Cyprus president calls for end to Turkish gunboat diplomacy

Cyprus president calls for end to Turkish gunboat diplomacy



President Christofias has called on Turkey to abandon its “gunboat diplomacy” and instead adopt a policy of conciliation and compromise.
The President made the remarks during visits to National Guard and Hellenic Forces of Cyprus camps to wish the soldiers and the officers for Christmas and the New Year.
“If Turkey does not change its gunboat diplomacy and stop playing the part of regional police officer there will be consequences which, for sure, will not be good neither for the whole region nor the Turkish people and foremost, the Turkish Cypriots,” he said.
”I want to believe,” he added, ”that the prospects of finding natural gas will force Turkey to have second thoughts and follow a policy of conciliation and compromise both with Greece and Cyprus, to create the conditions for a truly peaceful future of cooperation and peace for all people of the region, including the Turkish people”.
He also said that colonization is way more unacceptable than occupation for the people of Cyprus, regardless of which community they belong to, adding that the victims of colonization are first and foremost the Turkish Cypriots, “who feel that they are losing their Cypriot identity and are greatly worried”.

Despite being disappointed with the behavior of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership at the talks, we are optimistic about the future, he noted, adding that Greece and Cyprus are striving together to get rid of the occupation and colonization.

Moreover, he expressed his readiness to continue striving hard towards the solution of the Cyprus problem that will bring to an end Turkey’s occupation of the island divided since the Turkish invasion in 1974.
He expressed the conviction that everyone will live in a reunified homeland of peace and cooperation “together with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots who also pay the price of the occupation as they are losing their identity”.
President Christofias said that Turkey does not care for Turkish Cypriot, adding that Turkish Cypriots are also protesting against Turkey’s illegal occupation and colonization of the island.
He said that he is in contact with Turkish Cypriots and is in a position to know very well how they feel, apart from the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglou.
He also expressed the need to combat nationalism existing in the Greek Cypriot community.
President Christofias stressed that a patriotic act is anything which will lead to a decent compromise that will reunite Cyprus and its people in conditions of peace and friendship between the two communities and terminate the occupation and colonization of the island.
In addition, he expressed the wish that 2012 will bring a peaceful, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus problem that will reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion.
Asked to comment on a statement made by State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland calling on the two sides in Cyprus to ‘roll up their sleeves’ to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, he said that “our sleeves are always rolled up and our spirit is lifted and opened”.
He called on both the US and the UK to turn towards Turkey to contribute substantially to the talks. President Christofias urged the State Department to turn towards Turkey, noting that “we have all the good will to reach a solution”.
Asked to comment on the statement of the State Department spokeswoman concerning the exploratory drillings of Cyprus in its Exclusive Economic Zone and that the US would like to see the benefits of that exploration shared among all Cypriots in the context of a full settlement of issues between them, he said that “we do not need pleas from whomsoever to do what is evident to us, in the event Turkey decides to change its stance and help put an end to occupation and colonization through a viable and functional solution”.
He said that the natural resources of the Republic of Cyprus belong to all Cypriots, adding that it is agreed in the talks that the responsibility for natural resources belongs to the central government and the federal government.
Turkey, whose troops occupy Cyprus’ northern part since they invaded in 1974, does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus. UN – led Cyprus talks are underway with the participation of the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus with an aim to reach a solution that would reunify the island under a federal roof.
Following a decision by Nicosia to begin natural gas and oil exploration in its exclusive economic zone, Ankara has deployed warships in the Eastern Mediterranean and has signed an illegal agreement with the Turkish Cypriot regime in occupied Cyprus to delineate what it calls continental shelf.
Drilling has already begun and is being carried out by Houston-based “Noble Energy”, off Cyprus’ south-eastern coast.
The government of Cyprus has protested to the UN and the EU Turkey’s moves, saying it has a sovereign right to exploit its natural resources, pointing out that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will benefit from any benefits that may come from oil drilling.
Cyprus has signed an agreement to delineate the Exclusive Economic Zone with Egypt and Israel with a view to exploit any possible natural gas and oil reserves in its EEZ. A similar agreement has been signed with Lebanon but the Lebanese Parliament has not yet ratified it.

Source: famagusta-gazette.com