Journalists and Politicians Outraged about Minister's Proposal

"It might be possible to connect Northern Cyprus to Turkey" - this is the gist of a statement of Egemen Bağış, Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator, that fuelled a wave of criticism among journalists and politicians in Northern Cyprus.

In a statement released during his visit to London on Sunday (5 March), Bağış expressed the aspiration to unite both constituent states under one roof.

Bağış announced that the Turkish Republic was going to support any solution that would be accepted by the two political leaders in Southern and Northern Cyprus and both communities. This included a unification of both parts as well as no unification or also the possibility of connecting Northern Cyprus to Turkey, Bağış said.

In an announcement on Monday (5 March), Bağış said, "To those who did not want to understand my words or who misunderstood I recommend to read them again very carefully".

The Afrika and Yeni Düzen newspapers voiced the harshest criticism on Bağış's suggestion. Also politicians, trade unions and universities expressed their dissent.

"Dangerous statement"

Şener Levent, General Publications Director of the Afrika newspaper, indicated that for the first time such a suggestion was voiced officially. Levent said that he found Bağış's statement dangerous.

In a statement made to bianet, Levent said that Turkish Cypriots never wanted to be connected to Turkey. "Turkish Cypriots most of all want a united and independent Cyprus. They do not want two independents states or to be connected to Turkey", he stated.

Hüseyin Yalyalı, Secretary General of the Turkish Journalists Association of Cyprus and the Press Workers Trade Union (Basın-Sen), remarked that the Turkish Republic would never be able to realize such an undertaking.

He pointed out that Turkey was not able to connect Northern Cyprus to the state because that would mean a breach of all international agreements. Yalyalı evaluated Bağış's announcement as an attack against Cypriot and Turkish politics.

Columnist Cenk Mutluyakalı from the Yeni Düzen newspaper wrote on Monday that Northern Cyprus was already made dependent on Turkey.

"The budget of Northern Cyprus is dependent and so are the economy as well as tourism and casinos. All hotels have changed owners one by one. The Central Bank, security forces and civil defence are dependent. Banks and universities were not enough, also private colleges and even prisons are dependent. Telephone, internet, air travel and very soon electricity, water and what' left... In particular and most of all money..."

Addressing Minister Bağış, Mutluyakalı added, "Gentlemen, you might connect The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) but you will have to try hard to connect Cyprus...".

"Turkey's good intentions are questioned"

The Chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Özkan Yorgancıoğlu, assessed Bağış's words in a written statement as 'unacceptable'.

As reported in the Afrika newspaper, Yorgancıoğlu pointed to the ongoing efforts to find a solution to the Cypriot question within the UN parameters, a process that was being supported by Turkey as well. In this context, he deemed Bağış's statement a reason to question Turkey's good intentions in the negotiations. According to the politician, a grave situation was created.

"Violation of the Treaty of Guarantee"

Didem Menteş of the Yeni Düzen newspaper gave voice to the concerns of Cypriot politicians, academics and business people in her column on Monday.

The experts emphasized that connecting Northern Cyprus to Turkey would be a violation of the Treaty of Guarantee between the Republic of Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the UK that was promulgated in 1960.

* CTP Lefkosia Deputy Özdil Nami: "This is contrary to the Treaty of Guarantee from 1960".

* İzzet İzcan, Secretary General of the United Cyprus Party (BKP): "This threatens Cypriots and the world".

* Ertuğrul Hasipoğlu, General Secretary of the National Union Party (UBP): "Turkey has no such consideration and neither do we".

* Party for Democracy and Trust (DGP) Chairman Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu: "We want the KKTC to be an independent state".

* Tahir Gökçebel, Head of the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers' Union (KTOEÖS): "Showpiece politics reached the end".

* Turkish Public Workers' Union of Cyprus (Kamu-İş) President Sami Dilek: "It is impossible to connect to Turkey".

* Chamber of Industry Chairman Ali Çıralı: "An unfortunate comment".

* Vice Dean of the Eastern Mediterranean University Faculty of Law, Assoc. Prof Tufan Erhürman: "This option is an annexation and lacks legal grounds". (EKN)