More troops, not fewer, declares Erdoğan,
TURKISH troops in North Cyprus will not be decreased, but increased, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said in comments that caused uproar south of the “Green Line”.
Speaking to journalists on a plane on the way back to Ankara from Azerbaijan, Mr Erdoğan was asked about reports that Turkey is planning a military base in the TRNC. He replied that Turkey had “no issue of a base in the TRNC”, explaining: “Why not? Because we are merely minutes away from [Cyprus] . . . and the eastern Mediterranean. However Greece does not have the same [proximity].
“This has only a psychological dimension for us, and we could, if we need to, set up a base. Our presence there is important and we must be powerful in terms of vehicles and equipment.”
Mr Erdoğan went on to refer to Greek Cypriot demands for a Turkish troop reduction in Cyprus — a key point of friction when an international peace summit collapsed in Switzerland last summer — declaring: “They want us to reduce the number of [Turkish] troops [in the TRNC]! With all due respect, we are not going to reduce our troop numbers. We will increase them.
“From now on in Cyprus . . . we will put into effect our own prescription.”
The remarks were reported to have caused a sensation in the South, where the Movement for Social Democracy (Edek) demanded the Greek Cypriot side seek “concrete action” from the European Union and United Nations, and “reactivate” defence agreements between South Cyprus and Greece, bringing in more Greek troops and upgrading its weaponry.
The party also urged the South’s administration to complete its energy explorations and start making use of offshore natural gas reserves. The South’s Citizens’ Alliance said Mr Erdoğan’s remarks constituted “a new threat” to the Greek Cypriots and drew up a “to-do” list including the convening of the National Council, joint strategic cooperation with Greece, and a conference to re-evaluate the “direction” of the Cyprus problem and “Turkish objectives”.
The Ecologists movement claimed Mr Erdoğan was “living in a dream world” while the ultra-nationalist Elam called the remarks “provocative”.
There was criticism in the TRNC too, where United Cyprus Party chairman İzzet İzcan called Mr Erdoğan’s approach one of “conquering and occupation” and commented: “The Cyprus problem cannot be solved with this mentality.”
Observers suggested Mr Erdoğan’s remarks had been a reaction to renewed insistence by Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades and Greek officials on an end to Turkish guarantees in Cyprus.