THE POSITIVE climate marking the visit of the Council of Europe’s Turkish parliamentary president Mevlut Cavusoglu turned sour yesterday after his visit north of the island and comments prompted a barrage of criticism from Greek Cypriot officials.
House President Marios Garoyian accused the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of misleading Cypriot officials and violating the “clear positions” of the Council of Europe regarding the secessionist actions of the breakaway regime in the north.
He condemned Cavusoglu’s decision to visit Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu at his ‘official’ offices and his call on the EU to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots. Garoyian said he would lodge a protest with the relevant organs within PACE.
Cavusoglu arrived in Cyprus on Sunday, meeting with President Demetris Christofias, Garoyian, Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou and others.
His moderate and conciliatory tone appeared to act as a counterweight to the more provocative remarks made recently by Turkish EU Minister Egemen Bagis, questioning the existence of the Cyprus Republic.
The PACE president spoke of the need for a united and peaceful Cyprus through a solution based on UN parameters.
After official meetings, Cavusoglu was initially scheduled to meet relatives of the missing and the Bishop of Karpassia. However, these were cancelled before his arrival, making space for Cavusoglu to visit and spend his second night in the north, where he met Eroglu and other Turkish Cypriot politicians.
During his meeting with Eroglu, Cavusoglu spoke on behalf of PACE, saying it supports a long-lasting solution within the UN parameters which “ensures the rights of the two peoples of the two communities, and we hope to reach a solution soon”.
He also referred to the Assembly’s “call to lift the embargo against the Turkish Cypriots and especially on this issue we want the EU to meet its obligations. Similarly, we call on Turkey (to do the same).”
Speaking about the ongoing talks, Eroglu cited little progress on the “difficult” property chapter. “Settling issues that have been left behind will help in handling the property chapter. I cannot say there is great progress.”
The Turkish Cypriot leader said it was an honour to receive Cavusoglu at the “government office” while Turkish Cypriot ‘parliamentary speaker’ Hasan Bozer said the fact that Cavusoglu visited the south and then north showed that there were two separate authorities, peoples and states in Cyprus.
Garoyian yesterday expressed parliament’s “strong protest”.
“Before Mr Cavusoglu’s visit to Cyprus, the (Cypriot) delegation to PACE made it clear to the President of the Assembly that he should not meet with ‘officials’ of the pseudostate” and Cavusoglu “assured the delegation that he would not take any action outside of the legal framework”.
Ultimately, “he chose to act as a Turkish official rather than as president of PACE,” said Garoyian, adding that Cavusoglu should act first as guardian of the decisions and values of PACE.
When Cavusoglu informed that he would spend a night in the occupied areas, Garoyian said he was given a list of hotels that were not illegally built on Greek Cypriot properties. “He chose a hotel which certainly did not belong in that list,” he added.
EDEK, EVROKO and the Greens accused Cavusoglu of “unacceptable behaviour” while DIKO spokesman Fotis Fotiou said instead of behaving as a PACE president, Cavusoglu “could not resist the temptation of acting as a vessel for Ankara’s policy and strategy on the Cyprus problem”.
Cavusoglu left the island yesterday afternoon via Larnaca airport.
