Two significant voices have united to declare that Cyprus’ future fortunes could be significantly and immediately improved forever, if the island’s politicians would only pull their heads from the sand and finally agreed to reunification.  As southern Cyprus currently holds the EU presidency, now is probably the most ideal time to once again revisit this issue.

Praxoula Antoniadou Kyriacou, former Greek Cypriot energy minister and the current leader of the United Democrats Party, and Sir Graham Watson of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party have united their voices and opinions and written an essay outlining what needs to happen for reunification to occur, as well as all the effective benefits that both sides of the island would reap should it go ahead.

We polled our expatriate readers on both sides of the Green Line, and it seems that expats also agree that bankrupt southern Cyprus could benefit from reunification with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  However, as we will outline, we honestly don’t think either side of the island is any nearer to reaching the compromises required for a unified Cyprus to become a reality.

Southern Cyprus is effectively bankrupt.  Its credit rating has been reduced to junk status by the ratings agency Fitch, and bailouts have been sought from the EU and Russia. 

Its property market has bombed because there’s a) no faith in Cypriot real estate anymore and b) no mortgages available to anyone who wants to buy…and the cynical voices out there have declared that finally southern Cyprus is getting a taste of the medicine it has inflicted on it’s Turkish neighbours for decades…

However, strong evidence exists to suggest that natural gas and oil reserves are located in Cypriot waters (off northern and southern coastlines), therefore in theory, Cyprus could totally revamp its fortunes in the fullness of time and become a strong economic centre to outshine the rest of the EU members.

Of all the European nations affected by economic distress, Cyprus is in one of the strongest positions to come through their crisis swiftly and relatively intact.  Not only does the island manage to maintain a reputation as a great place to holiday, a fantastic place to retire and even an appealing offshore jurisdiction for business – but it now has these natural resources available to exploit. 

However, as Kyriacou and Watson point out, “Neither Greek nor Turkish Cypriots can fulfill their economic potential in a divided, economically curtailed and militarised island with an uncertain future…”  In other words, by failing to achieve reunification, Cypriots on both sides of the Green Line are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

The authors of the essay go on to highlight the fact that Cypriots on both the Turkish and Greek sides of the island could benefit from a very strong and positive economic future if reunification is achieved, and the exploitation of the island’s natural resources is then allowed.  As it is the Turks won’t allow the Greeks to tap the natural gas reserves, and the Greeks won’t allow the Turks to tap the potential oil reserves – thus hampering the entire island’s future.

But 38 years isn’t a long enough period in historical terms for Cypriots to forget what happened to divide the island – and there’s the rub. 

Whilst forward thinking political voices like those of Kyriacou and Watson articulate how the entire island could benefit if only those in power on both sides could find the political will, those Greek and Turkish Cypriots whose parents and grandparents endured the terror and bloodshed that led to the island’s division in 1974 cannot allow themselves to forget…

We don’t know how many decades have to pass before a nation can absorb the atrocities that have befallen it…but 38 years is apparently not long enough. 

We would like to add our voice to those of Kyriacou and Watson who end their essay by stating: “We call upon true leaders in Cyprus, Turkey, Greece and the whole of the European Union to demonstrate the required political will and vision that will enable them to write a new chapter of inspiration in European history…” because after all, every single Cypriot and their future generations of offspring could benefit from reunification.  What’s more, Cyprus could also wipe out this current chapter of economic embarrassment much more quickly if only it could see beyond its self-imposed borders

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