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Turkey says it could annex northern Cyprus

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Published 05 March 2012, updated 25 June 2012
7 comments
Tags
Cyprus, Cyprus reunification, Northern Cyprus, Turkey

Turkey would consider annexing northern Cyprus, which is technically EU territory, if talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots fail to reach a deal on reunification of the island, Turkey's European Affairs Minister Egemen Bağış told a Turkish Cypriot newspaper.

Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Derviş Eroğlu have made little progress in negotiations to reunite the island, divided in 1974, since the United Nations persuaded them to renew efforts late last year (see background).

Bağış told Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kıbrıs that Turkey would support any agreement reached by the two sides, but said that was only one of several possible outcomes.

Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Derviş Eroğlu have made little progress in negotiations to reunite the island, divided in 1974, since the United Nations persuaded them to renew efforts late last year (see background).

Bağış told Turkish Cypriot newspaper Kıbrıs that Turkey would support any agreement reached by the two sides, but said that was only one of several possible outcomes.

Bağış told Kıbrıs during an interview in London that the options "on the table" include "reunification under a deal that [the two] leaders could reach, creation of two independent states after an agreement between the two leaders if they are unable to reach a deal for reunification, or annexation of the KKTC [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] to Turkey." 

Many Turkish Cypriots oppose the notion of annexation. Turkey's NTV news channel quoted Özkan Yorgancıoğlu, leader of the main opposition Republican Turks Party (CTP), as saying the idea was unacceptable.

The division of Cyprus has been used to slow Turkey's efforts to join the EU. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is opposed to Turkey joining and German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she favours a "privileged partnership" for Turkey.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, Turkey has said if there was no solution by 1 July,  when Cyprus takes over the European Union presidency, it would suspend dialogue until the presidency passes to another EU member in 2013.

Turkey has stationed troops in the north since invading in 1974, after a coup in Cyprus orchestrated by a military junta in Athens.

Northern Cyprus is only recognised only by Ankara and its only air link is with Turkey. It is also excluded from international sport, finance and trade, and it has been heavily subsidised by Ankara.

The dispute took a serious turn in September when Cyprus allowed gas exploration drilling to commence. That prompted Turkey to dispatch naval ships to the Eastern Mediterranean, saying that any gas found would belong to all Cypriots.

Positions: 

Following the publication of the article, Cyprus' Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou sent the following statement to EurActiv blasting Egemen Bağış' statement as provocative and insulting for Cyprus and for the Turkish-Cypriot community.

"The statement of Mr Egemen Bağış in the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper “Kipris”, in London, about the existence of three options on the Cyprus issue is cynical, arrogant and provocative. It is, at the same time, insulting for the Turkish-Cypriot community. These statements reveal that Turkey, with its negative stance on the Cyprus issue, promotes partition and the creation of two separate states in Cyprus. We note that the Turkish-Cypriot leader Mr Eroglu has recently made statements of similar content.

Partition is not only categorically rejected by the international community, but it also does not constitute a solution either for the Greek-Cypriots or the Turkish-Cypriots, whose survival is in danger by Turkey’s illegal presence on the island. Mr Bağış’ reference to the integration of the occupied areas with Turkey is also in direct contradiction with the UN resolutions.

We call on the international community to exercise its influence on Turkey, which should respect the UN Resolutions on Cyprus and work towards the direction of the solution.

For the Greek-Cypriot side there is only one option on the negotiating table. The option of the solution of the Cyprus issue on the basis of the bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as described in the relevant UN resolutions. A solution, which will end the occupation and settlement and reunify the country and the people, Greek-Cypriots and Turkish-Cypriots, in the framework of one state with one and single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality.

The Greek-Cypriot side will continue to work with consistency on principles and to exhibit a constructive spirit and good will to achieve this solution."

EurActiv.com with Reuters

COMMENTS

  • Surprise, Surprise.
    This has been Turkeys aim from day 1.
    This will of course mean the end of the Turkish Cypriots.
    So what is Europe going to do about a part of EU territory being anexxed by a non EU memeber?

