Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under fire in Turkey, after the visit of the president of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides to Washington and his meeting with Joe Biden at the White House and the American president’s explicit reference to a “bi-zonal, bi-communal federation” in Cyprus.

The Turkish opposition speaks of a “shameful defeat of Turkish diplomacy”, referring to Christodoulides’ visit to the White House. “We are showing that we are protectors of Hamas and Hezbollah and this gives opportunities to Greece and Cyprus,” CHP (Republican People’s Party) deputy Namik Tan, head of the opposition’s foreign policy department, said in a long post on X. “The others play chess, and we play backgammon,” says Manolis Kostidis, SKAI’s correspondent in Constantinople.

As Namik Tan typically states:

  • Turkey’s willingness to act as Hamas’ protector and Hezbollah’s proxy provides Greece and the “EDNK” (Republic of Cyprus) with opportunities they have been looking for, and forces the US and the EU to reconsider their policies in the Eastern Mediterranean.
  • The USA and the “EDNK” (Republic of Cyprus) recently signed bilateral defense cooperation and strategic dialogue agreements.
  • During this visit, the “EDNK” may be declared by Biden a “major non-NATO ally” (MNNA) of the USA. Preparations for this purpose have been underway for some time. The MNNA status granted to 20 countries, including Israel and Egypt, will provide the “EDNK” (Republic of Cyprus), asymmetric security advantages and political, economic and military opportunities
  • Both this meeting with the “EDNK” (Republic of Cyprus) after 28 years, and the granting of MNNA status to the “EDNK” (Republic of Cyprus) is a complete defeat for Turkish diplomacy.
  • In the words of the late (former Foreign Minister) Turan Gunes, “‘when the world plays chess and we play backgammon,’ it is only natural that the inevitable end should be such a shameful image of defeat.”

“Complaining” of the Turkish press about the Biden-Christodoulidis meeting

“Complaining” prevails in the Turkish press about the Biden-Christodoulidis meeting. “Biden welcomed Christodoulidis to the White House,” Yeni Safak newspaper reports. “The President of the United States was smiling. Christodoulidis blamed Turkey,” he notes. “Biden welcomed Christodoulidis in order to win votes of the Greeks and Greek Cypriots,” notes Hurriyet for its part.

“Dear Kurdish brother!”

At the same time, the Turkish president is attempting an “opening” to the Kurdish population of Turkey, seeking a rally against the “common Zionist enemy”, but also with an eye… on the polls.

“I am addressing from here, from our Assembly, from the stage of the nation, my dear Kurdish brother! We expect you to hold that hand honestly and hold it tight. We want you to eliminate those who are the tools of Zionist Israel, they are the servants of imperialism and the tools of Turkey’s enemies.”

“Dear Kurdish brother, we want you to protect your faith, Islam, the call to prayer, the homeland, the land and the law of brotherhood. We say Let’s build together the “Century of Turkey”,

We say to build together a bright, fraternal future with prosperity under the roof of the Republic of Turkey, under the shadow of our red flag. Together we founded the Republic 101 years ago. This Republic is yours as much as it is mine. We say, let’s make the Republic a country of prosperity for all of us together. Come on, let’s get rid of those who clenched their fists. Come, let us clear the ground from under those who legitimize terrorism and turn their backs on the mountains. Come, let us show those who hand over the power that the nation gives to the barons of terror, and show them who is the real owner of that power.”

“Cooperation efforts will continue”

Drawing attention to Turkey’s influence in its region and other geographical areas, the EU in the report reiterated its familiar positions on Cyprus, Hurriyet newspaper reports.

“In recent years, one of the words used most by the EU Commission in its reports on Turkey has been ‘deterioration’. Brussels, which emphasized this 25 times in last year’s report, changed its approach this year and did not refer to “deterioration” at all. The emphasis on “no progress”, which was used 58 times in the 2023 report, was used 53 times in this year’s document. In the document, it was highlighted 12 times that Turkey had made limited progress, 23 times that it had made some progress and 4 times that it had made good progress. The report does not highlight ‘very good progress’, as was the case last year.’