Turkey should reconsider the not-so-easy and unfortunately disastrous path it followed in the Syria crisis before indulging into undertaking any sort of mediation in the crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led block of nations accusing the gas-rich state of supporting and abetting terrorism
What is the reality on the land? What is the reality perceived by Turks or Greeks in Cyprus? Do they see the same reality? These and such questions that might appear odd to outsiders indeed touch the core of the Cyprus problem: a difference in perception.
Eyes and ears were fixed over the weekend on what will come out of U.N. headquarters in New York. Would Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı appear in front of the cameras with a face similar to the snapshot he gave to reporters at the last summit with former secretary-general Ban Ki-moon?
Will U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres bring back life to the Cyprus talks process murdered in cold blood by the greed of Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades? Will this last attempt to salvage the sunken Cyprus ship succeed?
Could anyone imagine, let’s say 10 years ago, that the majority partner in the Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition, the National Unity Party (UBP), would be plunged into serious internal strife because Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün agreed to lease 200 acres of land in Nicosia for the establishment of a “Rauf Denktaş University?”
Commenting on the long expected and highly anticipated collapse of the Cyprus talks process, Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı placed the blame on the shoulders of his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nikos Anastasiades.
The presidential elections in Greek Cyprus are ever more interesting for various reasons. Three camps have already formed.
While some people still dream of success in the long-dead Cyprus intercommunal talks, Greek Cypriots are buried deep in the “Who will be candidates for the February presidential poll?” question.
Recent news reports indicate that Greek Foreign Minister Nicos Kotzias sent a letter on April 7 to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in which he sharply criticized Espen Barth Eide, the U.N. chief’s special adviser on Cyprus, accusing him, inter alia, of acting to promote the interests of the Turkish side. This is not the first time that Eide or his predecessors has faced such criticism.
