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Resolve Needed in Cyprus Issue

By Suleyman Kurt, Emre Soncan, Istanbul
Thursday, December 14, 2006
zaman.com

Following this week’s EU foreign ministers meeting, European leaders will meet in Brussels starting today for a two-day session.

The issue of the European Union and Cyprus were discussed at Zaman’s Common Sense Meetings on the eve of the summit.

Intellectuals discussed the Cyprus issue with Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat

Talat gave important messages at the meeting, where proposals for solutions were also offered.

Pointing out the Cyprus problem became a focal point for the EU process, Talat said that Turkey should learn to proceed along with this problem.

Talat underlined the EU process must continue and called for increased determination from all sides to solve the Cyprus problem.

Talat opposed the idea that the solution should be found after negotiations: “A solution is required for EU membership, but the liability of this falls to the Greek Cypriot side, not Turkey.”

Emphasizing that Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos’s policy made the division permanent, Talat warned that island residents had started to feel enmity toward each other, “Greek Cypriots do not want the Turks, and Turks do not want Greek Cypriots either,” he said.

Authorities’ Comments

* Turkish Cypriot President Talat:
We should show the world that it is the Greek Cypriots who are preventing a possible solution. The EU should recognize Turkish Cyprus.

* Retired Ambassador Ozdem Sanberk:
Let us keep calm and continue the process. This will ultimately take us to a two-state solution.

* Professor Eser Karakas:
Greek Cypriots can now renounce their claim on Turkish Cypriot land, but it is more difficult for Turkey to give up EU membership. The process is against us.

* Professor Ali Karaosmanoglu:
It is disadvantageous to leave the solution to be resolved after the process. The EU’s attraction for Turkey will increase as we come to the end.

Talat suggested making the European Union settle accounts with Greek Cypriots earlier and asked for support from media and non-governmental organizations.

Disagreeing with Talat on not leaving the solution to the last minute, Sanberk said it seemed the ultimate conclusion would be a two-state structure.

Sanberk pointed to the protocol, including the commitment to solve the Cyprus issue within the frame of the U.N. in the Participation Agreement Greek Cypriots had signed with the European Union, and said this protocol must be applied at all platforms.

Professor Eser Karakas’s views that ports could be opened to Greek Cypriots were opposed by Talat, who said their economy would be greatly damaged.

Professor Karaosmanoglu noted that the wait for a solution would be arduous, and the issue should be settled as soon as possible.

The Turkish Cypriot president made the following observations and proposals on Cyprus:

Turkey should learn to live and proceed in the EU membership process with this problem. The Cyprus issue would have been an important issue even if Turkey had no desire to join the European Union. As the Cyprus issue is a national problem, this complicates things.

The Greek Cypriot side decided to make use of its EU membership and take away some of Turkish Cypriots’ rights, and is doing its best to refer the Cyprus issue to the European Union instead of the United Nations.

Eight chapters have been frozen in Turkey’s membership talks. The remaining chapters cannot be closed. The demands of the Greek Cypriot side were made into a precondition for Turkey. Turkey was also given a penalty.

The Cyprus problem must be solved for Turkey’s accession to the European Union. This is essential. The liability for solution falls on Greek Cypriots, not on Turkey. The European Union can make this possible.

Solution Proposals for Cyprus

1- The EU process should continue without question. Turkey must learn how to carry on this process with the Cyprus problem.

2- The press and civil society organizations should be more active. Diplomatic initiatives should be backed by the public.

3- Turks living outside Turkey should intensify their efforts to help. The attitude of Greek Cypriots, which have stood in the way of solutions, should be conveyed to the world more openly.

4- The EU agreement that refers solution possibilities to the United Nations should be brought to the foreground as a judicial basis.

5- Just as the Cyprus issue is vague and uncertain, the European Union also has its vague points about the future. Therefore, there is no need for despair.

