Kemalist Eurasianism - Seminar

Seminar Video (has been withdrawn at the request of Dr. Emel Akçali)

Kemalist Eurasianism:
An Emerging Geopolitical Discourse in Turkey
by
Dr. Emel Akçali, University of Birmingham
Chaired by Dr. Marco Antonsich
University of Birmingham

Organised by:
Association for Cypriot, Greek & Turkish Affairs
http://www.acgta.org/events_online.htm

Friday 5th December 2008
London School of Economics, European Insrtitute,
Canada Blanch Room, Cowdray HousePortugal Street, London WC2A 2AE




Kemalist Eurasianism. Seminar, ACGTA,, European Insrtitute, Emel Akçali, University of Birmingham, Marco Antonsich, Zenon Stavrinides, James Kerr Lindsey, Kemalist Eurasianism, Turkey

Honouring the memory of Marios Tokas - Concert at London's Jazz Cafe, 1991

MARTHA & EVE - "Meze"
MARIOS TOKAS CONCERT - "Main Course"
CAMDEN CYPRIOT FESTIVAL 1991
(this was recorded at the Jazz Cafe)

An amazing musical evening -- within the context of 3 evenings of
"Music of the Eastern Mediterranean" held at Camden's Jazz Cafe, which
also featured Yeni Turku from Turkey, and Ross Daly with the
Vasilis Soukas Band from Greece -- this, the Cypriot musical
evening which was featured at London's Camden Town, was truly
historic.

Opening the evening, is a set by Martha and Eve (the artists
formerly known as Donna & Kebab) with their full jazz ensemble,
named 'Meze', perform many memorable songs including their own
rendition of Marios Tokas' song "Exartate" (which had always been
one of their favourite pieces in past performances) and a
song they wrote specifically for the Festival, "Kypros - Cyprus"
(See http://www.marthaandeve.co.uk for their latest information)

One of the 'core events' of the festival, this full concert by
Marios Tokas at the Jazz Cafe as a leading singer songwriter and
artist of great repute in Cyprus (who sadly died in April 2008)
and in Greece, where he composed music for many leading
performers ... this release of material from the 1991 concert is
made to honour his spirit, celebrate his memory, and commemorate
his life, on a weekend when a London concert is being staged in
Marios Tokas' memory, on 23rd November 2008.

In this concert Marios Tokas leads from his piano and also plays
his haromonica, supported by Andri Costandinou and Costas
HadjiChristodoulou.

In addition to being a musical 'tour-de-force' this concert is
historical in that this occasion was the first ever meeting
between Marios Tokas with the poet whose lyrics he had picked to
write music for, for a song which has become a second 'national
anthem' for people of Maronite, Armenian, Russian, Turkish, and
Greek as well as many others of CYPRIOT persuasion all over the world.

In addition to this being a recording of their first ever
meeting, the evening features a full recital of "My Country has
been divided in Two, which of the two should I love" by Nese
Yasin recited in Turkish, and the more commonly known 'refrain'
is sung by Andri Costandinou and Costas Hadji-Christodoulou and
ends with Marios Tokas and Nese Yasin singing together in both
Greek and Turkish lyrics .... and the audience, of Cypriots and
their friends, have been singing this song ever since!


Video archives from other events staged during the two week
Camden Cypriot Festival in 1991 are in process of being uploaded
during autumn 2008 to mark the current political initiative begun
by President Demetris Christofias, President of Cyprus to seek a
"Cyprus Solution by Cypriots for Cypriots".


Held during 23rd June to 7th July 1991, other events featured as
part of the Festival included:
(Links will be added to this page to video archive locations of other material, when available)

Festival Opening, Press Conference at Camden's Jazz Cafe.

"Fun Sunday in the Park" -- at Camden Square. Traditional music, dancing, childrens' play performance of "Turtles", Cypriot food, donkey rides, other activities.

Photographic Exhibition at the Crowndale Centre

Conference on Cypriots and the British Media, at Camden Town
Hall.

Conference on the Cultural Aspects of the Cyprus Problem, at
Camden Town Hall.
(Video available here)

Evening of poetry at Covent Garden's "Apples and Snakes".

