thoughts on a murder

This past week someone important died in Greece. Actually he was murdered. Antis Hadjicostis was the son of Costis Hadjicostis, owner of Dias Media Group. A privately held media group. Presumably that means the station can air whatever views it likes.

Sigma TV is a commercial network in Cyprus [...eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon] that commenced broadcasting on April 3, 1995. It is a private service and is currently the second-rated channel in Cyprus. Sigma TV is geared at a younger audience, with the focus on the 18-45 age group. It broadcasts a mix of original programmes as well as popular foreign programming. The current programming breakdown is as follows: Local- 40%, US- 15%, Greece- 5% and Latin American- 40%.

News programs include:

Tomes Sta Gegonota- Daily newcast with live reports and informative discussion with all the headlines from around the world. Me Agapi- Informative discussion on current affairs and key issues. From personal issues to problems affecting society as a whole. Etsi Apla... me tin Mairi Haritonos- Talkshow that examines economic issues affecting everyday life; unemployment, inequality, taxes- how people deal with these problems. Also a look at Cyprus' role in the Global economy. Hosted by Μary Haritonos, Tuesdays at 11:10pm

The killers escaped on a high speed motorcycle near the American and French embassies.

Police said the victim was shot twice at close range while entering his house, a short distance away from the American and French embassies in an exclusive part of Nicosia. The gunman got away on a high powered motorcycle driven by another man.

His father is considered a political king-maker.

The father of the victim is considered by United Nations officials in Cyprus and some western foreign embassies as a political king-maker who can exert influence on a large portion of Greek Cypriots in connection with a future solution of the Cyprus problem.

So the most obvious conclusion: someone is trying to send a message about which way to exert his influence on the Cyprus problem. But we don't necessarily draw the most obvious conclusion, we just note it.

What is the Cyprus problem? Long story. Shorter:

In retrospect, Greek inhabitance of Cyprus that dates back to the Bronze age, shows us that this island consists of a religion, culture and language that is of Greek origin. However, we must also understand that the Turkish conquest also played a large role in creating Cyprus’s demography. Subsequently, the Greek-Cypriot majority and Turkish-Cypriot minority lived together, in peace and harmony, for hundreds of years.

However, we believe that two of the many things that led to the deterioration of peace and harmony should be highlighted. The first, the plan of “taksim” was engraved in the minds of the Turkish-Cypriots, which led them to believe, after many years of co-habitation, that things needed to change. The Turkish-Cypriots were led to believe that “taksim” was the only answer to their problems, even though no problem existed. [Taksim means division, partition, distribution in Turkish. - ed.]

Then, there was the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee. [Signed between Cyprus on one side and Greece, Britian, and Turkey on the other. - ed.] Here, Turkey was given “the right of joint or even unilateral action for the purpose of re-establishing the state of affairs created by the Treaty.” In the end, their actions were unilateral; however, they did not achieve the “purpose” of the Treaty. Instead, they achieved their own “purpose” which is to “occupy” a foreign, sovereign, and last but not least, the territory of an United Nations member.

I don't know this Cyprus story but right away I notice it's familiar. Colonial powers interfering and mucking around in other countries causing problems signing treaties and giving land that doesn't belong to them to other people. In writing. Mind-viruses taking hold of people. Problems being CREATED.

Of course, hegemons create problems for long-term strategic reasons. They let the problems fester over generations, until people can no longer remember how it all started, until the history has been rewritten the bodies buried the keys lost... The problems fester as long as needed, which is as long as people need to be divided. Typically forever. Kick the can down the road forever, just like the Middle East "peace" "process."

In more recent history, we know that Turkey has stood up to Israel. Turkey, specifically Erdogan, has taken a principled stand against Israel's treatment of the Palestinians, over that other illegal occupation, and he has been very effective in diplomacy meeting with Iran, Syria, Lebanon and all the interested parties in world diplomacy, all while capturing the populist imagination. A serious crime. He truly showed Peres up last year by walking out at Davos. The Israelis will never get over it, as they proved just this past week.

Official sources in Tel Aviv said Erdogan had changed his attitude towards Israel since Operation Cast Lead. "This process started when Erdogan abandoned a debate with President Shimon Peres (in Davos), so actually what is being done in Jerusalem is less important than what is happening in Ankara," one source said.

Evidently that was unforgivable. At the time, Israel gloated that Erdogan had shot himself in the foot and senior European diplomats would never let Turkey into the EU after this. And what is that all about anyway? Is it really a tribal thing?

