By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 19 - video here -- Two months after denying that UN mediator Alexander Downer was “exhausted” by the negotiations between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, TRNC President Dervis Eroglu told Inner City Press on November 19 that “not only Downer but everyone involved are showing signs of fatigue, they are tired of continuing negotiating so long.”
Eroglu was in New York for meetings with Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias, Downer and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He told the Press he wouldn't go into details of what had been said, but he denounced the European Union which, he said, had taken all pressure off the Greek Cypriots by according EU membership.
The EU “cannot be an honest broker,” he said, adding that the EU has “not keep its promise of 2004 of lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots,” who now have little confidence in the EU.
Inner City Press asked if the TRNC, if there's no progress by the next meeting with Ban in January 2011, might declare independence as Kosovo did. Eroglu said this would be considered in January, not before while there are talks. Things should be decided one way or the other, both he and his spokesman Osman Ertug said.
The November 19 interview took place in the Office of the TRNC on the 9th floor of the Turkish Mission to the UN's building. A florescent light bulb flickered; there were maps of Northern Cyprus and New York City's five boroughs on the walls.
Other questions came to mind, everything between bank regulation in the TRNC and what passports Eroglu and Ertug were traveling on. (Turkish, appears to be the answer, despite the response in the interview that “the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is an independent country.”)
As previously reported by Inner City Press, the TRNC is given its own entry passes to the UN, under the name “Turkish Cypriot Community.” This is based on being part of a UN mediated negotiation process. But how much longer will that last? Watch this site.
