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The opposition has also criticized a speech by Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources Zorlu Töre at a reception in İskenderun. Özdil Nami, a CTP-BG MP and guest of Cem Kar on the Öğlen Ajansı program broadcast on Ada TV, said these statements would be used against the Turkish side. Nami also commented on the President’s meetings in New York, saying that the developments were encouraging.
“SUCH STATEMENTS SHOULD NOT BE MADE” Nami said Minister Töre’s remarks gave the Greek side a way out, and that members of the government needed to present a more consistent image. Nami said: “As long as strange voices are heard among us—that is, as long as there are government members making statements such as ‘either the TRNC is recognized or we join Turkey like Hatay’—the Greek side will be given more ways out. They will definitely use this. They had also used some of Mr. Eroğlu’s statements. Although that situation was eventually addressed, now we have had statements of this kind. I hope the government members will also establish some discipline among themselves and present a more consistent image.”
“THE GREEK CYPRIOTS ARE STILL DEFENDING THE ANTI-THESES OF THE DENKTAŞ ERA” Nami said that although the Turkish side had taken positive steps over the years in the negotiations, the Greek side continued to insist on its old policy. He said proposals that also take the other side into account needed to be put forward to enable it to take the necessary steps. Nami said: “During our term, the UN welcomed the agreements reached and described them as positive. Now, however, they say they are pleased that the parties are making proposals. Diplomatically, this means that the two sides have not achieved rapprochement, but they are making an effort, and that should not be overlooked. The UN sees the possibility of rapprochement in some of the proposals put forward, while acknowledging that the differences of opinion are very great in others. It should also be said that, unfortunately, the leaders chose to start with property, the most difficult issue from a technical standpoint. I think the difficulties this has created are affecting them too. We can clearly see that there is a lack of trust. On the other hand, our proposal upholds the philosophy put forward during Mr. Talat’s term. Mr. Eroğlu, too, did not revert to the positions defended during Mr. Denktaş’s term. Of course, this is also contrary to the rhetoric he used during the election campaign, but that is his problem. We are looking at whether there is continuity in the Turkish positions, and the answer is yes—at least in terms of philosophy, there is. Yet the changes that have taken place on the Turkish side have still not taken place on the Greek side. They continue to put forward the arguments they used against Mr. Denktaş’s positions. We used to make proposals that also took the other side into account, and that is the biggest difference between us and the current team. There is nothing wrong with this; perhaps they just need a little more time.”
“DEVELOPMENTS AT THE OIC ARE ENCOURAGING” Nami said the developments during contacts at the Organization of the Islamic Conference were encouraging, adding that they were pleased that positions for which they had once been criticized were now being adopted. Nami said: “The contacts at the Organization of the Islamic Conference also came to the fore, and a development that was gratifying from our perspective took place there as well. The President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs embraced our new name at the Organization of the Islamic Conference. When they were in opposition and said, ‘We said yes, but what did we get?’ we used the Organization of the Islamic Conference as an example. At the time, they tried to belittle the progress and gains we had made, whereas now I look at their statements and see them saying that our representation as a Turkish Cypriot state has been secured.”