Our View: He came, he provoked, he left

There were no surprises in store during President Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the north on Monday, the first place he visited since his re-election. It was nevertheless an illegal visit, the state broadcaster kept reminding its audiences, while telling them that his comments were ‘provocative’. This adjective always finds its way into reports about comments made by Erdogan, just in case someone does not see them as such. In short, he came, he provoked with his unacceptable views about two states and left.

The same line was taken by the foreign ministry, which wasted no time in embarking on the traditional blame game, that President Nikos Christodoulides had repeatedly said he would not engage in. “At a time the Cyprus Republic was making intensive efforts for the resumption of the talks, this type of rhetoric which serves the policy of Turkey for the promotion of ‘recognition’ of the illegal, secessionist entity in the occupied area goes against any prospect of a Cyprus settlement,” the foreign ministry said. It added that, “in the light of the above illegal actions, it will undertake all the necessary actions and protests.”

The government has reverted to the favoured past practice of mixed signals. While the president has been touring European capitals seeking the help of our EU partners for the resumption of talks, saying he was ready to return to the negotiating table immediately, the foreign ministry has been engaging in the familiar confrontational rhetoric. Taking all the necessary actions against Turkey for the ‘illegal’ visit would not exactly help the president’s initiative to secure the resumption of the talks. This scathing rhetoric also goes against any prospect of a Cyprus settlement, but it appears the foreign ministry has decided the time for the blame-game has arrived.

Was it necessary for the foreign ministry to issue this statement a day before the president was due to speak to European Parliament about his commitment to a settlement and repeat his plea for a more active involvement of the EU in the Cyprus problem? Engaging in the blame-game will shatter the president’s credibility in Brussels, raising questions about the sincerity of his pursuit of the resumption of talks. Could the EU take his assertions seriously when his foreign ministry is so quick to go on the offensive over comments that have been repeated countless times by Erdogan and members of his government in the last few years?

Surely, the foreign ministry could have avoided this type of rhetoric if the president’s objective is the resumption of talks, which will never happen without Turkey’s agreement. It may be that Christodoulides is not as committed to the resumption of talks as he claims, but is content to be seen to be making an effort, while the foreign ministry is already building up the expectations for failure.