Anastasiades expresses concern over islamization in north Cyprus

South Cyprus president, Nicos Anastasiades has voiced concern over what he called islamization in north Cyprus and according to him, very little is being said and done on the international stage over the issue.

Anastasiades made the remarks in an interview, days before Turkey goes to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday, reports Greek Cypriot daily, Cyprus Mail.

Speaking to Lifo.gr, a Greek publication, Anastasiades said the crux of the matter in Turkey’s is that whoever is elected, the rhetoric needs to be changed.

The question is whether (the new president) is willing to change the current status quo which does not benefit his country and more specifically, does not benefit Turkish Cypriots.

At the moment Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan has a rhetoric which poses danger, Anastasiades said.

If his version is the revival of the Ottoman Empire by 2023 then we’re speaking of dangerous games here. However, I believe rhetoric is one thing and political action is another.

In the interview, Anastasiades said a lot would depend on the relations Erdogan maintains with Europe, the US and Russia.

Anastasiades said he was gravely concerned over policies islamizing the north, for instance how imams are appointed “is a direct intervention in the interior matters of the Turkish Cypriot community.”

Additionally, more mosques are being built in the north, new religious schools keep cropping up and this is a course of behaviour Turkish Cypriots never did.

They completely identified with a secular state and although they are Muslim, they were always moderate without being fanatic. So all of these facts are worrying.

Asked by the journalist John Pantazopoulos to comment on a lack of international reaction over the north’s apparent islamization, Anastasiades said it was “unfortunate”.

Russia’s policy is to distance Turkey from allies, Europe has economic interests, it has investments and also the risk of refugee flows. The US do not want to lose a strategic partner. Turkey is currently taking advantage of this.

However if Turkey ploughs on with its current policy to attack and experiment with alliances, “this will create a negative climate for Turkey” Anastasiades said.
Edited from Cyprus Mail