Performance by a Turkish Cypriot Theatrical Group, Maras Emek, at
the Camden Centre.

Performance of a contemporary play by Peter Polycarpou, "Cypriot
Graffiti" , presented as a rehearsed reading at the Hampstead
Theatre.

Performance of Lysandros Pytharas' "Logoteknia" multimedia event,
at the Hampstead Theatre.

Film showing of "Detail in Cyprus" by Panikos Chrysanthou and
Niyazi Kizilyurek at Camden's Parkway Cinema.

An evening of choral signing by London's Byzantine Choir at Agios
Pantes Cathedral.


Three evenings of Eastern Mediterranean Music:

Martha and Eve of Donna and Kebab fame presenting their jazz band
"Meze", at the Jazz Cafe.
An evening of original music by Cypriot musician, composer and
performer "Marios Tokas", at the Jazz Cafe.
(Video available here)

Traditional and modern music by "Yeni Turku" group from Turkey,
at the Jazz Cafe.

An evening of traditional Greek and Middle Eastern music by "Ross
Daly" and the "Vassilis Soukas Band" from Greece, at the Jazz
Cafe.


Festival closing party at the Jazz Cafe, with poetry and music
performances.

Seminar Video - America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - by Andreas Constandinos

America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - Calculated Conspiracy or Foreign Policy Failure

Association for Cypriot, Greek & Turkish Affairs

Seminar on Friday 21st November 2008London School of Economics, European Insrtitute,Canada Blanch Room, Cowdray HousePortugal Street, London WC2A 2AE

AMERICA, BRITAIN AND THE CYPRUS CRISIS OF 1974:CALCULATED CONSPIRACY OR FOREIGN POLICY FAILURE
by
Andreas Constandinos
James Ker-Lindsay in the Chair
http://www.acgta.org


Andreas Constandinos was born in Britain of Greek Cypriot and German ancestry. He studied Law at university, and then qualified as a Barrister-at-Law at the Middle Temple. In 2005-08 he carried out research on the Cyprus crisis of 1974 at the University of East Anglia where he successfully completed his PhD in Modern European History. He is currently studying Psychology at London South Bank University.

The paper examines recently released and declassified British and American government documents, in order to scrutinize the roles played by both of these countries during the Cyprus crisis of 1974. It evaluates British and American aims towards Cyprus and their respective relationships with the Cypriot, Greek and Turkish governments. It considers Whitehall and Washington's responses to the Greek military coup, the Turkish invasion, the two Geneva conferences on Cyprus and the second, consolidatory, phase of the Turkish invasion. Ultimately, the paper attempts to ascertain whether there exists any evidence to support the belief that either Britain or America or both were complicit in the coup against President Makarios as well as colluding with Ankara in its subsequent partition of the island.




93 mins - Video source at Archive dot org


See Images from this Seminar:
Picasa Web Photo Album (available here)



Keywords:
ACGTA, Andreas-Constandinos, James-Ker-Lindsay,MartinPackard,America Britain Cyprus Crisis 1974 - Calculated Conspiracy or Foreign Policy Failure, war, invasion, Turkey, Greece, UnitedNations, EuropeanUnion, Human Rights, ECHR

Creative Commons - Non Commercial, No Derivative Works
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/
David Edmond Efthyvoulou
21 November 2008

Loving thoughts of Lonia Efthyvoulou - RIP 30th October 2008

We are all saddened to hear of the death of my uncle Lonias Efthyvoulou on 30th October 2008, aged 84 after a year's fight against cancer.

Condolances go out via this posting to his wife Hara, who had nursed him and had supported him through his final days - and of course to his sons Michael and Stephen and their mother Alma, and to his brothers Dimas and Shurick and his sisters Tania and Tina. 


Lonia had been diagnosed in February 2008 as suffering from a malignant cancer of the lungs which the radiation treatment he subsequently received had been able to hold-back, but not eliminate. He had spent a last period in hospital during September, during which doctors determined there was nothing further they could do to help him, and so he was transferred to his home, where Hara was his only support and carer.


His sister Tania with her daughter Zoe and with Tashi had travelled from the US to spend some time in Cyprus with him during March, with some lovely photographs posted on the web from that visit. (see link below).

