PM draws the line for Cyprus: Unity or split

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PM draws the line for Cyprus: Unity or split

The island of Cyprus must be reunited as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation by the end of the year or remain split, Turkish PM Erdoğan says

Turkish Cypriot President Eroğlu (L) praises Turkey’s long-standing support for Cyprus during a visit by Turkish PM Erdoğan.
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The Turkish prime minister drew a hard line on the long-standing Cyprus issue Wednesday, saying the divided island must be united by the end of the year or remain split.

“Everyone should know the existing window of opportunity on Cyprus will not always be open. The Turkish Cypriot side is working for peace and solutions against all injustices. It’s not bearable anymore,” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, accusing Greek Cypriots of blocking talks and warning that time was running out.

Erdoğan called for Cyprus to be reunited as a two-zone federation, something to which both sides have agreed in principle. They remain at odds, however, over implementation issues.

The situation has taken on new urgency with Greek Cyprus’ scheduled assumption of the six-month rotating EU Presidency in 2012.

“An urgent and permanent solution to the Cyprus problem should not be sacrificed for daily political interests and poisonous prejudices,” Erdoğan said Wednesday, speaking to thousands of supporters waving Turkish and northern Cypriot flags during a ceremony in Turkish Cyprus for Peace and Freedom Day. The holiday marks the anniversary of Turkey’s 1974 intervention.

Later on Wednesday, Erdoğan discussed the Cyprus issue with northern Cyprus’ second prime minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, who said he had close relations with Erdoğan both in the 2004 referendum period and in the negotiation process starting from 2008.

“The island has a strategic importance ... If they want the future to be better than today, historical facts should be known well,” said Turkish Cypriot President Derviş Eroğlu.

“We established a state on the geography created by the 1974 peace operation ... We have created an economy. Turkey was always with us while we were doing all those things,” he added.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül meanwhile said, “Turkish Cypriot has shown the whole world that it will not surrender to any pressure, [will] protect its freedom and independence, and will not give up its legitimate rights in its national cause for which it has been fighting for years”

PM draws the line for Cyprus: Unity or split - Hurriyet Daily News

 

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Erdoğan: Don’t be surprised if Greek Cypriot economy collapses

Prime Minister Erdoğan, his spouse Emine Erdoğan attended an opening ceremony in Turkish Cyprus on Wednesday with Turkish Cypriot President Derviş Eroğlu and Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister İrsen Küçük.​

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan added fuel to the fire in a series of blasts against Greek Cyprus and the European Union most recently by praising the Turkish Cypriot economy while saying the Greek Cypriot economy is “on the brink of collapse.”

Erdoğan said on Wednesday at an opening ceremony in Gazimağusa in Turkish Cyprus that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) has achieved very successful results in terms of public finance at a time when many EU member states “dropped the class by failing exams [on economy].”

“The situation in Greece is obvious. Don’t be surprised if Greek Cyprus also becomes the same,” Erdoğan said, referring to an economic crisis Greece has struggled with. Erdoğan’s remarks came on the same day a top banker from Greek Cyprus warned that a deadly explosion that shut down a major power plant and spawned a week of rolling blackouts has wreaked such damage on the economy that it may need to be bailed out.

"I believe that the economy is now in a state of emergency, comparable to that of 1974," Central Bank of Cyprus Governor Athanasios Orphanides said in a July 18 letter to Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias. In 1974, Cyprus was split along ethnic lines after a coup by supporters of union with Greece was followed by a Turkish intervention. The country, which took up the euro in 2008, remains divided despite years of talks.

Greek Cyprus, which has not been dragged into Europe's debt crisis mire despite its close links with Greece, was badly hit by the July 11 explosion of seized Iranian munitions.

The munitions -- gunpowder inside dozens of containers confiscated from an Iran chartered ship in 2009 that the UN said had breached a ban on Iranian arms exports -- had been stacked in an open field at the naval base.

As well as killing 13, the blast prompted rolling blackouts around the country, shaken confidence in the government and spawned nightly protests demanding answers amid claims of official negligence.

Turkish Cyprus is supplying electricity from its own grid to Greek Cyprus.

Erdoğan said the KKTC was successful in standing on its feet despite all the economic embargoes and that Turkey is trying to do its best to make Turkish Cyprus economically self-sustaining.

The EU still imposes an economic embargo on Turkish Cyprus despite its 2004 pledge that it would end the isolation as long as Turkish Cyprus voted in favor of a UN plan for the reunification of the long-divided island. Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the plan while Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly voted against it.

The KKTC itself had to enact austerity measures months ago due to what Turkey called “extravagant public spending.”

Erdoğan said he is pleased to see that the new economic program has already yielded its fruits. While praising Turkish Cypriot’s economy, Erdoğan said no one should be surprised if Greek Cyprus also experiences the same financial difficulties as Greece.

“I should also say that they might get angry when I talk like that,” Erdoğan added.

Erdo

 

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The EU still imposes an economic embargo on Turkish Cyprus despite its 2004 pledge that it would end the isolation as long as Turkish Cyprus voted in favor of a UN plan for the reunification of the long-divided island. Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the plan while Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly voted against it.

if they isolated K.K.T.C for not co-operating, why arent they isolating south-cyprus for not co-operating know?

bunch of turkey haters!