A hot autumn looms ahead for Cyprus
“Under the above title, Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (28.08.11, online) published an article by Bulent Kenes. The columnist analyzed the course of the Cyprus problem since Cyprus entered the European Union. He also wrote the impressions he formed out by talking to Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu during an iftar (fast-breaking) dinner, that Eroglu hosted last Saturday for a couple of Turkish journalists in occupied Lefkosia. He depicted Eroglu and the Turkish side as calm, despite the pressure and panic that expectations of a solution in the early months of next year might create on the Turkish side. He claimed that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are maintaining a strong attachment to the vision of a solution on the island since 2003, that they are not happy with the current state of the Cyprus talks and accused the Greek Cypriot side of adopting an uncompromising stance.
He writes, inter alia: “What I conclude from my interview with Eroglu is that this is the last chance in the search to find a solution that will be in the interest of both sides of the island. Either a serious vision for a solution in Cyprus will emerge by early 2012, or the Turkish side will commence a new and irreversible process in the opposite direction. Time will show if, depending on the international conjuncture, this process will become a Kosovo-like declaration of independence, an interim formula similar to the case of Taiwan or a brand new model that will be called the Cyprus model in the political literature of the future. But it is clear that the last chance is being saved for the hope of achieving an ideal, integrated, bi-communal Cyprus.
[…]
For these hopes to be realized successfully, the Greek Cypriots, who have made it their habit to drag their feet in all previous efforts to find a solution, must be encouraged or forced to take steps toward a solution by the international community, especially the EU, which has spoiled this small country with its double standards. Otherwise, I would not be surprised to see that those contingency plans, which now look like a remote possibility, quickly become the Turkish side’s primary option within four or five months. The efforts to get the KKTC recognized as an independent state do not risk a higher cost than the already troublesome current situation. But does this apply to the Greek Cypriots as well?”
Kenes warns the Greek Cypriot political leaders that would opt for a Cyprus where the two-state structure becomes more entrenched and concludes: “Turkey, which can even risk freezing its EU negotiations process, and the KKTC, which is not bothered by the existence of two separate states on the island, certainly hold a position of greater psychological comfort and moral superiority going into the intensified negotiations process.”
