Turkish Cypriot Columnist Comments on Talat's Visit to US

Nicosia Kibris Online 21 Mar 09   Column by Akay Cemal: What Will Clinton Tell Talat and Talat Tell Clinton?   Preparations are underway for President Barack Obama's visit to Turkey on 5 April. He is expected to arrive in Ankara in the evening on 5 April and hold official talks on 6-7 April.  He will spend one day in Ankara and one day in Istanbul during his two-day visit.   Undoubtedly, he will have wide-ranging talks in Turkey. The problems he will have in his briefcase will range from Iraq and the Middle East to Afghanistan and Cyprus.  He will also discuss the relations between the United States and Turkey.   President Obama, who took office a short time ago, deciding to give priority to Turkey in his visit programs was due to a number of important reasons. His visit will take place after the war of words between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Shim'on Peres in Davos and the escalation of tension between Turkey and Israel, at least for some time. So, very important messages are expected to be conveyed when he arrives.   The framework of President Obama's visit was drawn up when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Turkey to hold talks in Ankara. In a statement before she departed, she said that the embargo on the Turkish Cypriots must be lifted and that isolating the Turkish Cypriots from the world is not a contemporary approach.   President Mehmet Ali Talat's visit to the United States was arranged during Hillary Clinton's talks in Turkey.  According to Greek Cypriot daily O Filelevtheros, Talat will hold talks with Hillary Clinton, James Jones, adviser to President Obama on national security, and probably UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in the United States.  According to Turkish Cypriot Presidential Spokesman Hasan Ercakica, the talks he will have will focus on the kind of support the United States might give to the negotiations between Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Dhimitrios Khristofias.  Talat will urge them to "support the process and maintain a fair approach."   The same newspaper said that the Greek Cypriot administration and Athens disclosed that they were very much dissatisfied with the visit and argued that they viewed it as an initiative to raise Talat's status.  Meanwhile, impartial circles said that it would be a negative message for Khristofias.   What Hillary Clinton will discuss with Talat is common knowledge. She will probably not talk about the Middle East or Afghanistan or the situation in Gaza with him. She will hold talks on the Cyprus problem and ask to be informed on the way the negotiations are getting on. In other words, she will listen to what Talat has to say. He will explain the situation and she will listen to what he says. They will then discuss the Greek Cypriot side's stand and determine its strategy.    Talat will stress that the embargo on the Turkish Cypriots is not a contemporary approach and call for its removal.  Hillary Clinton will nod her head as if confirming that the sanctions must be lifted. Talat will recall that 65 percent of the Turkish Cypriots cast a "yes" vote for the Annan Plan on 24 April 2004 and regret the failure of the EU to fulfill its promises on the embargo and sanctions after the voting.    Would Talat then ask Hillary Clinton what the United States can or cannot do in connection with the present situation?  Yes, he can do so.  But, can the United States move the Greek Cypriot obstacle aside to deal with the sanctions? Would the Greek and Greek Cypriot lobbies in the United States not react to such a move?   What else can Talat ask from Hillary Clinton?   He will be emphatically informed that the US support for the negotiations will be maintained and increased.  Will he draw the attention of the United States to the need for equal treatment and ask that it maintains an equal distance from the two sides in Cyprus?  We believe that such a request is necessary.    Meanwhile, can US investments in north Cyprus be considered?  How economic would they be?   Hillary Clinton might make clear statements on the sanctions on the Turkish Cypriots.  However, would they affect the outcome of the negotiations process? Would she be able to persuade the EU [to lift the sanctions]?  What can the United States do if Britain, which is one of its allies, does nothing on the matter?    We are certain that Talat will inform Hillary Clinton that the Greek Cypriot side, as a recognized state and EU member, has an advantage over the Turkish Cypriot side at the negotiation table.    But, that is not all. Talat will definitely recall Khristofias' visits to foreign countries and the memorandums he signs at the end of the talks he has with their officials regardless of the negotiations in Cyprus and explain that the Turkish Cypriot side views that as a means of pressure.   As we have already mentioned, Hillary Clinton will hear what he has to say.  She will use the body language to respond to some of Talat's views.  In other words, she will either nod or pout. Rest assured that Talat will complain about the leaking of information on the talks he has with Khristofias. Would she respond by asking "What can we do on the matter?" Meanwhile, considering all that, would she still ask Talat to be more flexible?  If she does so, would he respond by saying "Can you convey your suggestion to Khristofias."   We do not believe that the presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus and the question of guarantees will be discussed during their meeting. What about the US troops?  Can that be discussed?  For example, can an opportunity be created for the US troops in Iraq to have a short vacation in north Cyprus?  Well, why not?..