The ongoing attacks by the Greek Cypriot fanatics on the Turkish Cypriot vigil taking place opposite 10 Downing Street, have intensified after an inciting article was published by the London based Greek Cypriot newspaper ELEFTHERIA.

 

Some members of the vigil opposite 10 Downing Street. Their faces are covered in order to protect them from the Greek Cypriot attacks.

 

In its issue published on 16 March, ELEFTHERIA blamed the raising of the TRNC flag by a group of Turkish Cypriots at the Parliament Square next to the so-called flag of the ‘Cyprus Republic’ on the Turkish Cypriots taking part at the vigil.

The newspaper explained that the possible intention of the Turkish Cypriots who raised the flag was to show that there are two states in Cyprus. As the Greek Cypriots normally blame everything that went wrong in Cyprus on President Denktash in order to cover up their atrocities and intransigence, ELEFTHERIA said that this incident was "surely directed by the Turkish-Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash".

ELEFTERIA, a newspaper known for its fascist views, then went on to incite the Greek Cypriots and their organisations to put an end to "the distressing activities" of the Turkish Cypriots. "The matter however which remains, is that the Turkish-Cypriots responsible for taking their actions to a new, low level are the same people who have now begun to pressurise political circles in the UK for recognition of their pseudo-state. Their attempts know no bounds and have no limits. It seems they take their direction from those at the Turkish Embassy and from the ‘personal’ representatives of Denktash. It is essential that the Greek-Cypriot community and the National Federation of Greek Cypriots are ready to uncover and oppose this Turkish propaganda for once and for all," the newspaper said.

Members of the vigil, who gave us information about the attacks, said that before the article published by ELEFTHERIA there were only a few minor incidents. Greeks and Greek Cypriots shouting abuse at those taking part in the vigil while passing by was already a common occurrence.

However, they pointed out that after the publication of the article, organised groups of Greeks and Greek Cypriots began a campaign of physical attacks on the vigil.

On numerous occasions they pulled down the flags, banners and the pictures on display.
The worst of the attacks on the vigil took place on 24 March, when a group of about 20 Greek Cypriots, accompanying Serbians protesting the first anniversary of the NATO bombing of Serbia, surrounded the Turkish Cypriots.

It was reported that while most of the Greek Cypriots hurled abuse, one of them approached with a bottle in his hand which he claimed to contain holy oil and began shouting "Come on you filthy Turks let me baptise you. We will take all of Cyprus; there will be churches everywhere in Cyprus. You can all piss off to Turkey."

The same Greek Cypriot, who was carrying a three metre long wooden cross, used the cross to attack the Turkish Cypriots injuring one of them.

Up on this attack, the police moved in and arrested the Greek Cypriot for the attack and racial abuse. Subsequently he appeared at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court on 29 March, with a decision taken to send the case to Crown Court.

Couple of days after this attack on 26 March, a group of 5 Greek Cypriots turned up again and subjected the Turkish Cypriots to verbal abuse and proceeded with spitting at them. When the police arrived at the scene the thugs ran away, only to return 5 minutes later in a car. As they drove by they threw a bottle filled with urine at the Turkish Cypriots.
In addition to assaults on the vigil members, Greek Cypriots began attacks on Turkish Cypriot enterprises. Recently a firm of travel agents had to close down due to continuous attacks directed at its premises in North London.

For more than three years Greek Cypriots had held a vigil outside the Turkish Embassy in Belgrave Square but there were no violent incidents perpetrated by Turks or Turkish Cypriots. When Turkish Cypriots decide to exercise their democratic rights, they are faced with racist attacks.

Unlike the claims of ELEFTHERIA newspaper, the vigil opposite 10 Downing Street, which has been going on for 5 months, is totally legal, endorsed by the right permissions obtained from the authorities. Members of the vigil have full support of the Turkish Cypriot community here in London.

