Eroglu accused of leaking map

Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (06.11.14) in his column under the title “The lie of the map and a real map”, Erdogan Ozbalikcireports that Eroglu’s recent statements that the Greek Cypriots have asked for the return of certain areas are “unfortunate” and “should be very well thought upon”.He noted that the leak of an “imaginary map” by some journalists was a very big provocation aimed at instigating the people. Ozbalikci writes, inter alia, the following:

“Some of our sources of information participating both in the Turkish and the Greek negotiating delegation insist that no map was submitted to the Turkish Cypriot side during the negotiations. The main principles of how the property and the territory issues would be discussed were debated, but the issue of the map had been left for later.

It should be recalled that while a great majority of the Turkish Cypriots had said ‘yes’ to the Annan Plan, Dervis Eroglu and his team participated in the ‘no’ front with all their power. Respecting Dervis Eroglu’s worldview is one thing and not opposing to what he says is another. If there will be a solution in Cyprus, everyone should get used to the reality that return of territory to the Greek Cypriots will definitely be made. (…)

With this map provocation it was very well shown that today, more than any other time, we need a leadership which will follow a political line that will unite the Turkish Cypriots with the world as people having equal rights over the entire island, instead of instigating the publication of non-existent maps”.

Moreover, writing in his column in Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (06.11.14), Mert Ozdagreports that the above-mentioned map is “a map created by Eroglu’s men aiming at the elections” and such a map “has never come onto the agenda in the negotiations after the Annan Plan”.Under the title “How many times lies are told? How Many?” refers to other cases during which Dervis Eroglu had allegedly lied in the past. The columnist argues, inter alia, the following:

“It is obvious that the issue of the map is a propaganda game towards the elections. The aim is to encourage people voting Eroglu by creating panic in the areas which will be given to the Greek Cypriots. Will such a method be effective? It may be in some areas. In some other areas it will not be. However, why such a great president enters into such an ugly game? (…)

Writing in the same newspaper, Tumay Tugyandescribes as “not surprising” the unofficial statement made yesterday by the Greek Cypriot side declaring Eroglu’s allegation regarding the map as false. Under the title “Trusting your leader”, she notes that according to information shared by a source close to the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Cyprus with some Turkish Cypriot journalists, the Greek Cypriot side had put no map on the negotiating table.

She argues that by using the issue of the map Eroglu was planning on “killing two birds with one stone”.She expresses the view that Eroglu’s first aim is the so-called presidential elections to be held in April 2015in the occupied area of Cyprus. “It is very obvious that Eroglu’s election propaganda will mainly focus on this issue and draw the profile of a leader who does not allow for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots to be seized by the Greek Cypriots”, she writes noting that the second aim is to launch an early “no campaign” for the possible later stage of the negotiations.

She argues that “a trade of fear” will be carried out by Eroglu regarding the territory and the property which “is one of the issues on which the Turkish Cypriots show the most sensitivity”.

The third aim, she notes, is to increase the expectations of the Greek Cypriots and make sure that President Anastasiades “will be booed” as a “person giving concessions”, in case he accepts something less than the above-mentioned map.