In terms of foreign policy, the main obstacle to EU membership remains the unresolved issues between Turkey and EU member Greece....Equally as serious as the Cyprus issue is Turkey's dispute with Greece over territorial rights and interests in the Aegean Sea. Although both Greece and Turkey are de jure allies in NATO, their conflicting claims brought them to the brink of war in 1986 and 1987. A fundamental source of contention is exploration rights to minerals, primarily oil, beneath the Aegean Sea. International law recognizes the right of a country to explore the mineral wealth on its own continental shelf. Greece and Turkey, however, have been unable to agree on what constitutes the Aegean continental shelf. ...The issue of the right to control the airspace over the Aegean appears similarly intractable.

OK. So so far we can see a long-standing mess in Cyprus, having little to do with the people in power today, pitting the Turks and the Greeks for decades. And we have Erdogan pissing off Israel now. And all of a sudden, lo, there's a flare-up in the Cyprus problem -- an assassination -- the son of a king-maker who owns an independent media company. Hold that thought.

Moving right along. Greece is a problem for the EU... a financial catastrophe dragging everyone down.

Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Greece’s mounting budget deficit risks hurting the euro, saying the currency faces a “very difficult phase.” Merkel, speaking at a private forum hosted by Die Welt newspaper yesterday, questioned the fiscal discipline of other countries using the euro, according to a transcript posted on the German government’s Web site today. “The Greek example can put us under great, great pressures,” she said, according to the transcript. “Who will tell the Greek parliament to please go ahead and pass a pension reform? I don’t know that they’ll be enthusiastic about Germany giving them instructions.” German lawmakers wouldn’t be happy if Greece told them what to do, she said. “So the euro is in a very difficult phase over the coming years.”

In Athens, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced plans to cut spending and raise revenue by about 10 billion euros ($14.5 billion) this year as part of a three-year plan adopted today to bring the European Union’s biggest budget deficit within the EU limit in 2012. “We will do whatever it takes,” Papandreou said in a televised speech to his Cabinet. “Our country can and is obliged to exit as soon as possible this vicious circle of misery. We will not retreat; we will proceed quickly.”

So in the very large picture, we see Turkey strong and relatively independent, while Greece is relatively weak and dependent, a situation that has been obvious to the casual observer for about a year.

Given all of that, let's take a closer look at this murder and the events surrounding it.

1. The assassination has stirred up instability, according to politicians.

The assassination of Cyprus' most powerful publisher stirred fears of rising instability Tuesday as ethnic Greek and Turkish leaders made a new push to reunify the war-divided Mediterranean island.... The spokesman said the gunman fled on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice. No shell casings were found. Police stressed that no evidence of a motive had emerged. But politicians said the crime appeared aimed at spurring instability at a time when the peace talks with Turkish Cypriots have sharpened political divisions between Greek Cypriot liberals and nationalists favoring a harder line.

Regarding the shell casings: "A sign of professional assassins who knew that these casings would easily identify the weapon used and who had plenty of time to collect them."

2. Greek police say Hadjicostis was warned by an intelligence operative that his life was in danger.

NICOSIA (AP) – Police in Cyprus say it is unlikely that political motives lay behind the assassination of the country’s most powerful publisher. ... Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said yesterday that a member of the island’s intelligence service had warned Hadjicostis that his life was in danger. Katsounotos said the investigation is proceeding in a “specific direction,” but did not elaborate.

If true, this dispenses with the most obvious conclusion noted up top, namely that someone wanted to send a strong message to the elder Hadjicostis, king-maker. Also note that the most obvious conclusion implicates Turkey, which would exacerbate tensions between the Greece and Turkey. Now who would want to smear Turkey? Hmm. Thinking.....

3. Three men have been arrested for the murder. Recall that no shell casings were found. Smart. No, wait. They were stupid.

Prosecutors said the evidence collected includes fingerprints on a motorcycle helmet visor found near the crime scene, tire treads matching a motorcycle at one suspect's home and CCTV camera footage. An informant also testified of hearing the suspects boast about "a job that would earn them a lot of money," and then about planning and carrying out the murder, Nicosia crimes unit chief Thomas Efthymiou said.

4. Actually, they pulled off a stunningly brazen murder if you consider all this, so they had to be either really smart, or really stupid, or doing an inside job:

Andy’s assassination came only hours after the inauguration of the so called intensive talks between President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader M. Ali Talat.