Lonia's sister Tina had also travelled from her own family base in Athens to spend some time with Lonia, Hara and the Efty family in Cyprus, during March and again later in the year.

Lonia's two sons Michael with wife Lee and Stephen with wife Maureen had been able to travel from their homes in the US to visit Cyprus during this last summer and to spend time with their father. 

Lonias had last visited the US for the wedding of Stephen and Maureen's daughter Nicole in New Jersey during the summer of 2003, and had also been able to visit with his elder son Michael and wife Lee with their family in Florida for a few days.

In addition to the suffering during this last year due to his illness, Lonias and his wife Hara had some very difficult emotions to cope with following the tragic death of Louisa Vouteri Efthyvoulou who had been a stewardess aboard the Helios jet crash in Greece during 2005. She had been cruelly taken from them a matter of days before she was due to be married, which saw them all attending a funeral instead of a joyous wedding.

Both my father Dimas and Lonia are World War 2 veterans of the Cyprus Regiment and have always been respected members of the community in Cyprus. Their father Mihalakis had been a veteran volunteer with the British army during World War I before then also serving with the British Army during the Second World War.

In his later years in Cyprus Lonias contributed articles as a journalist for the Cyprus Weekly newspaper, which his brother Alex Efty had helped found as an activity over and above his own lifetime's work as a correspondent for the Associated Press. Lonia had provided regular reports on proceedings in the Cyprus Parliament, and contributed frequent 'feature' articles on a wide range of subjects over many years.

Lonia had served as a journalist with the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, and had worked with the Foreign Broadcast Information Service during the 50s and 60s and again during the later 70's and 80's.

Above all however, we remember Lonias as I am sure he would wish to be remembered -- for his very friendly and witty character, his enjoyment of good food and the occasional drink and of course for his prolific output as an artist painter. He chose to immortalise real locations such as village scenes and houses in his own unique style. He would also often repeat his theme of olive trees and of nature studies in sketch form as well as in his own impressionist painting style.

Lonias also leaves behind a vast archive of photographs.

He had very much wanted to have a last exhibition of paintings during this last year, but his failing health and mobility made that impossible. It would be a fitting tribute to him for that to happen at some point in the near future.

His funeral is at 11am on Saturday 1st November in Nicosia.


See also:

"Rest in Peace Lonia Efthyvoulou", by Zoe Krylova (30th October 2008)

"My Three Uncles" - Photo Album of Zoe Krylova's trip to Cyprus in March 2008Efty Family Gathering - Tatiana Cyprus Visit 2007, by Tatiana BendaLonia Efthyvoulou Gallery at the Aspects website, by David Efthyvoulou, 2003

"Fragments: Kyrenia Views - From our lives there in the 1950s"
Photos contributed by Alma Efthyvoulou, photos taken by Lonia Efthyvoulou

"Unsettling visit to Karmi" (in the part of northern Cyprus still occupied by Turkey's army)
By Lonias Efthyvoulou, Cyprus Weekly, May 9-16, 2003

History of Cyprus / Cleanthis P. Georgiades ; translation from the Greek, Lonias Efthyvoulou ; [colour photographs by Jack Iacovides].


"History shadows ancient Nicosia villages", A brief history of Pera Orinis Village, by Lonia Efthyvoulou

Pera Orinis - by Lonia Efthyvoulou, 2002

Some video/music, for Lonia, and for us ...

Finding a Solution by Cypriots for Cyprus - Seminar video

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=20292

http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6036

A video of the first major event by Cypriots for Cyprus at the London School of Economics on Tuesday night 14th October is now available on the web. Other media is likely to also be made available, with details to be notified via the Cypriots for Cyprus website.


http://www.archive.org/details/CypriotsforCyprusFindingasolutionbyCypriotsforCypriotsSeminar



Coinciding with the ongoing peace process in Cyprus, the discussion panel event held on 14th October 2008 at the London School of Economics (LSE) centred around the theme 'Developments in the peace negotiations in Cyprus: Finding a solution by Cypriots for Cypriots'.

