Ustel: Is the goal to isolate Turkish Cypriots from the world?

Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel on Thursday offered criticism for the efforts made in Greek Cypriot political and sporting circles in recent days to force the cancellation of a football camp organised under licence by Spanish footballing giant FC Barcelona, highlighting the role Elam played in the camp’s eventual cancellation. “We are facing a new and extremely striking example of the Greek Cypriot administration’s intolerance towards the Turkish Cypriot people. There was no political activity involved. There was no attempt at recognition. It was a sporting event where Turkish Cypriot children would meet the academy of a world-renowned football club,” he said. However, he said, “they could not even tolerate that”. “The Greek Cypriot football association took action with Uefa and the Spanish football federation, the Greek Cypriot administration made diplomatic efforts, and the far-right Elam party openly aimed to cancel the camp. Ultimately, Barcelona’s training camp in North Cyprus was cancelled, and Elam was able to declare, ‘we achieved our goal’,” he said. Related Articles • Letymbiotis on Barcelona camp: We are doing exactly what a recognised state should • Barcelona cancels football camp in north • Erhurman on Barcelona camp: Trying to stop children’s football is a defeat for humanity • CFA chairman writes to Spanish counterpart over Barcelona football camp in north As such, he asked, “what is your goal? To prevent Turkish Cypriot children from playing football?”. “Is the goal to prevent artists, athletes and students from coming to north Cyprus? Is the goal to isolate the Turkish Cypriot people from the world, to hinder their economic and social development and to make them invisible on this island? Looking what happened, unfortunately, the answer is clear,” he said. He said that “on the one hand, you talk about building trust with the Turkish Cypriot people, about a solution and cooperation, but on the other, you will even exert diplomatic pressure to prevent a children’s football camp from taking place”. “This is not about building trust. This is about a policy of keeping the Turkish Cypriot people in isolation,” he said. He then made reference to recent statements made by Elam which aim to have Turkish Cypriot universities excluded from global rankings, and the Republic of Cyprus’ official complaint to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot authorities’ agreement to build a natural gas pipeline between the island and Turkey. “When we put all of this together, it is clear that there is a systematic approach at play, to not let the Turkish Cypriot people connect with the world, to not let the TRNC develop economically, to not allow their universities to achieve international success, to not allow their young people to participate in sporting events,” he said. On this front, he said that “we strongly reject this notion”. “The Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus must now understand this: the Turkish Cypriot people are original and equal owners of this island. It is our most natural right to live freely, develop, play sports, receive education, produce and engage with the world on this land,” he said. He added that “no political pressure, no diplomatic initiative, and no policy of isolation will make us give up on these rights”. Then, he returned to the matter of Elam declaring that it had achieved its goal, saying that “if the goal was to prevent Turkish Cypriot children from meeting a world-class sports name like Barcelona, then boasting about this demonstrates the level of the mentality towards the Turkish Cypriot people”. “Everyone should question what kind of trust or shared future those who see the cancellation of a football camp as a victory today will establish with the Turkish Cypriot people tomorrow,” he said. He added that “trust cannot be built with an approach which seeks to leave no living space for the Turkish Cypriot people on this island”.