Davutoglu Proposes Two-State Solution for Cyprus

Turkey’s foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu

TBILISI—Turkey wants to negotiate a two-state solution to the Cyprus issue, if according its foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, reunification talks between the two sides fail and no agreement is reached for the establishment of a joint commission on the island’s gas resources, reported Hurriyet Daily News on Thursday.

It seems Davutoglu is unhappy that Cyprus has offered rights to oil and gas exploration around the island as collateral for an international bailout package from the European Union without taking into consideration occupied Cyprus.

In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus, which has effectively become a divided island. No country, with the exception of Turkey, recognizes northern Cyprus as an independent nation. Yet, the Turkish foreign minister insists that its occupying forces on the island must be taken into consideration by the sovereign Cypriot government.

“We have three paths ahead … The U.N. mission should be accelerated and the sides should talk on a comprehensive solution and the resources should belong to a united Cyprus. A new state, which Turks are a part of, should be able to use them,” Davutoglu said speaking in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, where he is attending a meeting with his counterparts from Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The United Nations envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer said earlier this month that a bid to restart stalled talks to reunify the divided island would only happen after the country concluded negotiations with prospective international creditors for a rescue loan that it needs in order not to go bankrupt.

“If this does not happen, then two sides should establish a body over the usage of resources that should jointly manage the marketing and extracting. The fund should be blocked in an account and should be used for peace process and the period after peace,” Davutoglu said, referring to reunification talks.

“If these do not happen and Greek Cyprus says ‘the resources are ours’ then it means tacitly that Turkish Cypriots own the resources in the north. If they behave according to this claim, we are ready to negotiate a two-state solution. Then these two states will meet in the EU,” warned Davutoglu.

Turkey’s bullying continues.