to join the European Union as a united country next year.
[...]Earlier, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash expressed regret over the defeat of incumbent Glafcos Clerides, saying the poll had damaged chances for reunification of the island.

Mr Denktash called on Mr Papadopoulos to draw up a "realistic" plan, otherwise - he said - it would be pointless to continue talks.
[...]Mr Denktash, who has himself been strongly critical of the plan, attacked Mr Papadopoulos' pledge to be "president of all Cypriots".

"As long as Papadopoulos does not draw himself a realistic plan and abandon his imaginary solutions, there is no reason to continue with this dead-end process," he said.

"It is the intransigent stance of the Greek Cypriot people which won," he added.
[...]
Mr Papadopoulos' wish to give Greek Cypriot refugees the right to return to the Turkish northern sector is not endorsed by the UN proposals.
[...]
Mr Papadopoulos - who will become the fifth Greek Cypriot president - benefited from the support of the influential communist party[Note the BBC uses a lower case "c" here...--J.T.], Akel, one of the largest political groups in Cyprus.

He also picked up votes from Greek Cypriots who believe that Mr Clerides has given away too much in UN-sponsored talks with Mr Denktash.
[...]Cyprus has been partitioned since Turkey invaded in 1974 in response to an abortive Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.

Lordie, these Mediterranean types can be hot-headed!
What a mess.
Would it be merely rhetorical and irritating to ask what the h*ll business is it of the UN to butt into this "conflict?"
Only 18% of the Cypriot population is of Turkish inclinations...
And they grabbed the northern part of the island almost 30 years ago (yes, another Islamist-rooted land grab) and yet the UN and the EU seem to be in such a hurry for them to "correct the problem" of unification NOW.
The Turkish leader, Dentkash, was "sick" for the last planned round of negotiations and didn't show.
Meanwhile, Turkey itself has a de facto leader, Gul, and an elected leader, Erdogan, who's not allowed to rule by Turkish law...yet.
And Turkey is trying to squeeze more money out of us and promises that we will contain the Kurds in the north of Iraq (and in Turkey) in exchange for letting us use our own bases there in the Iraq attack...
Obviously, Turkey--like it's more arrogant pal the French--is trying to see how much above its weight it can punch on the international scene.
I really think they're overreaching (as is France.)
They're not that fabulous...to anyone.
The number one law of international diplomacy should be "Be aware of how much real power you possess, particularly when you are becoming a pain."
The number two law should be "If you want to go your own way, what can other countries do to stop you?"
In Turkey's case the answer to the first is "not much" and the response to the second is "plenty:" Turkey is no match militarily for the U.S., in case they're thinking of siding with Saddam and their country's economic problems are becoming legion.
Notice also how it takes UN intervention to royally screw up a situation and to promise benefits to all the wrong parties! (with the EU lurking somewhere close by, ready to fill in the breach and muck things up even more!).
I think Turkey thinks it can sneak in the "back door" of the EU, using a "Turkish Cyprus" (A reunified Cyprus is poised to be accepted for EU membership) as a lever.
The EU professes claims, of course, that it's "not quite ready" and won't be for years, if ever, to formally accept Turkey itself for membership. What a shame.
While Greece did come to Turkey's aid in the recent NATO to-do over the defense of Turkey, this was a reversal of Greek-Turkish enmity which has existed for over 5,000 years and I'd be willing to bet that they'd fight to the death over tiny little Cyprus on the "principle" of the thing.
Good luck, Cyprus. Sounds like you're going to need it!