Greek Cyprus’ statements like foamy cappuccino: Turkey’s Parliament Speaker

ANKARA

"The statements from Greek Cyprus are like cappuccino, its foam is fat and has nothing below,” Çiçek said. CİHAN photo

Turkey’s Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek added yet another metaphor to the already rich literature on the half-century old Cyprus issue, likening the statements by the Greek Cypriot side to foamy cappuccino, attempting to highlight the incomprehensibility of those statements.

Although an optimistic wind blew due to the current Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades’ remarks in the past, the administration, elected in February 2013, is still using the financial crisis as a pretext for dragging its feet in joining efforts in resolving the Cyprus issue, Çiçek said on Nov. 27 during a meeting in Ankara with a visiting delegation led by the Speaker of the Turkish Cypriot Assembly of the Republic Sibel Siber.

Neither Turkey, nor Turkish Cyprus is responsible for the crisis, Çiçek said. Greek Cyprus and the EU are responsible and they are the ones who should find a way out, he added.

“It [Greek Cyprus] is making excuses, which they are actually responsible for, in front of the negotiations blocking up. Although we have always voiced [the will] for permanent peace, there is nothing beyond dragging feet. Some talks were delivered recently. The statements from Greek Cyprus are like cappuccino, its foam is fat and has nothing below,” Çiçek said, adding the Greek Cypriot’s method of spending time and detaining the Turkish Cypriot side has always remained the same.

As of Nov. 25, the rival leaders of the ethnically divided Cyprus failed to agree on resuming stalled talks aimed at reunifying the country.

After an informal meeting, Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Derviş Eroğlu said obstacles remain in restarting full-fledged peace negotiations.

“Unfortunately, there’s still some way to go before we can arrive at the desired result,” Anastasiades said after emerging from the three-hour meeting at a restaurant inside the United Nations-controlled buffer zone, which divides the capital.