The panel of speakers included former President of the Republic of Cyprus George Vassiliou, President of the Cyprus EU Association Ali Erel, Co-director of Cyprus Interpeace Project Spyros Christou and renowned Cypriot poet Alev Adil.

See more details from the Cypriots for Cyprus website

at:

http://cypriots4cyprus.org

Join the group's Facebook profile at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12496531074

ACGTA - Security Dimensions of a Cyprus Settlement - Video of Seminar

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=20270

http://www.talkcyprus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=86552#86552


As a long standing member of the 'Association for Cypriot Greek and Turkish Affairs', a UK group of academics and others interested in considering issues which might contribute to a greater understanding of the issues involved in relations between Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, I am pleased to announce the release of a video available through the internet of the entirety of the latest seminar by the Association.

HELLENIC OBSERVATORY, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
and
ASSOCIATION FOR CYPRIOT, GREEK & TURKISH AFFAIRS
http://www.acgta.org

Presented a seminar on
THE SECURITY DIMENSIONS OF A CYPRUS SETTLEMENT
by
Dr James Ker-Lindsay, IAA Defence Analysis, Institute Senior Research Fellow, Hellenic Observatory, EuropeanInstitute, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Dr Zenon Stavrinides in the chair


Abstract: As direct high-level talks continue between the Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, there is one aspect of the settlement process that necessarily requires the active participation of external actors: security. This talk examined a range of security questions and issues that need to be tackled, such as demilitarisation, the presence of foreign troops, the Treaty of Guarantee, peacekeeping and ensuring the post-solution defence of Cyprus. The talk was followed by a discussion with participants at the seminar.

Held at:
London School of Economics, European Institute, Cowdray House.

The video of this seminar is available at:

http://www.acgta.org/events-2008-Ker-Lindsay.htm


(Source: at google video)

Details of past events by the Association, of future events, and how to join the organisation and to be included on it's mailing list, are available on the website and by sending an email to its founder, and General Secretary, Dr. Zenon Stavrinides


About the Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs:

The Association for Cypriot, Greek and Turkish Affairs (ACGTA) was established in London in 1992 as an independent and non-partisan forum for debate and discussion on contemporary developments in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Since then, it has become the leading international association specifically dedicated to the study of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Dr Zenon Stavrinides
General Secretary, ACGTA
8 Ganners Mount
Leeds LS13 2PE
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 113 256 8907
E-mail: z.stavrinides@lineone.net

Video of Cyprus Debate at Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly

I was particularly honoured to read the comment by repulsewarrior, given his long-standing commitment to peace and reconciliation on Cyprus, on one of the last entries on my blog and I thank him for choosing to also provide those writings with the air of publicity on this forum at Talk Cyprus. Thanks also to stavrizatz for having taken the time to look at my pages, and for his comments at the Talk Cyprus thread.

Having been a member of this forum, as well as of the cyprusforum for some years, I must admit to have looked-in at both locations on a very occasional basis, but to have chosen to remain a read-only observer of the many topics and discussions contained within both fora.

I did not unfortunately have a camera on the occasion when Lord Hannay addressed a specially convened meeting of the Association for Cypriot Greek and Turkish Affairs at the London School of Economics (I think it was way back in 2002, at the start of the then-new interest by him as UK Special Representative for Cyprus) where he urged increased activism on the part of Turkish Cypriots in favour of rapprochement efforts, and during which I suggested the creation of internet-borne channels of communication in efforts to produce improved communication between the two communities.

By way of introduction I should therefore say that I am a Kyrenian whose family left during the invasion in 1974 (though I was in England studying at that time, rather than in Cyprus)... whose family has always been involved in 'the media' ... I found myself by the mid-80's, after the immediate disruption to family life from the invasion had been somewhat 'sorted out' ... becoming angry at the lack of any progress towards a solution ... and thus became a voluntary 'community activist' via London's Cypriot Community Centre at Theatro Technis as one of few apparent avenues of 'doing something about it'.

My own methodology and 'tool of analysis' has been the use of 'video recordings' of events associated with London-based efforts to engender rapprochement (at a time when that was impossible in Cyprus) ... on the premise that what every speaker at various events had to say was important and should be recorded out of respect for the views of people who were being bold enough to speak in favour of rapprochement, and in order to enable such views to 'not be lost'.