By denying the basic facts of the Cyprus problem and blaming President Denkta¾ for everything that happened in Cyprus, Greek Cypriots accomplish nothing but insult the Turkish Cypriot Community here in London. Our community knows very well who to blame for the Cyprus problem because about 90% of the community consist of people who had to flee Cyprus as a result of Greek atrocities.

It is very clear that the last paragraph of the article in ELEFTHERIA was intended to incite the Greek Cypriots to organise attacks on the Turkish Cypriots and it proved to be effective. Alas, we do not expect any punitive measures to be taken by the authorities as this is not the first time such hateful campaign went unpunished. A Greek newspaper called TaNea had incited racial hatred and violence against Turkish Cypriots before and despite our community’s numerous complaints to relevant authorities the paper was allowed to get away with it.

Following the TRNC presidential elections and the decision of the PM Dervi¾ Ero¤lu to pull out of the second round of the ballot, President Rauf Denktash will remain in office for the next 5 years.

 

First round of ballot, which took place on April 15, showed that none of the eight candidates managed to gain more than 50% of the votes required to win in the first round. A second round of voting was scheduled to take place between the top two candidates, President Rauf Denktash and PM Dervish Eroglu on April 22, but the Prime Minister announced a few days before that he was pulling out of the elections.

Following the decision by the PM to pull out, The High Electoral Council has proclaimed Rauf Denktash as the President of the TRNC. In the first round of voting, President Rauf Denkta¾ gained 43.67% of the votes while his main rival Prime Minister Dervish Eroglu gained 30.14% of the votes. According to the TRNC Constitution, a candidate is required to receive above 50% of the votes to be elected president in the first ballot. If no candidate receives such a majority of votes in the first ballot, the two strongest candidates to emerge in the first ballot participates in the run-off election, held a week after the first ballot.

On the other hand, while the Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the Communal Liberation Party (TKP) gained 11.70% of the votes, Mehmet Ali Talat, the leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) received only 10.03% of the votes.

The presidential elections showed to the whole world that, whether acknowledged or not, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus does exist; it exists with all its democratic institutions.

On April 1, Greek Cypriots commemorated the establishment of the terror organisation EOKA.

The terrorist organisation, EOKA, which was established on 1 April 1955 by Greece, with the aim of achieving Enosis (union of Cyprus with Greece) targeted the Turkish Cypriots and British.

Today, with no respect to the families of the Turkish Cypriot and British victims, Greek Cypriots continue to commemorate EOKA and to honour its terrorists. The terrorists are portrayed as heroes, and their statues can be seen in many parts of South Cyprus.

A statue of an EOKA terrorist in South Cyprus. For Greek Cypriots he is a hero, for British and Turkish Cypriots he is a murderer.

 

Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, who gave a speech at the celebrations, said, "This day, nationalist and religious messages are given. It is a day that gives us lessons as to how we should fight for our freedom."

In a ceremony held in St Ionnis church, Greek Cypriot Chief Prosecutor, Aleco Markides said that they will not accept a federal solution, which would entail property and population exchange.

On his part, Archbishop Chrisostomos, who conducted the ceremony, said that he would accept the type of federal solution that Alecos Markides was talking about. Chrisostomos is known for his strong opposition to a federal solution and this was the first time he said he would accept a federal solution.

Meanwhile, Haravgi, Greek Cypriot newspaper reported that groups of EOKA supporters, trying to reactivate EOKA, wrote anti-federation slogans in different parts of Nicosia. Haravgi supported the report with pictures of a school wall, which showed the slogans with EOKA signature.

Claiming that the individuals who wrote the slogans were trying to ‘reactivate’ EOKA is a grave mistake; a mistake nobody should make, especially Haravgi, the mouthpiece of AKEL. Lets not forget that thousands of AKEL supporters were murdered by EOKA terrorists during the coup staged by Greece in July 1974.

