Ertug: Turkish Cypriot Side Can't Be Expected To Sacrifice Its Hard-won Freedom

LEFKOSA - Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Representative in Washington Osman Ertug stated on Monday, ''Turkish Cypriot side cannot be expected to sacrifice its hard-won freedom and statehood in return for unrealistic, paper-made settlement plans or vague promises of economic development.''
Ertug's article was published in Monday's The Washington Times.
In his article, Ertug responded to Thomas Weston, the U.S. State Department's Special Coordinator for Cyprus whose statements were published in The Washington Times on September 5.
Ertug pointed out that the remarks of Thomas Weston, as reflected in Friday's Embassy Row column, tended to put the entire burden for a political settlement in the island on the Turkish side.
That approach was not only one-sided, but also totally off the mark, Ertug emphasized.
Ertug drew attention that Turkey had always done all it could for peace and reconciliation on the island, as had the Turkish Cypriot side.
It was thanks to Turkey's deterrence that peace had prevailed on the island since 1974, Ertug stated.
Ertug said, ''the series of confidence-building measures initiated by the Turkish Cypriot side earlier this year, including border openings, is but the latest demonstration of Turkish Cypriot goodwill in respect to reconciliation. However, the Turkish Cypriot side cannot be expected to sacrifice its hard-won freedom and statehood in return for unrealistic, paper-made settlement plans or vague promises of economic development.''
''If the European Union is serious about facilitating a settlement in the island, it should use its carrot-and-stick policy, not against the Turkish Cypriot side or Turkey, but against the Greek Cypriot side, at least in equal measure. Handing membership to the Greek Cypriot side, literally on a silver platter, is both unjust and illegal and risks dividing Cyprus permanently,'' Ertug added.
(BRC-AÖ) 09.09.2003