I therefore have a considerable archive of such recordings, made over quite a few years, which coincided with the advent of the "Women Walk Home" movement, and I have the only recording of President Vasiliou's "Love offensive" speech in London ... and of many meetings in the few years immediately following... some of which are in process of being released onto Video On Demand facilities on the web.

All this is mentioned in order to say that although I have not written much on this (or other fora), I am a person who has carefully listened, and re-listened to very many views being expressed, verbally (in a culture that better expresses itself verbally, than in writing) and in writings from the entire spectrum of the politics of Cyprus ... from academics, politicians, journalists and laymen ... and somewhat like repulsewarrior has done with the many posts he has made within this thread, I have spent hours and hours collecting and archiving many of the newspaper articles, but also much of what I could record of the output by CyBC from about 2002 onwards ... with lapses during periods when things just went quiet. or when I just missed things.

My reasoning in doing so was my own effort to learn about something which is a major part of my identity as a Cypriot, but also to try to understand what has been going on, from as many perspectives as possible.

A supplementary reason was my own perception of a need to look at the totality in order to then try to step aside objectively, as any good social scientist should be able to do, to look at that totality of information in order to TRY to see what is missing ... in order to see what that 'something' is, which if introduced into the situation, could perhaps be a key factor, and which if properly handled by all involved (much though that is a tall order) might make a difference and help contribute to a breakthrough, and contribute that certain something which the French would call 'je ne se qua' ... that is what motivates me.

It is perhaps therefore an appropriate time for me now to make a first contribution to this forum by stating that in the recording I made (and placed on the web at Google video) of the debate about Cyprus at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on October 1st .... (and which video to my knowledge is not publicly available elsewhere) ... are contained some pivotal arguments which I believe Cyprus has needed for some time to be expressed by informed 'outsiders'.

Lets see how the 'how it is handled' from here progresses into the future.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4662851023561262099&hl=en



There is also the video of the speech by Cyprus Presient Cristofias:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4557342163624483756&hl=en



Translation into English of the main speech spoken in Greek:
http://www.coe.int/t/dc/files/pa_session/sept_2008/20080930_disc_christofias_en.asp


And the resolution adopted by the Council of Europe:
http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta08/ERES1628.htm


Verbatim text of proceeidngs on 30th September, with the section including the section of Presient Christofias' session, at the very end of the morning session:
http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/Records/2008/E/0809301000E.htm

Verbatim text of the proceedings on 1st October (in English) . Speech by Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, of the Report by the Rapporteur on Cyprus, and comments by the legal committee, and all other speeches:
http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/Records/2008/E/0810011000E.htm

Cyprus needs a divorce from in-law "Guarantors"

Call me a CYPRIOT Maximalist, rather than a Greek Nationalist (which I've never been) ... but the Turkish side has had 60 years of trying to block and sabotage everything Cyprus stands for, from its independence struggle to its entry to the EU ... and has always pushed for its own maximalist position which has always been partition and a separate state of its own on Cyprus despite the world not accepting that.

Noting that Turkey's delegation was absent from the UN-GA during President Christofias' UN speech is a symptom of the problem, and so Cyprus should ask the permanent members of the SC to acknowledge the impossibility of Cypriots themselves being able to find a peaceful solution while mother-in-law Turkey constantly vetoes any effort towards actual progress. Cyprus needs an immediate divorce from its in-laws, namely Britain, Greece and Turkey. A good start would be for the UN Security Council to ban Turkey having a seat on the SC as long as it continues to ignore UN resolutions on Cyprus, and the SC should call on the UN-GA to recognise the severity of the debacle entailed in the 2004 Kofi Annan Plan which had the UN itself proposing a solution contrary to its own past resolutions on Cyprus, contrary to its own charter as well as contrary to EU law.

It was a disgrace that the UN tried to blackmail Cypriots into signing away their human rights through a 'last ditch' referendum prior to Cyprus' EU entry. The Annan Plan must first be internationally acknowledged to have been a plan to legitimise Turkey's invasion, division and ethnic cleansing on Cyprus and to have had more to do with solving Turkey's problem in entering the EU, than solving the problems of Cypriots!