Today, EOKA is very much alive and it is deliberately kept alive by the Greek Cypriot administration. There are many Greek Cypriot deputies today in the Greek Cypriot parliament , who were ministers in Nicos Samson’s government established during the coup, some of whom are from Clerides’ party DHSY. As Turkish Cypriots, we are facing a community which perceives EOKA terrorists, who are responsible for murders of thousands of Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots and British, as heroes; a community, where many of their present leaders are still EOKA members.

Verheugen Shocks Greek Cypriots

Gunther Verheugen, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, in a press conference given at the end of the Turkish-EU Joint Council meeting in Luxembourg, responding to a question asked by a Greek Cypriot journalist "whether it was not a drawback for the army of an EU candidate country to be present in another candidate country" stated that, "in my country (Germany) there were foreign military forces also".

Verheugen carried on saying that the existence of the Turkish army on the island does not create a situation that is against the principles of the EU. He added, the presence of the army of an EU candidate country in another candidate country does not present an obstacle for full EU membership.

Verheugen, drawing attention to the importance of the conditions under which the Turkish army came to Cyprus, expressed his desire for the continuation of negotiations on the Cyprus issue in a constructive manner.

This was not the first time Verheugen expressed a fair and balanced view on the Cyprus question which proved upsetting for the Greek Cypriot side. During his recent visit to Turkey he had stressed the fact that Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, did not represent the Turkish Cypriot side.

As the third round of proximity talks are nearing and the international community is pushing harder for a solution to the Cyprus problem, the Greek Cypriot opposition for a federal solution is on the increase.

Three recent opinion polls carried out among Greek Cypriots revealed the growing opposition to a federal solution. First of the polls, carried out by a Greek Cypriot newspaper last March, showed that 73% of the people who took part said they were against a federal solution. Only 1.5% of those Greek Cypriots surveyed said that they were ready to accept a federal solution and 1% of Greek Cypriots said that they were ready to accept a confederal solution.

Greek Cypriot press of April 2, published the results of a second survey carried out by the Greek Cypriot administration, which revealed that 83% of the Greek Cypriots surveyed were against a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.

The latest survey carried out by AMER, a reputable public relations company, for the Greek Cypriot newspaper Politis, revealed that 54% of the 809 Greek Cypriots did not want a federal solution. Cyprus Mail reported that "The number of Greek Cypriots opposing a federation -- 54 per cent -- has risen since last October's 48 per cent, but the number in favour has also risen to 30 per cent (from 27 per cent last October)." Survey also revealed that more than 80 per cent said that in the event of a federal solution, they would not live in a Turkish Cypriot canton.

Cyprus Mail also claimed that "The rise in the number against can be put down to negative comments made primarily by the Bishop of Kyrenia early this year. These were compounded by further comments made by New Horizons Party leader Nicos Koutsou in recent weeks that the government should wake up and see that the majority of Cypriots do not want a federation."

During his recent visit to 10 Downing Street, Clerides, when questioned on this issue, said he did not take such polls into consideration but admitted that he himself would have preferred a unitary state. "However, I accept the federal solution because it is the only feasible solution," he said.

The recent surveys carried out in South Cyprus, prompted by the arguments started by the Greek Cypriot religious leaders, proved that as in the past the Greek Cypriots do not want a federal solution.

Until 1995, Clerides himself had always argued against a federal solution. In 1995, when the EU accepted the illegal Greek Cypriot application for accession, he began claiming that a federal solution would be viable. This change in policy only came about because the Greek Cypriot leadership believe that by implementing the EU laws they can overturn all the benefits that the Turkish Cypriots would gain under a bi-zonal, bi-comunal federation. As Clerides himself admitted, Greek Cypriots attend the negotiations purely for tactical reasons and pretend to want to negotiate; their aim is to delay any progress until they achieve EU membership.

Also in Greece, prompted by the ongoing calls of the Greek and Greek Cypriots who are against a federal solution, Greek academics started a petition, voicing their opposition to a federal solution. Greek Cypriot newspaper Simerini reported that more than 15,000 Greek academics and journalists signed the petition, "protesting the way the Cyprus issue is moving forward."

