BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila writes on two conflicting views within Ankara on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:
One thing that’s become clear in the runup to December’s elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is that Ankara has a divided mind on the island’s future.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is supporting the Turkish Cypriot opposition against the current Denktas administration. The main impetus for this policy is the European Union’s pressure on Ankara. Certain EU circles, including EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, are pressuring Ankara to persuade the Denktas administration to negotiate over the plan prepared by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, a plan considered ‘sine qua non’ by them for a permanent settlement on the island. Under these circumstances, the AKP government seems to be willing to sacrifice Denktas for the sake of its good relations with the EU.
However, both the presidency and the General Staff Office believe that Ankara should maintain its traditional Cyprus policy by standing firm with the Denktas administration. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has pledged to the EU that Ankara will make significant progress on the issue after the island’s elections, which means the AKP government believes the opposition party will form a new administration which favors Annan’s plan.
However, it’s unclear whether or not the AKP’s Cyprus policy would benefit Turkey on its path towards EU membership. The Cankaya presidency believes that no concessions should be made before Ankara is sure the EU would facilitate Turkey’s membership process if it pushes for a settlement in line with the UN plan.
In short, this is Ankara’s starkest dispute on the Cyprus issue in some 40 years.