His assassination took place almost on the doorstep of the American Embassy in Nicosia (He lived in a very near proximity). It was unprecedented for such a killing to take place “in front of the eyes” of the American Embassy and KYP offices (Cyprus Intelligence Service) which are also housed in the same immediate area.

The freedom with which the killers executed their crime, at a time people are still out and about, (early evening) in such a populated area in Nicosia with so many other Embassies and surveillance cameras, is indeed unprecedented.

...The American Embassy as we all know is equipped with the most modern and sophisticated technology in intelligence and surveillance. For the killers to ignore this factor and relentlessly carry on with the execution of their mission creates a great number of crucial questions as to the identity of these assassins.

It has been said that the Police inquiries are investigating also economic criteria for the murder. However, economic criteria can easily connect or lead to political behind the scenes criteria and reasons. As we all know it is the business world that keeps or controls political matters....

5. From the same source, we learn about the DIAS publishing group's role in shaping public opinion on important international matters:

DIAS publishing is an organisation that has held high the flag of resistance against the notorious Annan Plan and contributed proudly to its rejection by the people on 24 April 2004. The consortium with its newspaper, Radio and TV gave all its strength in enlightening the people on the parameters and definition of the Annan monstrosity and was proud for the results.

This result was not liked by the supporters of the Annan Plan, primarily the Turks and the British and Sir David Hannay did not miss the opportunity to blame certain journalists as those responsible for the big NO against the Annan Plan. He clearly meant Dias group (besides Antenna TV which also played a significant role in fighting against the Annan Plan) and all of us who campaigned from it against the Annan Plan. He actually vowed to revenge the Greek Cypriots when he stated “you have rejected it but we will keep on bringing it back until you accept”.

Aha there are the British again. Here you can read about the UN Annan Plan.

Its philosophy derives out of the existing Cyprus constitution that was drafted in 1960 by the British in order to cause deadlocks and subsequently havoc between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities in Cyprus with the overriding objective of retaining the two British military bases in Cyprus in Dekelia and in Akrotiri indefinitely.

...Nevertheless, all of the abovementioned politicians serve one very important (National Security) function that should never be undermined: They serve as the Greek Cypriot alibi to the European and International Public Opinions that the Greek/Greek Cypriot politicians have done ALL they could to convince (mislead) the people of Cyprus to vote FOR the UN Annan plan in the referenda of the 24 April 2004 in view of the pressures exercised by Washington (USA) and London (UK) in order to favor Ankara (Turkey).

Running both sides of the conflict, are we then? Support Turkey, but also support Greece. Keep the people embroiled in conflict. Perhaps I misunderstand.

September 7, 2009: The Greek people of Cyprus rejected their anathema in 2004 and they will do the same again. We are not going to surrender our country, our rights, our properties, our Churches, our memories neither for Hannay and his lot nor any of our lot to that matter that supports them so that they can de-criminise Turkey and facilitate her EU entry. We say NO. WE DO NOT FORGET THE THIEVES, INVADERS, RAPISTS, MURDERERS OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND SNATCHERS OF OUR LAND.

Is it true there are only eight stories in the world? It seems like that sometimes.

Anyway, there are only two more items of interest right now:

1. A powerful explosion, blamed on leftists, went off at the Ministry of Press and Information in Athens Saturday. No one was hurt.

2. Erdogan to meet with Greek president in Abu Dhabi next week, after attending an energy summit.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan will meet with Greek President Karolos Papoulias next week in United Arab Emirates where he will attend an energy summit. Erdogan will make a speech at the 3rd World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday January 18. Following the summit meeting, Erdogan will have a meeting with Greek President Papoulias, Turkish officials said.

I would love to wrap this all up with some pithy case closed remark, but I can't. All I can say is that we can almost always dismiss the obvious conclusions and look instead to the long narrative, the one dealing with Israel's world hegemony. Sometimes it seems like the world is turning on Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Be careful man.

UPDATE: Israel to send Cabinet minister to Persian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi for first time (cough).

UPDATE: For our further edification, aangirfan explains the Mossad connection, providing many interesting links, such as this meeting which took place two days after the assassination:

5. On 13 and 14 January 2010, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited Greek Cyprus. (Israeli FM begins official visit )

Greek Cyprus's Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou said that the meeting allowed discussion on matters that would help Cyprus and Israel to improve on 'excellent' relations.

In August 2009, Turkey and Russia signed an agreement to construct a gas pipeline that is intended to run from Ceyhan in Turkey to Ashkelon in Israel, via a transit station in Karpasia in Turkish Cyprus. (Israeli FM begins official visit )