Official says Azeri support for Turkish Cypriots “important
breakthrough”
Ekspress
29 Jul 05
A Turkish Cypriot official has said Azerbaijan’s recent efforts to end
the isolation of Northern Cyprus have signified an important
breakthrough. Baku’s economic support will be crucial in finding a
political solution to the Cyprus problem, the foreign minister of the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Serdar Denktas, said in an
exclusive interview with Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress. Denktas urged
Europe to follow Azerbaijan’s example and help Northern Cyprus to come
out of isolation. For his part, the spokesman for the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry, Tahir Tagizada, urged Greece not to politicize the
issue. Azerbaijan has always viewed Greece as its ally, Tagizada
said. The following is an excerpt from Alakbar Raufoglu’s report by
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 29 July headlined “Greeks launch
counter-attack”; subheadings as published:
The actual steps taken by Azerbaijan to end the isolation of the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), our delegations’ visits to
the island and the opening of Baku-Lefkosa [Nikosia] flights have
infuriated the Greek community of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots have
appealed to Greece and the EU, demanding that they reconsider
relations with Azerbaijan and react to the developments
immediately. Athens also expressed its official protest against the
issue to our embassy in Greece. The Greeks stated that they would take
serious steps if the situation continued in this way, diplomatic
sources told Ekspress.
Athens wants explanation from Azerbaijan
“Illegal visits are being paid to unrecognized territories and
relations are being established. The Greek government is closely
watching the course of events. We urge the Azerbaijani state to
respect the rights of the Cypriots and not to aggravate the
situation. We are concerned about what is happening,” the protest by
Athens said. Greece is indirectly asking Baku to give an explanation
of relations with the TRNC.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry gave instructions to Azerbaijani
ambassador to Greece Mirhamza Afandiyev last week over Athens’s
concern about the issue. Baku’s position is that the establishment of
relations with the Turkish Cypriots will not affect the official
policy of unification [of the northern and southern parts of Cyprus]
or Azerbaijan’s position on the issue.
[Passage omitted: the Greek community of Cyprus complained to the
International Civil Aviation Organization about the opening of
Baku-Lefkosa flights and other details provided to Turkish TV channel]
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry: No need to aggravate situation
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has already expressed its official
position on the issue. In an interview with Ekspress yesterday [28
July], Tahir Tagizada, the head of the [Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry’s] department for information policy and press, urged Greece
not to politicize the issue and aggravate the situation.
[Passage omitted: reported details]
[Correspondent] Will the developments affect relations between Baku
and Athens?
[Tagizada] Azerbaijan has always viewed Greece as its close ally and
we intend to develop our relations with this state. The case with the
TRNC has nothing to do with the Baku government’s position.
[Passage omitted: reported details]
[Correspondent] Three delegations visited the TRNC in the past 10
days. Were there officials among them?
[Tagizada] Two of the three delegations included businessmen and they
were not officials. As for MPs, our legislative body is not part of
the executive authorities. Therefore, the Greek side’s concerns are
unfounded.
[Passage omitted: Azerbaijan instructed its embassy in Athens to
investigate ties between Greek and Armenian telecommunication
companies in Karabakh]
Serdar Denktas: Europe should follow Azerbaijan’s example and show
good will
The behaviour of the Greek Cypriots infuriated the TRNC. The Turkish
Cypriot deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Serdar Denktas,
said the following in an exclusive interview with Ekspress by phone
yesterday: “I regret what is happening. The Turkish Cypriots have for
the first time in their history gained a chance to break the
isolation. The Azerbaijani state and people have always been together
with us. However, such major steps have not been taken so
far. Azerbaijan has genuinely demonstrated to the whole world what has
actually to be done. Our Azerbaijani brothers supported us when the
world left us in isolation. This is an important breakthrough for the
Turkish Cypriots.”
[Correspondent] The Greek community of the island complained to the EU
and some other organizations… [ellipsis as published]
[Denktas] If the international public proves its support for the laws
it has created, then it will give a proper answer to the opposite
side. The settlement of the Cyprus problem should be an important
victory for numerous states. We want Europe to follow Azerbaijan’s
example and show good will. Religious or ethnic issues should be
ignored. Those accepting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots will of
course be dissatisfied. The whole nation’s tragic fate is but a show
for them. We are sure that Azerbaijan’s economic support will be
crucial in finding a political solution to the Cyprus problem.