YUSUF KANLI

Election time in Turkish Cyprus YUSUF KANLI

Election time in Turkish Cyprus 

Unfortunately, the much-desired opportunity for a grand coalition was missed once again. A coalition of the National Unity Party (UBP), the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the People’s Party (HP), a strong government with 38 seats, both right and left and with a numerical absolute majority could be formed.

November 03 2021
A great anniversary YUSUF KANLI

A great anniversary

The modern and secular Turkish Republic will be celebrating the 98th anniversary of its proclamation on Oct. 29. Two years later, hopefully, we will be marking the centenary of the republic. What will be the mood of the country at this Thursday’s 98th anniversary or on Oct. 29 of 2023, I cannot vouch from now, but I am confident that most of my countrymen will try to remember under what incredibly difficult conditions this nation fought and won national independence and crowned it with a republic and thus appreciate the great successes of the founding fathers.

October 27 2021
If we don’t get along, let’s go to a tavern YUSUF KANLI

If we don’t get along, let’s go to a tavern!

I always say North Cyprus is an interesting place. I don’t understand why some people call Prime Minister Hamza Ersan Saner as HES. We saw him play good drums. But we haven’t seen generate energy yet, as HES is a Turkish abbreviation for hydroelectric power station.

October 18 2021
We need to change the atmosphere YUSUF KANLI

We need to change the atmosphere

The blame game has been a very frequent tool used in the Cyprus negotiation process.

October 13 2021
Where is the homeland YUSUF KANLI

Where is the homeland?

Life is interesting. You may feel an affinity for regions where you have never been before, where you or your ancestors have no connection in any way. For instance, Malta. Years ago, on a windy and wet December morning, when our plane landed at the airport and the doors opened, I felt at home. First, I said, “It’s natural, this is a Mediterranean island like Cyprus, and I am homesick.”

October 11 2021
Welcoming Colin Stewart YUSUF KANLI

Welcoming Colin Stewart

Is it good news? We had an Australian, an American… There was a time when we had a Norwegian as well as an Argentinian. Now it’s time for a Canadian special Cyprus envoy for the United Nations secretary-general. The Turkish side has already said, “Yes, we agreed,” and so said the Greeks, reportedly. Yet, there’s still a glitch in the definition of his mission, and the appointment of Colin Stewart, a much appreciated Canadian diplomat, is almost certain.

October 06 2021
We can’t excuse violence YUSUF KANLI

We can’t excuse violence

Regardless of the reason, it does not matter, a journalist cannot be exposed to violence because of the graphic cartoon or photograph he draws about a development or because of what he writes, talks about or comments on. Disliking the story or the statements he uses, or what is displayed in the drawing, or finding it disgusting cannot, in any way, justify the journalist being pushed around, stabbed, injured or condemned to an even more dire situation.

October 04 2021
Sharing opportunities... YUSUF KANLI

Sharing opportunities...

The difference between parties in Cyprus is relatively greater than the difference between black and white. Neither could a pragmatist businessman such as George Vasiliu on the Greek side, nor the recent Mustafa Akıncı’s “solution at any cost“ statement bordering a defeatist approach, succeeded in establishing sufficient convergence in the positions of the two sides.

September 29 2021
Sovereign equality is the key to a solution on Cyprus YUSUF KANLI

Sovereign equality is the key to a solution on Cyprus

It’s been voiced again lately. Turkey should pursue give-and-take politics with Russia. Of course, relations between countries develop, or regress, based on interests, not on the rhetoric of “eternal friendship.” Since the same interests were once observed, the foreign and even security and trade policies of two or more countries may be very close, while the same countries can engage in very different discourses with a slight change in the equation.

September 27 2021