By Martin Hellicar
FOREIGN Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides yesterday sang the praises of rapprochement, saying it could both help efforts towards a Cyprus solution and make things easier after a settlement.
“No-one can doubt the helpfulness of opportunities for Greek Cypriots to meet Turkish Cypriots and talk, exchange views and understand each other,” Cassoulides told the House refugee committee.
“When a solution comes, it will be easier if Turkish Cypriots have had the idea of friendship cultivated by rapprochement,” he added.
The Foreign Minister was grilled by deputies on the effectiveness, wisdom and safety of bi-communal contacts and exchanges. Diko deputy Katerina Pantelidou said there had been a “worrying increase” in rapprochement recently.
She said she was all for rapprochement with the Turkish Cypriot community, but said contacts with Turks or settlers “constituted recognition of the occupation regime”.
“Given that rapprochement is done correctly it is good – it gives a positive message abroad and helps a Turkish Cypriot voice other than that of the Denktash regime be heard,” Cassoulides responded.
He said anything indicating Greek and Turkish Cypriots could co-exist in harmony helped defeat the arguments of the Turkish side.
“A significant proportion of Turkish Cypriots who take part in rapprochement events are targeted by the occupation regime. They have their homes searched by regime officials and suffer threats from the (Turkish nationalist group) Grey Wolves,” Cassoulides added.
While welcoming the efforts of foreign embassies in arranging bi-communal events, he said the government felt it “preferable” for such contacts to be made by Greek Cypriot groups, such as political parties and unions. “The difference is that we have faith in the patriotism and judgment of Cypriots to ensure that rapprochement efforts do not help the other side,” Cassoulides said.
Cassoulides said the government respected the opinions of groups who were opposed to any form of contact with the other side and would not stop protests against rapprochement, as long as these were peaceful.
The Minister said the government was all for Greek Cypriots visiting the north, so long as this was not done for “tourism”. He reassured deputies there was “no evidence” to support rumours that Greek Cypriots visited the north to play in casinos or otherwise help fill the occupation regime’s coffers.
The government also welcomed Turkish Cypriots visiting or coming to work in the free areas, Cassoulides told the committee.
Official figures for Greek and Turkish Cypriots crossing the Ledra palace check-point show a slight drop in recent years.
In 1993, 604 Greek Cypriots visited the north and 779 Turkish Cypriots the free areas. In 1994, 1,044 Greek Cypriots visited the north and 1,596 Turkish Cypriots the south. In 1995, the figures were 1,502 and 1,393 respectively, in 1996, 1,398 and 547 and projected figures for 1997 were 1, 200 and 1,122 respectively.