Simerini also reported that the petition committee sent a letter to the Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos and to the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, stating that they were against a federal or a confederal solution. The letter also praised the so-called Kyrenia Bishop for his brave opposition to a federal solution.

Recent surveys and the petition signed by thousands of intellectuals are clear indications that the Greek-Greek Cypriot side is not ready for any kind of reconciliation or agreement on the island. A large portion of Greek Cypriots favour the continuation of the present status quo, where the Greek Cypriot administration enjoys international recognition and the TRNC is kept under embargoes. Many organisations, religious leaders and some Greek Cypriot political parties are now calling for a referendum to be carried out in order to find out what the Greek Cypriots really want. Perhaps both sides should be asked by the international community to carry out such referendums so that they could clearly understand the wishes of the two sides.

Norton Mezvinsky, an American Professor on History, who is also the architect of the agreement between the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) and the Central Connecticut State University of the USA for establishing cultural, scientific and educational exchange programs between the two universities, gave a lesson to the Greek Cypriot Administration.

Norton Mezvinsky in an interview given to the correspondent of the Turkish Cypriot daily "Kibris" in New York evaluated the attempts made by the Greek Cypriot Administration to undermine the relations established by the TRNC universities with international academic circles. Stressing that the presence of the EMU in the TRNC, which is not recognised by the international community, is not related to the educational exchange agreement, Norton

Mezvinsky said that the UN and the USA have now adopted an approach stressing human rights instead of the sovereignty of nation states. He also said that the justifications of the Greek Cypriots on this issue are "out of fashion".

Norton Mezvinsky, pointing out that the issue is a matter of academic freedom, said that the USA government and the government of Connecticut should not interfere with the universities’ exchange programs.

He also added that no foreign government, its ambassador or embassy should do this either. Norton Mezvinsky, stating that the agreement with the EMU was signed on 18 November 1994 and was also given as a news item in CNN’s world report, said he could not understand why the Greek Cypriot administration was attacking his person and the university at this time.

Mevzinsky, who is of Jewish origin, said that over the last 30 to 35 years he had been facing pressure from the Jewish Lobby because of his support for the Palestinians, and said that he would not yield in the face of the threats by the weaker Greek Lobby.

A report published by the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, which proposed a confederal solution to the Cyprus problem and asked for the backing of the EU for a rapid solution to the conflict, has angered Greek Cypriots.

Written by Nathalie Tocci, a research fellow at the centre in Brussels, the report stressed that it is imperative to incorporate Turkish Cypriots into any relations between Cyprus and the EU, especially in "accession negotiations."

The report, which supports the Turkish Cypriot side’s confederal solution proposal, also maintains that the basic cause of the Cyprus problem was the Greek Cypriot reluctance to accept the international agreements that created the Republic of Cyprus.

The report, entitled "The Cyprus question: Reshaping community identities and elite interests within a wider European framework", has sparked the expected reaction from Greek Cypriots who labelled it "unacceptable." George Vassiliou, the head of the Greek Cypriot delegation in EU accession talks, stated that the report is "unacceptable" and "not worth" taking into consideration.

Reportedly, Vassilliou sent a letter to the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Gunter Verhuegen, asking him not to give credit to the report. Nathalie Tocci, who was invited by the Greek Cypriot Central Bank to deliver a speech at an EU conference in April arranged by the bank, has been asked not to attend the meeting because of the report.

The summary of the report by Nathalie Tocci is as follows:

"Almost immediately after their finalisation in 1959-60, the Greek Cypriot community led by President Makarios began signalling its discontent with the standing arrangements. The president of the Republic contested the legitimacy of the 1960 Constitution and agreements, which violated the self-determination of the Cypriot people enshrined in the U.N. Charter, given the absence of ratification.

Moreover, Makarios contested the substance of the arrangements. The president argued that Turkish Cypriot rights and responsibilities were both inefficient, in so far as they implied a costly duplication of positions and functions especially in the legislature and the administration, and unworkable, given they precipitated tensions and deadlocks in the decision-making process. He stated that the potential for tension in-built in the governing arrangement created a state but precluded the formation of a nation.

