OPINION:
It is deeply regrettable that The Washington Times chose to publish last week a series of articles and an eight-page insert on Cyprus from a narrow, one-sided perspective — without even paying lip service to journalistic integrity or to plain, undisputable facts.
It is a fact that international law recognizes the Republic of Cyprus and only the Republic of Cyprus, a member state of the United Nations and the European Union. It is a fact that there is only one recognized government in Cyprus, of which Ozdil Nami is not a member.
It is a fact that in 1974 Turkey invaded Cyprus. It is a fact that almost 40 percent of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus remains under Turkish military occupation. It is a fact that Turkey has for the past 40 years been deliberately altering the demography of the island by introducing hundreds of thousands of illegal colonists and destroying every sign of the area’s historic and cultural identity. It is a fact that Cyprus remains a de facto divided island. It is a fact that the only real goal of the Turkish Cypriot side is to solidify the current division of our common country and its people, and the recognition of the puppet “state” that Turkey set up in its occupied part.
The Washington Times has once again chosen to ignore these facts and publish not one but several articles littered with inaccuracies, which shows a steady editorial bias. This makes me wonder about the possible motives and intentions behind such consistent misrepresentation.
GEORGE CHACALLI
Ambassador to the United States
Republic of Cyprus
Please read our comment policy before commenting.