Sit Down and Be Quiet So-called Republic of Cyprus and others!

Guest contributor….
By Prof Dr Ata Atun…..

This is not said by me, nor is it said to the Turkish Cypriots. Turkey does not say this either, they do not say it to Turkey.

It is said to the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, the European Union, and their motherland Greece, behind the curtains, no longer in whispers, but out loud. Sometimes together, sometimes separately when necessary…

New era of Friendship and Co-operation

As is well known, Greek Prime Minister Kriyakos Mitsotakis will pay an official visit to Turkey today and will meet with President Erdoğan. In reality, this is the first meeting of a new era of friendship and co-operation based on the ‘Athens Declaration’ signed by both leaders in Athens in December 2023.

There is no ‘Cyprus issue’ in the minutes of the Erdoğan-Miçotakis meeting held in Athens in December, in the content of the Athens Declaration mutually signed after the meeting and in the programme of the meeting to be held in Ankara today. In fact, the Cyprus issue has never been included in the summits of the European Union Heads of State, except for the last one. On the contrary, the statements made by many EU leaders were along the lines of ‘We cannot take Turkey against us’ and ‘We cannot spoil our relations with Turkey’.

The issue of Turkey requires the development of a co-operative and mutually beneficial relationship

The issue of Turkey, which was postponed in the December and March summits of the European Union, was dealt with ‘grudgingly’ in the last summit meeting within the scope of ‘strategic discussion’ after the endless demands of the Greek Cypriots. The resolution issued after the discussions stated that ‘The European Union has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a co-operative and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey’.

The Greek Cypriot Administration of Cyprus (GCC) is trying to promote, give importance and market this recommendation as if it has won a very important victory against Turkey, but the first reaction came from its mother land Greece with manoeuvres that would mean ‘Sit down and be quiet’.

They want TRNC President Ersin Tatar to Sit Down and Be Quiet

In its mind, the GCC was going to make TRNC President Ersin Tatar sit at the negotiating table after this recommendation and finalise the negotiations as it wanted. Neither President Tatar nor the Turkish Foreign Ministry even greeted the GCC and the EU’s recommendation, let alone took it into consideration. This is because Turkey is not a country to be pushed to the limit, not a country to be discarded. The political, economic and military balances in the region, which have changed over the years, have brought Turkey to the forefront and given it an incredible geopolitical importance.

One of the most important of these is the ‘Development Road’ project, which will shorten the duration of maritime transport from the Far East by 15 days compared to the Suez Canal route, and will provide uninterrupted access to every country in Europe by road and rail from the Iraqi port of Fav in the Persian Gulf to London.

Turkey is a key component of the ‘Development Road’ project

This is the embodiment of the Atlantic Alliance (the US and the EU), the Mediterranean coastal countries, and the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which from time to time express that ‘an energy project in the region, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, cannot be successful without Turkey’s involvement’.

On the other hand, the European Union, the ‘Sick Man’ of the Atlantic alliance, has its own internal problems. Germany, the leader of the Union, is in incredible economic distress and is planning to leave the EU when the opportunity arises. China and Russia, the giants of Asia and the Far East, advise the EU to ‘stop being the servant and slave of the USA’.

Most importantly, the elections to be held between 6 to 9 June for the election of 705 deputies to the European Council and the ‘European Parliament’, which is the EU’s legislative body and approves the EU budget.

It is unlikely that Türkiye will be put in a difficult situation.

Based on the propaganda of the political parties, it is seen that fundamental decisions will be taken in the EU after the elections. Within these decisions, despite all the efforts and slanders of the Greeks, it does not seem likely that there will be a step that will put Türkiye in a difficult situation.

Prof. Dr. (Civil Engineering), Assoc. Prof. Dr. (UA. Relations) Ata ATUN

Member of the Advisory Board of the TRNC President

TRNC Republican Assembly 1st Term Deputy