Columnist wonders if the oil exploration will be the opportunity for a Cyprus settlementUnder the title “A chance for solution in Cyprus”, Columnist Sami Kohen, writing in Turkish daily Milliyet (online, 05.10.11), published, inter alia, the following commentary:
“How will the ‘drilling crisis’ in the Eastern Mediterranean affect the Cyprus talks? Will this new dispute between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots give a new momentum to the efforts for searching a solution in Cyprus or squeeze completely the process? [?]
The Turkish side wants the negotiation process to be completed until the end of this year, thinking that next summer South Cyprus [Tr. Note: he refers to the Republic of Cyprus] will take over the Presidency of the EU. In fact, there is not high possibility that an agreement will be obtained in the last three months of 2011. If this does not happen, then the negotiations will probably be interrupted for good and the two sides will take their own way. In such environment, the ‘drilling crisis’ is an important factor in the process towards the unification of Cyprus.
Subtitle: new motivation
In fact, this crisis exerts an important point that the sides in the negotiations cannot compromise in no way.
Subtitle: the ‘win-win’ principle
This should be a huge attraction for both sides. There is huge pie that Turkish and Greek Cypriots can share thanks to the unification.
Therefore, it is for everyone’s benefit, the negotiations to continue with this new motivation, with the ‘win-win’ mentality.
Otherwise, if the Greek Cypriot side is encouraged by the drilling and continues its unilateral behaviour, it will always remain in a climate of crisis and tension.
If TRNC [Tr. Note: he refers to the breakaway regime] chooses to abandon the union and declare its independence, instead of sharing the natural wealth, it will enter in a continuous dispute and struggle of acceptance of its own legitimate.
In fact, finding oil and natural gas resources in the South-eastern Mediterranean is an opportunity for a final Cyprus settlement. Provided that the sides behave cleverly and courageously?”