    By :
    Louis
    - Posted on :
    05/03/2012

  • Today all that is told to people is that Turkish army has invaded part of European land.
    Reality in history is much more than that.
    Greeks of Greece orchestrated the militia that killed anybody who did not agree to unification with Greece between 1960 and 1974, until the last attempt in 1974 by Greek junta which was eventually prevented by Turkish military.
    Greek Cypriots signed in 1959 the Supreme law which recognizes Turkish-Cypriots as equal partners, and retracted it 1960 and started ethnic cleansing same year.
    Greek Cypriots violated the international agreements they signed, the last one being that they applied for EU membership alone and as the sole representative of the island.
    EU broke the same international agreements accepting Greek Cypriots on those terms. EU was partly forced to do this because of Greek Cypriot blackmailing to open its soil for Russian military bases, if EU membership does not happen.
    EU should rectify the errors they made before they could start telling Turkey what she should or should not do. That is, if EU has any concern about legitimacy of its acts.
    Annexation of the Northern Cyprus is not primary goal by Turkey. Has never been.

    By :
    Erc An
    - Posted on :
    05/03/2012

  • Tiffany & Ercan.
    Strongly suggest you watch the British made film on
    u tube.
    "1985, the green Line" and see the true story as to what happened in Cyprus.
    Then we could talk again.

    By :
    louis
    - Posted on :
    06/03/2012

  • louis,
    sure.
    on your account:
    you should read "Cyprus Conspiracy" by O'Malley&Craig,
    search the internet for news involving Greek-Cypriots, Russia, eastern Mediteranean especially during the timewindow between Greek-Cypriot application for EU and acceptance of Cyprus as candidate.
    Search the internet for the agreements that Greek Cypriots signed and now violate, or promises they made and retracted.
    Then consider again if anybody has the right to call Cyprus island "EU territory".
    You should also ask the question, which part of that video justifies the killings committed by Greek-Cypriots for "Megali Idea", or reducing the status of Turkish-Cypriots to pre-assimiliation.

    By :
    Erc An
    - Posted on :
    06/03/2012

  • The killings by Greek militia were intensified after Cyprus got the independence in 1959 from Britain by a deal that accepted Turkish-Cypriots as equal partners. The terror did not have anything to do with independence which the island had already gotten. The aim was to silence the Turkish voice on the way to "Megali idea." Or any disagreeing voice for that matter, as they killed the British and Greek as well who did not agree to Megali idea.

    By :
    Erc An
    - Posted on :
    06/03/2012

  • This is incredibly interesting. I've not heard about a genocide in Cyprus and I didn't know Turkey had control of half the island. I've been learning a lot about Turkey lately and most of it I like. This may be the first thing I've so far found to disagree with in regards to the Turkish government's actions.

    I don't really understand what is going on here though. Does Turkey really want Northern Cyprus to join them? Does Northern Cyprus want this? Do the PEOPLE want this? How did all of this start in the first place? Was it a religious, cultural, or racial difference that lead to the genocide?

    By :
    Cody
    - Posted on :
    14/03/2012

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Background: 

The division of Cyprus represents one of the most difficult issues of modern times. Despite repeated efforts under the auspices of the UN to bring the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities to the negotiating table, the island has remained divided since 1974. 

Hopes for reunification were raised in 2002 when then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan suggested a two-part federation with a rotating presidency. 

In an April 2004 referendum, the Greek Cypriots rejected - and the Turkish Cypriots approved - a UN-sponsored unity plan. The plan's failure disappointed EU officials, who had agreed to allow Cyprus to join the EU that year partly in the hope that doing so would encourage a solution. In May 2004, the Greek Cypriot-controlled 'Republic of Cyprus' became a full member of the EU.

At their December 2004 summit, EU leaders agreed to open accession talks with Turkey on 3 October 2005. One of the conditions specified was for Ankara to extend a 1963 association agreement with the EU's predecessor, the European Economic Community, to the Union's 10 new member states. This group includes the Greek Cypriot state, which is not recognised by Turkey.

In July 2005, Turkey signed a protocol extending its customs union to the EU-10 states, but at the same time Ankara issued a declaration saying that its signature did not mean it had recognised the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey also refused to open its ports and airports to Cyprus, as it claims the EU has fallen short of having direct trade with the unrecognised northern part of the island.

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