Address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Erato Kozakou ...

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logic, neither would Iceland, Ireland or the UK have an EEZ for that matter.Our neighbour to the north has also argued that its actions are meant to safeguard the rights ofTurkish Cypriots. The reality of the matter is that Turkey cares less about Turkish Cypriotinterests and a great deal more about its own strategic interests on the island. Its attitude andstrategy toward Cyprus was to utilize real or imagined concerns of the Turkish Cypriots in orderto safeguard its own interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. An example of this attitude is themassive import of settlers in such huge numbers (estimated to exceed 300.000), that the veryexistence of the Turkish Cypriots as a community on the island is gravely threatened.Sadly, since September of last year, Turkey has threatened to use force, has carried out on aconstant basis air and naval military exercises, illegal seismic surveying and seabed mappingsouth of Cyprus and has violated our sovereign rights with actions contrary to international law,and specifically the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.Only a fortnight ago, on April 26, Turkey proceeded with an exploratory drilling for hydrocarbonson land in the occupied part of Cyprus, violating the sovereignty and the laws of the Republic ofCyprus and creating new faits accomplis on the ground. It also went ahead with provocativelylicensing TPAO, the Turkish Petroleum Company, to proceed with hydrocarbon activities withinthe Cypriot EEZ and the Greek continental shelf.I would like to reiterate what we have said many times: The decisions and actions of theRepublic of Cyprus to explore and exploit its natural resources within its EEZ fall squarely withinits sovereign rights, which are in full conformity with international law, as these are recognizedby the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which Cyprus is a state party, as is Finland,along with more than 160 other countries.Turkey’s claims to the effect that it has rights and interests in relation to hydrocarbons in Cyprushave no legal foundation.My intention in being so critical on Turkey’s policies and actions is because we are extremelyfrustrated and fully disappointed with Turkey and its leadership after 38 years of occupation andcontinuing illegalities and threats. When we decided to seek and work towards Cyprus’accession to the European Union in the late 1990s, our aim was to create conditions on theisland which would be seen by the Turkish Cypriots as an expression of our genuine desire toreunify our country in a democratic, peaceful, prosperous state which respects the other, andsafeguards the individual.Our support for Turkey’s European aspirations was equally driven by the belief that a Turkeywhich is harmonized with European rules and norms, which respects human rights and isdemocratic, a transformed Turkey, can only benefit Cyprus. We are, after all, bound to live inthis very close geographical proximity with each other, forever.We are therefore deeply disappointed when we see Turkey failing to progress along itsEuropean path. We are disturbed to see Turkey foiling, stubbornly, its own accession process.The negotiation process remains frozen, because Turkey is failing to meet the Europeanstandards and its commitments to the European Union. It is failing because, like in internationallaw, Turkey wants to dictate its own terms to the European Union. The statements by itsleadership have left no question that they believe that Europe needs Turkey at any cost; thatEurope without Turkey is a “miserable” Europe, as President Abdullah Gül only recently said.Despite this paradoxical behaviour on the part of Turkey, we remain hopeful that the country,which aspires to be recognized as a regional, if not a global leader, will rise to the occasion. Weare hopeful that the Turkish leadership will put aside polemics and threats, and adopt a moremild and statesmanlike tone and attitude. We believe that there is room for Turkey to cooperate
with its neighbours, out of genuine desire toward common ground and mutual benefit. To dothat, Turkey must meet its obligations vis-à-vis the European Union and all its member states. Itmust meet its obligations in terms of international law.Ladies and Gentlemen,The last time a Cypriot official addressed the Society was back in September 2004, with aspeech by former President Papadopoulos. As I have mentioned above, several things havechanged since, but others have not. What unfortunately remains the same is the continuingdivision of the island and its people.You are probably more or less aware of developments as regards the prospects of a Cyprussettlement. In reality, Finns had very early on become acquainted with the situation in Cyprus,through the contribution of former Prime Minister Sakari Tuomioja, the Foreign Minister’s father,back in 1963 as a UN mediator for Cyprus, as well as the participation of the Finnish battalion toUNFICYP from 1964 to 1977.Let me briefly provide you with the state of play: The current negotiating process commenced inSeptember of 2008, following President Christofias’ initiatives, which he undertook immediatelyafter his assumption of the Presidency in March 2008. The basis of the solution was mutuallyagreed with the Turkish Cypriot leadership in joint statements: a bizonal, bicommunal federationwith political equality, as defined by the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus, with a singleinternational personality, single sovereignty and single citizenship, excluding any form of union,in whole or in part with any other country as well as any form of partition or secession. Ourcommitment to this basis remains absolute and unwavering.It was also jointly agreed that the negotiating process will be Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led andwithout the outside imposition of strict timetables and arbitration. The solution must serve theinterests of the Cypriot people and not those of third parties: past experience has proven thatoutside interference is detrimental to the process and potentially to the end result. The UNSCreconfirmed in April the Cypriot-owned and led character of the process.Over 150 meetings between President Christofias and the leadership of the Turkish Cypriotcommunity have taken place since the commencement of the negotiating process. Someimportant convergences had been achieved during the first two years on issues of governanceand power sharing (particularly, the issues of federal executive, sovereignty and the fourfreedoms), the economy and EU affairs, as a result of our constructive proposals, which havenot been reciprocated by the other side.The main stumbling block for the continuing lack of progress is that Ankara, which continues tohold the key to unlocking the solution, maintains a policy in support of a confederal solution oftwo separate states instead of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. Its public pronouncements insupport for a solution are contradicted by its actions which undermine the process and theefforts for a solution; Turkey’s position in the ongoing negotiations continues to be entirelycontrary to its obligation towards the EU, which is to support, in concrete terms, the efforts for asolution in accordance with the UNSC resolutions on Cyprus and in line with the principles onwhich the EU is founded.Sadly, this negative posture is exemplified and echoed in the negotiations by the current TurkishCypriot leader, Mr Eroglu, who undermines the agreed basis of the negotiations by publicpronouncements and the submittal of negotiating positions well outside the agreed UNframework. Mr Eroglu has repeatedly spoken publicly and privately about the need to accept the“realities” on the island and about the existence of “two states”, “two peoples” and “two nations”.
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Address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Erato Kozakou ...

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