When that HAS happened, and a divorce is legally engineered through a combination of the UN and the EU (which Turkey so vehemently opposes, and which poodle Britain is not likely to agree to, given its interest to keep its 'sovereign' bases on Cyprus) THEN Cypriots can try again, with maybe some chance of success, to solve their internal problems.

SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST FOREIGN GUARANTEES OVER CYPRUS!

'Negotiations are underway in Cyprus between Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat towards reaching a solution to the Cyprus Question. The Turkish side wishes to see the continuation of the system of guarantees established by the Treaty of Guarantee of 1960 or even the creation of a new mechanism of guarantees.


Turkey's President Gul repeated the usual, and oft-repeated, positions during his address to the 2008 UN General Assembly, where the Cyprus issue was the very last item in his speech (view video).

'This cannot be acceptable. The Treaty of Guarantee was the alleged justification for Turkey’s use of force against Cyprus in 1974. An EU Member-State cannot be party to any system of third States’ rights over its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Cyprus must not become hostage once again.

'By the said petition we, as the civil society, aim to enhance the resistance to such plans while the negotiations for a solution are underway.'

SIGN THE PETITION NOW AT: www.isxys.org/no-guarantees

Ergenekon murders in Cyprus linked to highest level in current Turkish Military

At a time when Turkey continues to pursue its secessionist policy in Cyprus, while its PR machine spins a story that it is allegedly supportive of renewed efforts to resolve the long-standing Cyprus problem, a remarkable story has emerged from a very brave man in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

An article on 4th September 2008, by Erol ÖNDEROĞLU in Turkey's online Bianet.org, says:

"Criticizing the permission granted to Garrison Commander Gen. Galip Mendi to visit the imprisoned Ergenekon generals Hurşit Tolon and Şener Eruygur, Hüseyin Yalyalı, a member of the board of directors of the Press Laborers Union of Turkish Cypriots, has demanded that permission should be given for the investigation of his role in the murder of Kutlu Adalı."

"Kocaeli garrison commander three-star general Mendi had visited both of the generals in the Kandıra prison on behalf of the General Staff.

"Yalyalı reminded that Mendi’s name had appeared in Adalı’s murder in Northern Cyprus on July 6,1996 and since the murder was not investigated [by Turkey], the European Human Rights Court (AİHM) had convicted Turkey."


A charge that a current representative of Turkey's General Staff was actually a henchman for Ergenekon and its activities in Cyprus surely deserves wide coverage by an 'International Press' which is strangely reluctant to engage in truly investigative reporting of such issues regarding Turkey.

At a time when Demetris Christofias, elected President of Cyprus as a progressive politician on a ticket which specifically sets out to break the Cyprus deadlock through renewed intercommunal talks is actively pursuing negotiations, will the newly appointed UN special representative Alexander Downer raise questions on such issues during his talks today in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and Turkish President Gul?

While the United Nations, United States and Britain now fall all over themselves to appoint 'special representatives' to assist the Cypriots find a solution to their problems, can this process stand any chance of success when the problem itself has been reduced from being an issue of brutal invasion and of the continuing occupation of the sovereign territory of a tiny country by a former regional empire, and is presented instead as a problem between the two communities on Cyprus which they can resolve through intercommunal dialogue?

How many of the international press articles written analysing the problems of Cyprus ever present the story how that 'problem' has been massaged through many years of foreign interference into now being defined as a problem between two communities on the island?

How many of the international press reports on the Cyprus problem clarify how Turkey's role has been reduced from being that of an invading aggressor who has imported hundreds of thousands of its settlers whom it seeks to allow to vote in any referendum on the future of the island, into one of simply whether it 'recognises' the Government of Cyprus and allows Cyprus ships and aircraft to use its territory ?

Will any PHD students in the field of International Politics of Reconciliation choose to investigate what stories there have been in the 60 years of international media coverage about the Cyprus problem which investigate or describe Turkey's policies from the September 1956 events in Istanbul up to current Turkish policy, which many would argue has been solely aimed at destroying the 'reluctant' Republic in Cyprus? Will there be any studies of how Turkish agents on the island have been instrumental in deliberately creating incidents leading to the creation of its own vassal state? What happened to 'self-determination'?

