BY TUFAN TURENC
HURRIYET- If UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan goes through, within 10-15 years Turkish sovereignty in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would come to an end and the island would belong entirely to its Greek Cypriots. Even those who favor Annan’s plan accept this. For this reason, they say that the plan should be revised. However, the Greek Cypriots aren’t even satisfied with this and are calling for even more advantages. These Greek Cypriots along with the US and European Union are working hard to make sure the island falls lock, stock and barrel into Greek Cypriot hands. All their calculations have served this end. So it’s for good reason that the Turkish side is giving no ground on the issue of sovereignty. Even opponents of TRNC President Rauf Denktas argue that signing Annan’s plan without determining the rights of sovereignty would endanger the continued presence of Turks in the island.
Now let’s try to spell out the plan’s true character. First we should agree that if Annan’s plan is accepted, the 1960 agreements would be officially annulled, which means that Turkey’s status as guarantor state would end. Some people might object, ‘But the plan says 6,000 Turkish soldiers can stay on the island.’ Admittedly this is true, but these troops won’t be able to even set foot outside their barracks without the say-so of the United Nations. After the signing of the Annan agreement, nearly 100,000 Greek Cypriots would retake their former homes in the TRNC and seize their former goods. Greek Cypriots who settle in the north within a certain period of time would have the right to citizenship and the vote. Those who can’t do this will apply to the European Court of Human Rights as EU citizens and most probably receive those rights this way in any case.
The real problem is, what would happen to the Turks living in the houses claimed by the Greek Cypriots? Where will they go? The plan leaves this question unanswered. Moreover, the exchange of goods at this stage would certainly spoil the peace. At this point, the following questions springs to mind: Could a plan proposing the expulsion of 100,000 people from their homes really be called a ‘peace plan’? Are the wounds caused by such a massive migration likely to heal easily? One cannot answer these questions. Actually the Greek Cypriots openly admit that they colluded with UN officials to draw up the Annan plan. If we really want peace on Cyprus, Annan’s plan needs to be modified.