The nationalistic policy being followed on Cyprus has contributed to a general rise in nationalism. The European Union will sooner or later have to face this problem. In this case, what we should do is work toward a settling of accounts with the European Union at an earlier date.

Sometimes we are obliged to make sensational rebuttals at the cost of demoralizing our own public. However, this doesn’t mean that we are quitting the process or rejecting it. We should continue this process unanxiously and without swaying from side to side.

Turkey’s future is oriented toward the European Union. On no condition should it severe its EU links.

We will continue experiencing difficulties, intrigues and annoyances just as we experienced before the decision made by the EU Council. That’s why our nerves should be solid. We should maintain our steadfastness.

Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat said: “If I were a Greek Cypriot, I would not try to block Turkey’s way. When the last day comes, after having resolved all other problems and Greek Cyprus says, ‘Recognize me!’ Turkey would be hard pressed not to do so. Therefore, in my opinion, we should endeavor painstakingly for an earlier solution.”

If the European constitution is passed as it is now, the vetoing power of Greek Cypriots could diminish and then EU pressure on the Greek side of the divided island would increase.

Only the European Union can overcome the obstinacy of the Greek Cypriots in their desire to continue relations in an unresolved manner. The European Union can see that the perpetuity of the problems threatens relations with Turkey. However, it still fails to fulfill its promises.

If we manage to find a solution it would be in our interests and suit our purposes. If we cannot, we must demonstrate to the world and the European Union that it did not happen despite our best efforts. We must also make them aware of our fears about the possibility of a permanent division of the island and make them come up with a permanent remedy.

Mehmet Ali Talat also spoke about the efforts of Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to instill the geographical division on a social level:

“I had a friend who was the local butcher. When the doors were opened he started spending time with Greeks. I saw him a month ago. He said, ‘I have cut off all my links with Greeks. There is only one family now which we see; they don’t like us, they don’t want us.’”

Solution Should Not be Left to the End of EU process.

Bilkent University Professor Ali Karaosmanoglu said the solution to the Cyprus issue should not delayed until the end of the negotiation process.

Karaosmanoglu’s alternative is as follow:

“Delaying the solution of Cyprus problem up until the end of the negotiation process is dangerous. When we approach the end of the process, Turkey’s desire for EU accession will increase as there will be only a few steps left to be a full member. We will have gone through a hard process and only one step will be left to become a member.

“Waiting for Turkish Cyprus to be recognized seems a bit difficult when we think of it in accordance with Turkey’s domestic political problems. For this reason finding a solution to the problem as soon as possible will be beneficial for both parties.

“The European Union needs to force a solution. How much can the European Union tolerate this deadlock? It seems its tolerance is bigger than we estimated. If the European Union tolerates this situation for a long time this will cost Turkey a lot. Turkey’s domestic policies affect this, and since democracy is not strong enough in Turkey, some problems may emerge.”

Toward a Two-State Solution

* Ozden Sanberk, a former foreign ministry undersecretary and a retired ambassador, said Cyprus was headed toward a two-state solution.

* “Greeks and Greek Cypriots will never accept relinquishing sovereignty. And it is impossible that Turkey could, in any way, recognize today’s Greek Cypriot republic without reaching a solution. We are headed straight toward a dead end and the process continues.

* “I think the only solution for the Cyprus issue will be in terms of a two-state solution. I mean, similar to other problems we have been experiencing nowadays, the problem itself will bring us to that point. Of course I do not expect the governments to accept this, but this option is being discussed in Greece and in the Greek Cypriot press also. There is an understanding that no one could ever make them live as a united country.

* “There is a de facto Turkish state on the island already. This state will be accepted more and more in time. The reason behind Greek unrest is this. How does justice change? An everyday situation eventually equals legitimacy. I cannot estimate the timing of this. This could take 15 years or even 25 years. This depends on our resistance and the resistance they show.”

Important Trump Card in Greek Cypriot Accession Protocol

* The accession agreement singed between the Greek Cypriot administration and the European Union on April 16, 2003 makes important references to the United Nations.