However, more fundamentally, the Greek Cypriot community contested what they believed to be the overgenerous concessions granted to the Turkish Cypriot community relative to demographic structure. According to the Greek Cypriots, the Turkish Cypriot community, which at the time represented a mere 18.5 percent of the island's population, should have been granted simply adequate minority rights, rather than being allowed an almost equal share in state arrangements.

The Greek Cypriot elite saw the relation between the two ethnic communities as one of majority to minority, in which both enjoyed equal individual rights but in which the former community would enjoy supremacy in government. The Greek Cypriots also contested the rights of intervention granted to the three protector states, which allowed for the violation of the sovereignty, independence and self-determination of Cyprus and was thus at odds with international law and morality. More specifically, they feared the effects of Turkey's rights of intervention on the latter's foreign policy vis-a-vis Cyprus.

Dissatisfaction with the standing constitutional arrangements led to the non implementation of constitutional arrangements by Greek Cypriot authorities and the terrorist activities of EOKA and EOKA-B headed by George Grivas, which aimed to attain enosis through terrorism and violence. In 1962 the secret 'Akritas Plan' was formulated aiming to attain enosis first through constitutional means as an independent state and second through physical attacks on the Turkish Cypriot community, were the former method to fail.

The implementation of the plan began in 1963, when Archbishop Makarios, as the Greek Cypriot president of the republic, proposed thirteen 'reasonable and just' amendments to 'improve' the 1960 constitution by removing inefficiencies and sources of friction. The amendments, however, effectively abrogated many of the political equality guarantees to the Turkish Cypriot community, including several of the 'untouchable' basic articles of the Constitution.

The amendments proposed to remove the vice president's veto power, eliminate the requirement of separate majorities in parliament, reduce Turkish Cypriot quotas in the civil service and the police forces, modify personal income tax legislation and unify military forces and municipal councils. Such amendments substantially removed Turkish Cypriots community rights within governing arrangements and paved the way for a unitary state in which the Turkish Cypriots were granted individual rights and minority community rights.

On the basis of negotiating actors' interests analysed above, a confederal constitutional arrangement could represent an initial step towards a settlement. Such agreements come about when two or more sovereign entities recognise the interests in developing common policies in a number of government areas. Hence the existence of a central authority, the powers and functions of which are devolved by the two sovereign entities and in which the principle of unanimity prevails.

The central authority represents the permanent union between the two units and shapes their common goals. But these common goals only become mandatory once they are converted into national laws, allowing the separate entities to retain a considerable degree of sovereignty if they wish to do so. However, the extent of sovereignty enjoyed by the separate entities is dependent upon the precise format of the latter. In the case of Cyprus, we suggest that Greek and Turkish Cypriot units would acquire sovereignty within the confederal structure. Both units would have separate and mutually recognised constitutions and would be tied together by an agreement. Hence, Turkish Cypriot sovereignty would be transformed from de facto to de jure status, but the Greek Cypriots and the international community would not be called to recognise the TRNC's independence, but to recognise a Turkish Cypriot unit sovereignty within the confederal arrangement.

The crucial difference would be that under the proposed solution, secession would only be permitted if agreed by both units. Although the peoples of the island would have a Cypriot passport, the latter would be issued by the separate units and would indicate the community of origin of the passport holder.

Turning to the role of a central authority in Cyprus, we suggest that in the initial stages of the settlement the central authority would be responsible for providing experience of joint governance and minimising conflict. It would thus provide inter-communal forums for conflict resolution and policy discussion particularly on issues, which in the long run could be determined and managed by the same.

