Monday, June 04, 2007

Quoted or...

After my column Cyprus and the EU - What matters is the perception I got a request from an American journalist in San Fransisco for a written interview about Cyprus.
I gave him some answers on his questions related to Cyprus, and that was it.
Here is the article.
Therefore I am surprised to see myself quoted on matters of religion and the Armenian issue.
I didn't say anything about that. I wrote something in my column Turkey needs confidence, not fear. As a result of this column, I got many angry reactions from the Armenian diaspora.

Anyway, this week my column is about Communication in Turkish politics.
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4 comments:

Anonymously yours, said...

Hi Hans,
I've been to Cyprus several times but the very FIRST trip I made was to Greek-controlled Cyprus. With my American passport in hand, I thought my going through customs was going to be easy. There was a really long line but it was moving very quickly, until it was my turn.

The customs officers examined my passport and swiped it through these different devices and held up the line for at least 10 minutes. All of this because I have a very Turkish name. I thought they were not going to let me in.

Btw, I arrived ther only one week after the Turks open up it's borders back in April 2003.

Whenever I was asked where I was from, I said, "America" because when I said I'm Turkish-American", I wasn't treated very nicely, just like at the airport.

When some British tourists asked if they could cross over to the Turkish side, they were told that the border was still sealed off!

They are very racist against all Turks, no matter where they are from. When I finally made it to Turkish-controlled part of the island nation, I did not get a sense that the Turks harbored the same kind of animosity as the Greek Cypriots.

It appears as though the Greek Cypriots are forgetting why the Turks invaded the island in the first place.

June 5, 2007 at 1:00 PM
Anonymous said...

i crossed many borders, but this one...archhh...
my new (Dutch/European) passport was issued in Istanbul at the Dutch general consulate. He asked if I lived in 'Istanbul' (for sure he wanted to say 'Constantinopel..))
I told him: none of your business.
He asked again: none of your busy I replied...and be aware: I looked already pretty angry. In the end I told him: I live in Amsterdam, Athens and ISTANBUl...he let me go: told him that he was spending our contribution money (all the citizens of Holland spent every year 346 euros for EU... 16 million x 346 euro makes.....
More to follow.....he, I made some pictures of him when I came back, crossing his control border house, after been in Gr. Cyprus for 45 minutes...)))

June 5, 2007 at 1:54 PM
Anonymous said...

I couldn't of agree more A.Y. being orginally half Cypriot Turk (fatherside:).

We are lot friendlier then Greek Cypriots although; the looks, music, food and even the stuborness are the same. They do brain washed lot earlier age in Greek side, so more difficult to change their general opinion regarding Turks.

June 15, 2007 at 7:14 PM
Anonymous said...

Dear Derya,
Is your statement noy a little bit bold, tough, and generalizing?
I know a Cypriot, father Turkish, mother Greek. After the illegal invasion (international law) his father became so bitter, that in 1978 they moved to Athens and than to Florida. Turkish language (his mother tongue language) was not allowed in his house until he died on a tragic way. Be reasonable: the only person who ot something out this conflict was denktash: he became 'president' and could build his imperium. And the island became a good place to replace 'generals'...
There is a Turkish expression: 'we live by occupation'...and I can tell you that the Cypriots are not Turkish nor Greeks, the fist if they can speak freely...

June 17, 2007 at 12:41 AM

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