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GREECE MUST BE INVOLVED ACTIVELY IN CYPRUS PROCESS

Today's Zaman - July 27, 2009 by Yavuz Baydar “Turkey has its positions. Our positions are founded on the UN resolutions, high level agreements, agreements and statements we made jointly with Mr. Talat about a single state, a single sovereignty, a single citizenship, a single international personality and, of course, political equality as it is being provided by UN resolutions for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. Our positions are related to a unified state with a unified economy, unified institutions and a unified people of Cyprus in the framework of a federation. Besides, various Turkish officials and non-officials will express positions and views. If every time someone in Turkey says something the president of the republic is asked to make a counterstatement, then that would be counterproductive and not creative vis-à-vis the effort we are making to resolve the Cyprus problem.” These words, coming from Dimitris Christofias, are the most unusually wise ones that have come from a Greek Cypriot leader for a long time. As the Cyprus talks enter, after some 40 rounds of talks between Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader, into its most critical “take it or leave it” phase, wisdom is the primary element that will be needed at every moment. I have always claimed that the Cyprus issue, on which both sides are equally to blame, no matter what elements each side use as arguments to declare its innocence and victimhood, is too big to leave merely to Cypriots. As the critical phase develops before our eyes, rest assured that the sides will again abuse the notion of time to confront each other at the latest minute. But, at this point, I would be careful as to put the focus on the Greek Cypriot side. I agree with Talat when he said recently in İstanbul, “The risk of permanent division should not be underestimated because peoples on both sides of the island are losing enthusiasm for reunification, which will, after all, mean the painful processes of property exchange and moving after a relatively settled life for the past three-and-a-half decades.” There is now, at this stage, an urgency to measuring the “willingness” of the Christofias camp. The urgency is in the truth, as Fatma Demirelli noted in her report about the state of things between the sides as of late July: “In Greek Cyprus … there is no sense of urgency. On the contrary, to appease the nationalist opposition's objections to reunification with the Turkish Cypriots after decades of division, the administration is taking the process slowly and tells the press frequently that there are irreconcilable differences with the Turkish Cypriots and that a solution in a few months' time is highly unlikely. In December 2009, the EU will review Turkey's refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Greek Cyprus, and the suspension of Turkey's EU membership bid is one of the possible outcomes of that review. Although many say a radical decision like suspending the membership process altogether is unlikely, the year-end review is likely to produce further complications for Ankara's already troubled membership efforts.” Despite occasional harsh words, both leaders have noted progress. But, Talat's political future hangs on a thin thread: The winds are blowing more and more strongly in favor of a separatist trend, led by Derviş Eroğlu, current prime minister in the north. It is very difficult, therefore, to understand the reasoning of Christofias, when he insists on an “open-ended” timetable. His political future, too, depends upon a “success” in reunification. Does he expect that he would be better off, if Eroğlu arises as the new president of the north? Is it his strategy that time will be more on the Greek Cypriots side? Does he believe that a Turkey with a weaker aspect of EU membership will be more “friendly” and “helpful” on the Cyprus knot? If so, this means Christofias and fellow Greek Cypriot leaders are in a pipe dream. What they need to be awakened to is realism, more often than not excluded in the Cypriot domain. Therefore, as the critical stage is shaped, with September approaching, the Greek Cypriot side must be made clear that a resolution must be reached by the end of the year, to be then presented to a referendum before the Turkish Cypriots enter the next elections. You may criticize him for many things, but Talat stands as the chance for the EU to shape stability in its troubled southeastern flank and secure a lasting presence in the eastern Mediterranean. The question is: Who will do that? Certainly not Sweden alone. Not the US, outside the context of the EU. It seems absolutely necessary that Greece takes the initiative to talk candidly to Greek Cypriots that ending this conflict is a much better option than extending it. Such a stand by Greece will be breaking ground in turning relations with Turkey in the desired direction. This is not pro-Ankara propaganda; it is only realism, a la late July 2009.

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