Sir, - I am distressed by the way much of the reporting of the situation in Cyprus and the Aegean seems to have accusations against Turkey built into it and actually helps worsen the tension and certainly to confuse the minds of newspaper readers about what is happening in the region. I fear your report from Nicosia "Greeks pledge to defend Cyprus against Turkey" (The Irish Times, October 16th) is an example of this.
Turkey has always said that it has absolutely no territorial claims over Greece and in Cyprus its only concern is to protect the security and rights of the Turkish population on the island. If Turkey had not stepped in the Turkish Cypriots would no doubt have quickly vanished as victims of "ethnic cleansing". Turkey has no interest in the south of the island.
Behind this lies a more general pattern. If you consult your history books, you will find that Turkey has never invaded Greece in modern times or tried to take territory from it, whereas Greece did exactly this to Turkey more than once. If you read the Greek press or surf the Internet you will find that more than a few Greeks, a minority no doubt but a vociferous one, still talk about conquering Istanbul and even Anatolia itself. I do not think you will find any Turks who nourish similar dreams about Greece.
Since 1993, the Greek Cypriots and mainland Greeks have systematically stepped up their military presence on Cyprus. They say that they are doing this for defensive reasons. It is hard to see why this should suddenly be necessary, particularly at a time when Europe and the United States are pressing hard for a peace settlement. The weaponry they are installing on the island includes S300 missiles with capacity to attack targets in Turkish airspace as well as newest generation tanks and armoured vehicles. Is all this for defence? Your readers may not be aware that while southern Cyprus is rolling or mountainous country, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus consists largely of plain. At the same time Greece has upped the stakes by creating a close military alliance with the Greek Cypriots. The Nicephorus joint military exercises on the island are part of this process.
Remarks such as those of the Greek Defence Minister and his talk of an "apocalypse" have to be seen against this background. His colleague for foreign affairs recently referred to the Turkish nation as "murderers, thieves and rapists" with whom it was impossible to negotiate. There is clearly a very dangerous and fevered climate of opinion in Athens. Western statesmen and diplomats should not lose sight of this fact. Neither, dare I say it, should the media. - Yours, etc.,
From Selcuk Unal,
Third Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, Clyde Road, Dublin 4.