Many will have noted, but few have commented, about Turkey's threats of violence in Cyprus and other abuses of the Republic's sovereignty during the process of the island's bid to join the EU. Having failed to blackmail the EU into not accepting Cyprus' entry, it belatedly jumped onto the bandwagon of trying to influence the island's EU accession in order to safeguard its own interests and promote it's own accession.

Turkey sought to, and succeeded at adversely influencing the content of the UN's Annan Plan in order to maximise the role of the statelet it had created in 'northern' Cyprus, to the extent that the majority population on the island voted against the plan. Through those means, and its blatant propaganda after the Annan Plan was rejected, it still insists the Greek Cypriots (or failing them, then at least the rest of the world) should accept 'the realities' it created in Cyprus.

How much international analysis has there been about how 'the solution' which the Erdogan Government ever-so-generously accepted for Cyprus (and which Britain's Lord Hannay, and the then-enlargement-Commission Verheugen, the United Nations and European Union officials tried very hard to enforce on Cypriots prior to that reluctant republic's entry into the EU in 2004) was one which was actually designed to forever bury the Republic of Cyprus and to replace it with a virgin birth Federation created in part by, and thus legalising the TRNC 'realities' in Cyprus?

Turkey should put its money where its mouth is and lead the world by embarking on a process of creating an autonomous and maybe even Federated State of Kurdistan in solving it's own internal problems and perhaps adopt the same policy in resolving its long-standing territorial disputes with Armenia. In addition to resolving its own conflicts that would do the rest of the world a favour by helping defuse 'terrorism' in that area through the creation of a model suitable for that region, as well as showing a way forward in solving other ethnic conflicts in its neighbouring countries.

The European Union, its leaders, parliamentarians, and journalists, should understand the type of inverse logic which Turkey has practiced for decades in Cyprus and reverse it back on Turkey by monitoring its own progress towards fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria by assessing steps taken within Turkey itself to create at least autonomy if not a Federated Kurdish State. Until measurable and sustained progress has been achieved within Turkey on those indicators, all negotiations for Turkey's EU accession should be frozen.

Turkey should be expected to return Varosha in Cyprus to its lawful inhabitants immediately, in accordance with past agreements, and then to withdraw the vast majority of its army of occupation as a sign of its goodwill towards settling this long standing Gordian knot, so that negotiations between Cypriots can then actually stand some chance of making progress.

The carrot of EU accession for Turkey has been held out for long enough, despite opposition to the principle of that country's joining the EU in the population of many countries, so perhaps it is more appropriate for its leaders to be guided by the democratic views of their populations and be emboldened to now use the stick on Turkey rather than just dangling a carrot !

Such issues should be included in the November report being prepared by the EU on Turkey's accession process, so that the pressure on finding a Cyprus solution that suits Turkey's interests to join the EU can be eased, and so that the Cypriots' interests in finding a solution to their own problem can be provided with the breathing space it needs in order to stand some chance of success.

While a belligerent United States talks up a climate of renewed 'cold war' over Russia's behaviour in 'sovereign' Georgia, and the European Union supports such false rhetoric, does anyone stop to ask why Turkey has been allowed to hold on to the 'sovereign territory' of Cyprus for so long, and yet have its accession process commence and also continue?

Will the 'international community' choose to continue to appease Turkey over Cyprus, or will it choose to recognise the Ergenekon wolf in sheep's clothing, and call a spade a spade before it is too late?

Unless that happens, many of the ever-dwindling population of actual Cypriots of Turkish heritage (as distinct from the settlers brought in by the invading country after the invasion in 1974 to alter the demographic structure of the island, who now outnumber the Turkish Cypriots) as well as the majority Greek Cypriots will regard the current talks as a next chapter in the continuing 'charade' of foreign interests, and many will probably choose not to vote in favour of the next 'foreign inspired' plan for a Federation on that tiny island!

View the "ERGENEKON FILE" at Zaman Online