Cypriot celebration
Cyprus joins the European Union in spite of lingering tensions between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish communities in the divided island, reports Michael Jansen from Nicosia
The signing of the European Union accession treaty by Cyprus on 16 April was hailed by Greek Cypriots as the most important milestone in the island's history since it became independent in 1960. As presidents and prime ministers of the 10 new members gathered in Athens beneath the Acropolis, blue and yellow balloons were released into the sky in Cyprus' main cities and towns and crowds toasted the EU with champagne. Although Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos called the event a "victory for all Cypriots", Turkish Cypriots living in the northern 37 per cent of the island occupied by Turkey in 1974 felt left out and aggrieved that they too had not become part of Europe. They understood that formal accession has produced entirely new relationships between the EU and Cyprus, Greek and Turkish Cypriots and Europe and Turkey.
Accession has solidified the status of the Greek Cypriot majority republic as the sole internationally recognised Cypriot state. Since the EU considers the north a part of the territory of Cyprus "not under effective control of the government" of the recognised republic, Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash's demand for recognition of his breakaway Turkish Cypriot entity has been doubly rejected. This entity remains outside international legality.
Greek Cypriots, who began their march towards Europe in 1972 by concluding an association agreement with the European Economic Community, have achieved a fundamental long-term goal. Their main motivation for joining Europe was, and is, security. Since independence Cyprus was attacked by Turkey twice. In 1963 and 1964 Ankara intervened and created separate enclaves for the Turkish Cypriots. In 1974 Turkey invaded and seized the north.
With Cyprus now part of Europe, Greek Cypriots feel Turkey can no longer menace the republic. Their second reason for joining Europe was to become a part of the common market and the third to align themselves with Europe on the cultural plane.
As Greek Cypriots look to the future, Turkish Cypriots remain imprisoned in the past. The north is essentially a Turkish protectorate. While the Greek Cypriot south has had five democratically-elected presidents since 1960, the north has been led by Denktash, Ankara's man committed to the status quo. Since last December Turkish Cypriots, seeking change, have staged three massive demonstrations under the slogan, "This Land is Ours", protesting Denktash's one-man rule, Ankara's determining role and the presence of 110,000 Turkish settlers and 35,000 Turkish troops. Turkish Cypriots seek EU membership as a means to secure self-determination within a reunited Cyprus, democracy and release from the embrace of Turkey's troubled economy. The prosperity gap between the well- developed south linked to the European market and the stagnant economy in the north is expected to grow.
Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who also holds the EU presidency, and European officials have made it clear that Turkey's own bid for EU membership depends on progress towards a Cyprus settlement. This must be achieved before December 2004, when the EU is set to decide when Turkey can begin the long and complicated accession process which involves harmonising the political, legal and economic systems with that of the EU.
By that time Cyprus, which is set to enter the EU in May of that year, will be a full member and have veto power over Turkey's candidacy. Neither Cyprus nor Greece can be expected to promote Ankara's bid if Turkey continues to occupy northern Cyprus against the wishes of a majority of Turkish Cypriots. Therefore, if Ankara maintains its present policy of obstructing progress, Turkey could not only be excluded indefinitely from consideration for EU membership but could also lose EU funding.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is once again veering towards acceptance of the reunification plan put forward by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan which was rejected by Denktash last month. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who initially favoured but then turned down the plan, stated, "Let's discuss the Annan plan and if we want changes, let's put them on the table for discussion. At least this way, the road to negotiations will not have closed."
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said, "The important thing is to provide lasting peace. If the Annan plan can help this, it can be evaluated." In spite of these positive statements, confusion clearly reigns in Ankara. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, a bastion of the old guard opposed to a Cyprus settlement, reacted to Cyprus' EU accession by saying Turkey would not recognise it.
However, Gul attended the post-signing accession celebrations in Athens and congratulated the Greek Cypriots. Denktash said, on one hand, that the EU should open direct negotiations with the Turkish Cypriots and bypass the Annan plan. But, on the other hand, he stated that he "might sign" the Annan plan if Turkey adds a provision agreeing to accept the resettlement on the mainland of Turkish Cypriots who do not want to live in a reunited Cyprus. Meanwhile Ankara promised to pump more than $500 million in aid to northern Cyprus for tourism, education and low interest business loans in addition to some $150 million already given in budgetary support.
The boost in funding was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Abdul-Latif Sener during a trip to the north on 18 April which coincided with the visit to the south by Simitis, who met with Turkish Cypriot politicians to hear their concerns over the island's EU accession.
This landmark gathering with Turkish Cypriots was the first for a Greek prime minister as well as for the EU presidency. The meeting was attended not by the National Unity and Democratic parties which form the ruling coalition in the north but by five opposition parties -- two with seats in parliament -- and the mayor of northern Nicosia. This event showed that the EU is prepared to cultivate Turkish Cypriot grassroots support for a return to negotiations on the Annan plan. Ultimately, however, the Turkish Cypriots are in no position to choose their own future. Ankara will have to decide whether it wants to hold onto northern Cyprus or move towards EU membership. Turkey cannot have both.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 24 - 30 April 2003 (Issue No. 635)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/635/in5.htm