The EU ready to help

The European Commission is ready to add its weight to the talks on the Cyprus problem if both parties request it and if the United Nations agrees.

This statement is included in a strategy document accompanying the annual progress report on Turkey. The same document also refers to the Cyprus problem and the sovereign rights of member states to conclude bilateral agreements for the exploitation of their natural resources.

"It is now urgent that Turkey fulfills its obligation for full implementation of the Additional Protocol and makes progress towards normalization of relations with Cyprus, because this could create a new momentum in the integration process, allowing in particular progress in the eight chapters covered by the conclusions of December 2006".

The Commission urges the avoidance of any kind of threat, source of friction or action which could damage the good neighborly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes and sees as critical the commitment and contribution of Turkey in specific ways to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

As regards Cyprus, the European Commission expects that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities will resume their negotiations for a comprehensive settlement under UN auspices.

The Commission expects that the two sides will quickly engage in substantive issues with the intention of achieving a successful outcome.

“All parties are encouraged to contribute to creating a positive climate through the steps that will be beneficial for the Cypriots in their daily lives and prepare public opinion for the necessary compromises," it stresses.

The EU expects results this time not just discussions

The EU will make every effort to achieve a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, the Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said yesterday, adding that the decision for Athens and Ankara to hold meetings with the negotiators from the two communities was encouraging.

Introducing the progress reports on the candidate countries, Mr. Fule referred to the Cyprus problem stressing that the EU will make every effort with all parties to achieve a comprehensive solution.

“This time we should not only have discussions but also results”, he said.  “I expect a constructive attitude from all sides and I ​​really hope that this time the whole process will result in the long awaited political settlement".

Cyprus problem is a European problem

The Cyprus problem is a “totally European problem”, according to Andreas Mavroyiannis, the Greek Cypriot side’s negotiator speaking at an event in Limassol yesterday.

He added that the solution of such a European problem should not contain any element that does not correspond with its identity as an EU member-state.

“This must be fully understood”, he added, “because without this there can be no negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem”.

He also said both Cyprus and Greece have counted on Turkey’s application for EU membership as an impetus for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem by agreeing to Turkey starting entry negotiations with the EU and stressed that care should be taken that this doesn’t turn against us leaving Cyprus hostage to Turkey’s entry process.

The truth about Kyrenia

An online article by Constantinos Odysseos refers to a recent hubbub created by a statement made by DISY MP Nicos Tornaritis who said that when the Cyprus problem is solved Kyrenia will be under Turkish Cypriot rule. He said the article caused an uproar from a number of people who criticised Mr Tornaritis for telling the truth. He says these people are hypocrites acting as if they didn’t know what we have been discussing for 37 years now.

He goes on to say that had Mr Tornaritis spoken in the usual way full of false emotions, such as for example: “even if a thousand years were to pass, the soul of Kyrenia will always be Greek, so that the great great grandchildren of our great great grandchildren who will still have the undying desire to return within them, will one day enter the gates of Kyrenia”, they would have applauded him in tears.

The writer adds that even though he would much prefer a unitary state, he realises that there is no way this can be achieved. It is an undisputable fact that Kyrenia would not be among the areas that will be given back to the Greek Cypriot state, but will remain under Turkish Cypriot rule (ie Cypriot rule). That does not mean that the Kyrenians will lose their rights to their property. The Greek Cypriot side’s position is that they should have the right to return. The Kyrenians have been the biggest victims of the 1974 events. They have lost their properties, have been displaced and if there is a solution they will have to go back under Turkish Cypriot rule. This is the raw truth. Selling them lies is, of course, much more pleasant than telling them the truth.

But this is no reason not to solve the Cyprus problem, he says, because otherwise Kyrenia will end up completely under Turkish rule. Because that is what partition would mean - the complete loss forever of our land. What some people are saying, namely that federation is akin to partition, is a complete and utter lie. 

The writer stresses that he believes that Turkey’s intransigence is the reason why the Cyprus problem hasn’t yet been solved and that Turkey is just waiting for the right time to partition the island. What he doesn’t understand, he says, is why our side continuously seems to be trying to delay things, thereby in effect helping Turkey in its aims.

He says there aren’t many Greek Cypriots who are happy with the way things have turned out over the last 60 years and explains that it is the endless mistakes made out of political naivety (if not stupidity) on the part of our leaders that have brought us to this point. If we’re not careful we will lose the chance to free our country for ever, he says, and Turkey will succeed in the aim it set in 1955 – the partition and Turkification of Cyprus.