Comment: The Cyprus Challenge: A solution paradigm shift

It is clear that the major concession made by President Makarios in 1977 - 35 years ago - towards a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation, while justified in an environment of further threats and instability, was counter-productive and could not work.

It is also evident that the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community have allowed themselves, willingly or unwillingly, to be influenced – if not manipulated – by the Turkish leaders to further Turkey’s interests, rather than their own, by seeking further concessions and impossible requests.

If Turkey is not interested in a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality between its own two constituent states, including a “Kurdish Republic of Eastern Turkey” within its own borders, it might be well to consider abandoning its pressure for a federation in Cyprus, and withdraw its military forces from the island.

Turkey may not impose on third countries what it does not like for itself.

The re-unification of Cyprus and a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation are not compatible, and this is the reason why after 35 years different political leaders from the two communities have failed to reach an agreement.

A bi-communal, bi-zonal federation simply legalizes the partition of Cyprus achieved as a result of an invasion and illegal occupation of a third of the island for the past 38 years.

A federation is not the lesser of two evils, it is the embodiment of the evil, the dismemberment of a small island which is now an EU member.

The very first United Nations mediator Galo Plaza realized the negative consequences of a federation from the very beginning – 47 years ago. A federation could only lead to formal partition.

The “reality on the ground” is very artificial if it were not for the presence of some 40,000 Turkish troops in the north of Cyprus. The Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots are very friendly and hospitable Mediterranean people who have no real problem to live together, if and when they are helped to trust each other instead of being brainwashed by negative self-fulfilling prophecies instigated by some local and foreign political or other leaders and some sections of the media.

Imagine Cyprus as a beautiful little island in the Mediterranean where the people of the two communities live together, work together, do business together and play together. An island where everyone lives wherever one likes.

An island where there are no foreign military forces. And where all the citizens - Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots - enjoy full benefits of European Union membership.

This is not wishful thinking. This is a vision partly reflecting on what actually happened in the past, recalling the positive aspects of the past to re-create a better future.

This is partly learning from the gaps left carelessly wide open in 1960 by Britain, Greece and Turkey, possibly because they did not know any better.

There is no reason why this should go on indefinitely. The United Nations (UN) has given its contribution, but it has not solved the challenge. The UN was successful in peacekeeping and in freezing the conflict or negative peace, but it has failed in peace building.

Cyprus needs one or more political parties, and one or more political leaders, preferably from each community to have the courage to forget about a federation and lead the people towards a new re-united Cyprus. Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots need to be treated equally as citizens of Cyprus, independently of their ethnic origin.

A united Cyprus where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots enjoy their individual human rights and human needs, including security, identity and recognition, is possible.

This is the right time to lead the people towards a paradigm shift in the resolution of the Cyprus challenge towards real re-unification.

This is the right time because Cyprus has some influence as the Presidency of the European Union; and this is the right time because the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is focusing on conflict resolution and reconciliation. This is the right time because Cyprus is in the run-up to another Presidential election.

This is the time for real leaders for peace and unity to stand out.

With the help of the EU and the OSCE, a new leadership in Cyprus could build on the peace constituency that already exists – a peace constituency that several institutions, Fulbright scholars and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) have developed over the years among the people and friends from the two communities.

Funds from the EU could be channeled to develop a bottom-up national strategy of reconciliation among the people of the two communities, especially those who are still suspicious of the other side.

What is needed is not opinion polls of what people from the two communities think on the situation, but social, educational and cultural activities that bring down emotional and psychological barriers and create trust, forgiveness and friendships.

What is needed is a strategy for transformation, peace and justice. The OSCE with its new focus on reconciliation and with its expertise in working with NGO’s can be invited to lead and give legitimacy to such a national strategy.

The OSCE - with the support of the EU - could deploy a Cyprus Verification Mission, similar to the one deployed in Kosovo in 1998, to put the mind of the Turkish Cypriots at rest that their security will be covered even when the Turkish troops withdraw.

The Turkish Cypriots may or may not have isolated themselves in the past, but the Greek Cypriot political leaders and parties need to go out of their way to embrace the Turkish Cypriots within their ranks and membership.

Political parties from each community could form alliances and work together – in government and in opposition.

Consideration could be given to the possibility of introducing a new form of a parliamentary system of government and democracy, with a Greek Cypriot Prime Minister and a Turkish Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister and a mixed Cabinet of Ministers of a single united Cyprus, where value and merit are not constrained by ethnicity.

This article was reprinted in the cyprus mail on 26 August, 2012 under the deadline "The Cyprus Challenge: A solution paradigm shift"

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Note: The author is a retired diplomat from Malta, who served at the Permanent Mission of Malta to the UN in New York, the Delegation of Malta to the OSCE in Vienna, and the Embassy of Malta in Washington DC, as the Deputy Chief of Mission. He is conducting research on peacebuilding in Cyprus for a Ph.D. in conflict analysis and resolution at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University. The opinions expressed are his own and do not reflect those of the authorities in Malta or the University.

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