In order to ensure the efficacy of these policy forums at central level, a high representative appointed by the international community could be permanently based on the island to carry out a mediating role. Depending on what the 'first best' or 'unconstrained' constitutional arrangement may be, in the longer term as the bases of conflict are gradually eroded, the central government could develop competence in foreign policy, foreign trade policy, customs policy, monetary and fiscal policy and possibly also in immigration, refugee and asylum policy, accompanied with the creation of an all-island Parliament. However, the main innovation of this approach is that a devolution of power to the central level would only occur if, as the bases of the conflict erode, the two separate units agree that optimality calls for a strong federal government."

The weekly "European Voice" magazine published in Belgium, which observes the developments taking place in the candidate countries, criticised the EU for only taking the Greek Cypriot side into consideration regarding the negotiation process of the EU’s enlargement, and called this stance as being a "dead end".

Article written by Gerd Lindgren, reminded that even Gunther Verheugen, the EU Enlargement Commissioner clearly accepted the fact that Clerides did not represent the Turkish Cypriot people.

He stated that, "in 1963 the Greek Cypriots put an end to the Republic of Cyprus by destroying the agreements, which established it and usurped the constitution. Since then, there exists on the island two separate administrations; and as a result of these Greek Cypriot attitudes the Turkish Cypriots established their own administration, and the division of the island took place in 1963, and not in 1974".

Lindgren questioned how the EU could continue accession talks with an administration that discriminates against 30% of its population, imposes embargoes upon its equal co-founder partner of the Republic of Cyprus and who does not even have a legitimate constitution. He suggested that, the EU Commission and the Legal Services of the EU Council should explain their views on whether the so-called Republic of Cyprus has the qualifications to become an EU member or not.

Lindgren also questioned whether the EU membership candidacy of the Greek Cypriot side fulfils the Copenhagen criteria and the constitutional legitimacy of this candidacy.

The news item, which originated from the Greek Cypriot news agency, appeared exactly as below:

"London, Apr 21 (CNA) -- Cyprus honoured a British lady, former Euro MP, who has helped promote the just cause of Cyprus and its accession course to the European Union for the past decade, bestowing on her the Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Cyprus.

In a ceremony at the residence of Cyprus' High Commissioner to the UK, Michalis Attalides, Pauline Greece said the Cyprus issue is one of invasion and occupation and democracy demands it should end."

Pauline Green, who already has a medal from Greece, now has a medal from the Greek Cypriots. She deserves this medal and the Grand Commandership more than anyone else does, because, as a MEP, she worked more for the Greek cause than she did for the North London community which she represented at the EU Parliament.

In the past, out of their affection for her, Greek Cypriots called her ‘Pavlina’ and as the gossip goes, she was known as ‘Spyros’ in the EU parliament. And now she has been awarded with a new medal as well as a new name; "Pauline Greece."

How fitting! It is a damn shame that we didn’t think of it ourselves.

Haravgi also reported that she gave an interview to London Greek Radio about the petition, where she explained "since Turkey was announced a candidate for membership, it was more urgent then ever for the EU to seek a solution for the Cyprus problem"

Also the Greek Cypriot news agency (CNA) reported on April 7, that "British Conservative Euro-MP Theresa Villiers is to present to the European Parliament a petition calling on the European Union (EU) to add its efforts for reaching a peaceful and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem. In an interview today with the London Greek Radio (LGR) Villiers described as ‘unacceptable’ the suggestion that Cypriots would not get free movement rights when the island joins the EU unless Turkey joins it at the same time."

No doubt she was referring to the British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook’s statement that free movement in Cyprus could be implemented through the simultaneous EU-accession of Turkey. It is obvious that Ms Villiers is not aware of the feelings and concerns of the Turkish Cypriots over this matter.

Of course the free movement of human beings is one of the most basic of human rights but no one can ignore the fact that there are many EOKA terrorists still around who are responsible for attacks on the Turkish Cypriots. No doubt their families will not welcome these people with open arms.

If Ms Villiers has honest concerns about human rights, first she should start promoting human rights of the Turkish Cypriots, which have been denied to them over the last 37 years and then start thinking about the future rights of the Greek Cypriots.