* Before their accession to the union, no reference was made in any EU document to the U.N. process. Now, the Greek Cypriots are trying to change the grounds and make the European Union the sole locus for a solution. The article in the accession document could be the guarantee of a solution for Turkey. Diplomats and the press should concentrate on this.

* Europe has accepted that a solution for the Cyprus problem lies with the United Nations. If Turkey fails to break the balance in its favor, it cannot take the matter to the United Nations. We should not lose our head.

* The chance that Greek Cypriots will reach an agreement depends on making them believe they would lose something in the event they do not reach an agreement.

This is a struggle. We should accept this struggle and keep it going without hurting each other. This is a necessity for the politics of the matter.

EU Uncertain About Direct Trade Regulations

Professor Eser Karakas, deputy president at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, has a different approach to trade regulations and Turkish ports.

Karakas had the following conversation with Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat:

Karakas: Vessels from EU countries are carrying goods to the Magosa port in Turkish Cyprus, but those vessels are carrying nothing on their return trip. A total of $1.2 billion worth of goods was brought into Magosa last year.

Talat: I don’t know the figure, but vessels are coming and going. Vessels with a German flag are delivering their goods to the port. There is limitless exportation too. There are exports to EU countries as well, but export to such countries is done as if from a third country. There are some customs fees in contrast to the Customs Union. Turkish Cyprus is looking to its future chances to join the Customs Union.

Karakas: What would happen if a vessel arrives in Athens after it leaves from Magosa ?

Talat: It would be taken into police custody.

Karakas: What would happen if a set of rules governing direct trade was given official approval?

Talat: If the rules include mention of the Magosa port, police could not do anything.

Karakas: What if there was no mention of it?

Talat: I don’t know. It is then necessary to interpret the situation. There may even be a need to refer the situation to a court of law.

Karakas: There is then some uncertainty. It cannot be argued that isolations will be done away with.

Talat: There is certainly some uncertainty. There are also some other things. The rules say that exports will be carried out under EU supervision.

Northern Cyprus has become expendable for Greek Cyprus

Karakas said that the Greek Cypriot administration may just renounce its interests in Turkish Cyprus:

My impression of the news media is that Greek Cyprus is not attaching as much importance to the land on the Turkish side as it did in the past.

In other words, Turkey’s decision to once and for all give up its plans to join the European Union will possibly not cause chaos.

But, the likelihood that Turkey will give up its EU aspirations is very low.

A juxtaposition of both above mentioned points would show that the way things are developing, Turkey seems to be headed for an unhappy ending.

Turkey could renounce its plans to become part of the European Union, but only at a high cost.

The way Greek Cyprus handles the matter has reached a point where they are raising the question why they should make concessions to Turkey if the aim is to take Turkish Cyprus.

That’s really bad for Turkey.

Ports could be Opened to Greek Cyprus, but…

The meeting moved on to a discussion of whether or not ports would be opened to Greek Cyprus, and what kind of implications it will have for both sides.

Karakas defended the argument that ports should be made available to Greek Cyprus:
Over the past five years, Turkey has been growing relentlessly. This annually costs Turkey a current account deficit of $35.6 billion. But there is foreign capital worth $62 billion coming in every year. A serious deterioration in relations would put arrival of foreign capital at risk with the result of a failure on Turkey’s part to meet its annual current account deficit.

In response, Talat said:
Mr. Karakas is right as long as he considers the matter from the viewpoint of Turkey. But I have a different outlook, if we think that we are now in an advantageous position to reach a settlement with which to protect the rights of Turkish Cyprus.

Turkey’s decision to open ports would hurt me, but there is nothing to do about it. The adventurous position would become weaker. There is also the economic side to the matter at hand. Opening ports, along with lifting restrictions on Greek Cyprus, would mean that even Turkey would impose isolations against Turkish Cyprus.