Σ.Ε.Κ.Α. Victoria
The Justice for Cyprus Co-ordinating Committee, Webmaster: Pavlos Andronikos
The Justice for Cyprus Co-ordinating Committee, Webmaster: Pavlos Andronikos
In this article Petros Th. Pantelidis makes points worthy of serious consideration. His explanation for Turkey’s sudden abandonment of a “federal solution” in favour of a “two-state solution” in Cyprus may well be correct. At the very least it should be borne in mind when formulating a policy response.
April 2021
Source: https://www.apopseis.com/i-kypriaki-dimokratia-prepei-na-einai-ena-kanoniko-kratos/
“The truth is that Turkey does not want, and will not accept a two-state solution. What it really wants is control of the whole of Cyprus. This new demand is merely a tactic to push our side into further concessions.”
Before 1974 it was unthinkable to even mention a federal solution. It was completely unacceptable and out of the question. However, after the catastrophe of 1974 and the occupation of 40% of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, federation became the painful concession which would allow for the recovery of a small part of the occupied territory, and the return of some refugees to their homes. The three freedoms—of movement, settlement, and ownership of property—were set by our side as conditions.
Many years of negotiations followed in which we were pushed little by little into accepting a bi-zonal federation, political equality for an 18% minority [the Turkish Cypriots], dual sovereignty, internal [state] citizenship, a partial international personality for each of the constituent states, a rotating Presidency, and various other features that turned the “federation” into a confederation. The usurpers of our properties became “users” of the properties, and gained the prospect of having their usurpation recognized as “ownership”. The return of occupied land became minimal and unspecified.
Given the demands of Turkey and the intolerable concessions of our own leadership, a solution is being cooked up which it will be impossible to approve in a referendum. And in this grim state of affairs along comes the Turkish side with a refusal to continue negotiations towards a federation, and a demand for a two-state solution.
Thus has a ridiculous situation been created. Years ago, our side would not accept federation. It was a Turkish demand, and a British/Turkish proposal for a “solution”. We accepted federation for the sake of a settlement, and they turned it into a confederal solution to get us closer to Turkish positions. And now the Turks are withdrawing that demand, and demanding instead a two-state solution. In response, our leadership has raised as the banner of our struggle the solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality and a rotating Presidency. In other words, Turkish demands have become the demands of our side, and are being rejected by Turkey, which now wants a two-state solution. And our side considers it a victory if we and the UN force Turkey to accept a federal solution with political equality!
We could not have been reduced to a worse position.
The truth is that Turkey does not want, and will not accept a two-state solution. What it really wants is control of the whole of Cyprus. This new demand is merely a tactic to push our side into further concessions, and to return the negotiations to the bizonal federation with us on the back foot and willing to agree to a solution which will legalize the results of the occupation and the division of our country. And most importantly it will abolish the Republic and will prepare the ground for control of all of Cyprus, with, in the end, the Turkification of the whole island. And Turkey will present all this as making concessions, supposedly, to our side.
We must not forget that both the two-state solution and the (con)federation solution are Turkish demands. Our demand must be the liberation of the occupied territory and the implementation of human rights and the European acquis throughout the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Our side now has an opportunity to put on the negotiating table its demand for a normal state. A state without armies and treaties of guarantee, and without settlers. A normal state with the application of human rights for all legal residents and with the application of the European acquis throughout its territory. Our side should be ready to discuss the path of reintegration of the Turkish Cypriot community into the Republic of Cyprus, and also be ready to discuss the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus into a normal state. That should be the goal of the five-party conference. One of its five members will be Republic of Cyprus with representatives from both communities. The solution, whatever its name, must be a refinement of the Republic of Cyprus.
Petros Th. Pantelidis
Translated and edited by Pavlos Andronikos