It will be a good starting point, if she announces her support for the motion submitted to the European Council Assembly by the Turkish and other foreign MPs on the sporting rights of the Turkish Cypriot people.

For the last 37 years, Greek Cypriots and the international community have subjected the Turkish Cypriots to inhumane embargoes. Turkish Cypriots are prevented from travelling freely, trading with the international community, communicating with the international community directly. They are even prevented from taking part in sporting activities with other nations.

Greek Cypriot newspaper Simerini reported that during a recent visit to a Greek island for the Greek independence day celebrations, Lissarides claimed that there will not be a solution to the Cyprus problem in the near future due to the support extended to Turkey by the USA. Lissarides explained this was because the USA sees Turkey as an important player in the region. Claiming that Greeks will return to North Cyprus and that the Girne range of mountains will be theirs once again, Lissarides said, "The eternal promise given to the nation will be kept." It is worth remembering that Lissarides is a self-confessed terrorist, who is responsible for murdering many Turkish Cypriots. In 1964, Lissarides confessed to a western journalist that he had his own terrorist paramilitary faction attacking Turkish Cypriot civilians. As to the ‘eternal promise’ that he is talking about, this is the promise that the Greek Cypriot leaders make in ceremonies held in churches in Cyprus and Greece. During these ceremonies the Greek Cypriot leaders reiterate their dedication to the struggle for Enosis (union of Cyprus with Greece) to the last drop of their blood. Recently, Christofias, the leader of AKEL, Greek Cypriot communist party, too made a similar claim, where he said that their borders finish at Girne, which is further proof to the fact that the Greek Cypriots envisage Cyprus to be a Greek island. Considering: a) The arguments taking place amongst the Greek Cypriots around a federal solution, b) The results of the recent surveys conducted by Greek Cypriot media and the administration concerning a federal solution, c) The speeches given by people like Lissarides, claiming that they will not give up Enosis, it can be concluded that the Greek Cypriots are not ready for a solution in Cyprus. Unfortunately, today the European Union politicians take Lissarides and other terrorist leaders like him seriously. If the EU politicians are sincere in their search for a lasting viable solution to the Cyprus problem, they should open their eyes and see that the Greek Cypriots do not want a solution which would safeguard the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. Their ultimate aim, as Lissarides explained, is Enosis.

Greek Cypriot news agency reported that Michalis Papapetrou, the Greek Cypriot spokesman called on the Turkish Cypriots to tackle the root of the problem that has led to a bad economy in the TRNC.

Talking about the reports in the media that the Turkish President Süleyman Demirel would write to foreign governments to lift the unjust economic embargoes against the TRNC, Papapetrou claimed that it was none other than the continuing Turkish presence, which causes the economic problem in the TRNC.

He also claimed that the Greek Cypriot administration did not apply embargoes to the TRNC, but it adheres to the decisions of the European courts.

As we always said in these pages, Greek Cypriots always denied any wrong doing in Cyprus. It is this denial of the recent history of Cyprus, which is the one and only stumbling block in the way of finding a solution to Cyprus problem.

At present day, in Pyla, the only mixed village in Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and the tourists who buy anything from the Turkish Cypriots pay heavy penalties. This is because Papapetrou’s illegal government applies embargoes to the Turkish Cypriots, not the EU.

It is his representative in New York, Mrs. Marcoullis who tries to stop the educational developments of our young people through academic agreements, not the US or the EU.

It is none other than his administration that applied to the EU courts in order to stop our produce from being imported into the EU countries.

It was his beloved leader Makarios, who starved our people for years after the attacks on the Turkish Cypriots by his EOKA heroes. UN reports of the time established that the calorific value of the amount of the food allowed for our people by Makarios was less than what prisoners were allowed in the western countries.

Blaming Turkey for the bad economy caused by the Greek Cypriots themselves also shows their honesty in trying to find a solution. Papapetrou should put his thinking hat on and look back where the Greek Cypriots went wrong instead of feeding the world with a load of rubbish.

