tagged: Aegean Sea Greece Turkey, Clinton's message diaspora Cypriots, Cyprus, Greece Israel ties, Hilary Clinton, Michalis Ignatiou, Philip Christopher

USA: Peace Solutions for East Mediterranean Sea?

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics, Uncategorized

A solution here (Palestinians-Israel) and a solution there (Cyprus) … Washington seems determined to  settle disputes and conflicts and bring  political stability in Eastern Mediterranean Sea. 

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is pressing for a Cyprus deal , writes Kathimerini newspaper. Clinton is sending a message to a conference of diaspora Cypriots that will take place in Nicosia today. According to Kathimerini’s Cyprus edition, she is expected to press Greek Cypriot to back United Nations-mediated talks and she will appeal  to Cypriots to support the “tough decisions” necessary for a solution to the Cyprus problem. She will speak of the difficulties in the negotiation process, noting that it requires hard work and even compromise by both sides. She will also stress that “the leaders of both communities need to remain focused during these complex negotiations” and that “Cyprus is an important partner and friend of the U.S.” Hilary Clinton will repeat that a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution is the only way for achieving  thorough peace.

Already in February Clinton said at the US Senate that ”we strongly support the continuing negotiations under UN auspices for a bizonal, bicommunal resolution on Cyprus”. Is that enough?

Diaspora Cypriots disappointed

Diaspora Cypriots are disappointed by the Clinton’s message. Philip Christopher, president of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) described the message as “unsatisfactory”.

Speaking on state radio of Cyprus,  Christopher said that the message is disappointing as it urges both sides to make concessions and it speaks of  tough decisions. These expressions bring the Greek Cypriots and the occupation army under the same fate and they do not recognize that the  Cyprus problem is a problem of  invasion and occupation. Also, they do not recognize that to achieve progress in the talks Turkey should be pressed to make concessions, said Christopher.

Greece – Cyprus -Israel ties under Jewish  lobby influence

Meanwhile Michalis Ignatiou, Wahsington correspondent of Ethnos newspaper, reported that the new relationship between Athens and Tel Aviv was ‘built’  by the US Congress and the Jewish lobby.

The new relationship of Athens to Tel Aviv was “built” by  the U.S. Congress and the Jewish lobby, Ignatiou writes, adding that government officials encouraged senators and key members of traditional support for Israel to open a dialogue with members of the Greek lobby, which have channels of communication with Athens and Nicosia.

Both Greece and Cyprus have responded immediately.

Yet, the  U.S. administration, although it disagrees with the Turkish attitude towards Israel,  would not want at this stage alliances against Ankaradespite the fact that Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is heading away from the West, Ignatiou concludes.