“The government’s policy on the Cyprus problem is gradually falling apart” by Stefanos Stefanou, member of the Political Bureau of AKEL
“HARAVGI” daily newspaper, Sunday 22nd June 2014
One and a half years have passed since Anastasiades was elected to the presidency and approximately one year since the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem resumed. We now have a sufficient sample to evaluate the results of the government’s policy as regards the Cyprus problem.
The conclusion we draw from this assessment is that the government’s much-vaunted handling on the Cyprus problem is gradually falling apart. One after another, the various elements of the government’s policy are proving to be either ineffective or dangerous.
On the Joint communiqué: The President was publicising that he would draw up a joint communique that would outline in a clear way the basis of the solution and leave no room for the Turkish side to misinterpret its provisions. After four whole months went by it agreed to a joint statement which on the crucial issue of sovereignty is inferior than the one contained in the Christofias-Talat joint communique. The Turkish Cypriot side is misinterpreting on a daily basis the provisions of the communique.
On the period to explore the positions of the two sides (screening): It proved to be a waste of time and the so-called exploration of positions led to a widening of the gap between the two sides.
Cross meetings: The President was stating that with the cross meetings he would compel Turkey to face up to its responsibilities. For the time being, one downgraded meeting between the negotiators and the respective Foreign Ministers of Greece and Turkey has taken place. The only ones claiming that in this way Turkey is forced to face up to its responsibilities are the government and ruling forces. Meanwhile, the Turkish Cypriot community has enhanced its international activity.
EU involvement in the talks: We will do what others have not done, the President states, and we shall involve the EU in the talks. The statements issued by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Fule shook all those who believe that the EU will accept to be burdened with the problem. Unfortunately, it will not do so for many different reasons. Its good seeking EU involvement on the Cyprus problem, but it is more beneficial that we should recognise how far and up to what point the Union can go. And, regretfully, it does not go further than it did go during the period of the previous government too, when Fule was appointed Special Representative of the President of the European Commission.
In essence the President, a captive of his own election commitments calling for the withdrawal of proposals, and a new strategy to be elaborated on the Cyprus problem which he was generously offering to his temporary allies, proceeded to negotiations from scratch. In this way however the President disengages the Turkish side from the significant convergences that were registered in years 2008 – 2010, which Mr. Eroglu previously was rejecting. In addition, the President’s policy enables the Turkish side to play a communication game and project the Greek Cypriot side as being intransigent.
Experience has shown that addressing the substantive phase of negotiations with the logic of negotiations from scratch only leads to unnecessary and dangerous adventures. There is only one way forward, namely continuing the negotiations from the point the Turkish Cypriot side had broken them off in March 2012, a fact that will safeguard the significant convergences that were achieved. Otherwise, the talks with mathematical precision will reach a deadlock and responsibility will either be attributed to the Greek Cypriot as well or some third party will “volunteer” to submit its own plan on the table.
President Anastasiades is called upon to move forward resolutely by putting the national interest above all else.