Jaakko Blomberg, Finland’s Special Representative for Cyprus, who was in the TRNC for contacts, in a conference given at the Near East University in Lefkosa explained Finland’s EU membership process and touched upon the Cyprus issue and the EU.

Referring to Turkey and the EU, Blomberg pointed out that the world and the international community are going through a new construction period in the new millennium and stated that when the membership process regarding Cyprus is completed he hoped that the Cyprus issue would also be solved.

Blomberg continued by saying that, "the EU, the member states and the EU Commission by working together, must prepare the two sides for the EU in order to provide the entry of an undivided Cyprus into the EU".

Pointing out that EU membership would be beneficial to the two sides because the two sides could share peace, security and welfare, Blomberg stated that, "although this would not be easy, it could be achieved."

On the completion of the conference, Osman Ertug, the under-secretary to the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence drew attention to the fact that, the TRNC wants to prepare itself for entry into the EU but the unjust embargoes imposed upon the TRNC obstruct this. Ertug added that, the European countries, either willingly or unwillingly, play a part in this.

Responding to this Blomberg defended that, during the EU Enlargement Commissioner Gunther Verheughen’s visit to Cyprus, regarding the steps to be taken for the participation of the Turkish Cypriots in the EU membership negotiation process, there were important developments, but he did not know what method would be used to achieve this. Blomberg also added that, he believed the embargoes should be lifted as soon as possible.

Also, Blomberg while defending that the embargoes were the result of the "division", was reminded by Osman Ertug that the embargoes go back to 1963, and are still continuing and have nothing to do with the Turkish Peace Operation.

Ertug stated that, the embargoes should not be a method used for solving political problems, but that it was a human rights issue. Ertug continued by stating that, in the 1960s Makarios even prohibited shoe laces from entering into the Turkish Cypriot region since he claimed that it could be used for military purposes and had a strategic importance. Upon the remarks made by Osman Ertug, Blomberg correcting the use of the word "division", said that from now on he would use the word "conflict."

Kaiti Clerides, the daughter of the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, has been branded a traitor.

Accusations against Kaiti Clerides stem from her admittance, in an interview she gave to the Greek Cypriot newspaper Simerini on March 19, that the Cyprus problem was not a question of ‘invasion and occupation’.

In her interview Kaiti Clerides, contrary to the Greek tradition which denies the fact that Greek-Greek Cypriot side is the cause of the Cyprus problem, admitted that it was the Greeks’ and Greek Cypriots’ actions which prompted Turkey to intervene in Cyprus in 1974.

The policy of both the Greek and Greek Cypriot administrations is to portray that the Cyprus problem is a question of ‘invasion and occupation’. Based on this argument, all the political parties from extreme left to extreme right argue that if Turkey pulls out of Cyprus the problem will be over.

Kaiti Clerides’ brave admittance, considering the fact that she is a deputy in the Greek Cypriot parliament and she is the daughter of Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriots, has shaken the foundations of this traditional argument.

In reaction to Kaiti Clerides, claiming that they speak for all the Greek Cypriots, the so called ‘EOKA Association of Famagusta Region’ published a press release accusing her of not knowing anything about the history of Cyprus. EOKA Association also claimed Kaiti was giving the impression that it was the EOKA and the Greek Cypriots who were responsible for what happened in Cyprus in 1974. She was also called on to withdraw her comments or leave political life.

Also in a conference organised by DHSY’s reapproachment committe, where Kaiti Clerides and Niyazi Kizilyürek were the main speakers, a group of Greek Cypriots called Kaiti Clerides a ‘traitor’ and Kizilyürek was referred to as ‘the Turk’. The whole event, which took place in Limassol, was shown on a local TV channel.

This incident revealed yet again that the Greek Cypriots have no tolerance for the truth and Kaiti Clerides, a Greek Cypriot and the daughter of Glafcos Clerides, who admits the truth, has more honesty than “Pauline Greece” who claims that Cyprus problem is a question of ‘invasion and occupation’.