And What Do The Non-traitors Propose For Cyprus?

BY ABDULHAMIT BILICI
ZAMAN- Recent remarks by Aegean Army Commander Gen. Hursit Tolon have had a ripple effect in Ankara. Gen. Tolon accused certain circles, circles he characterized as advocating a ‘give and get rid of’ approach to the Cyprus issue, of being traitors to Turkey. Since Tolon isn’t authorized to speak on behalf of the General Staff’s Office, his words do not reflect the military’s overall perspective. However, his views are of great importance since he is one of the top commanders of the Turkish army.
When I read the full text of his statement, I felt it fell extremely short, because Tolon failed to offer a solution proposal as an alternative to the one he believes was developed by ‘traitors.’ However, after such serious accusations we really need to hear Tolon’s own solution proposal.
Cyprus is no ordinary issue on which everybody can arbitrarily develop their own personal philosophy. Moreover, people who are sensitive about this national cause should be more careful in their statements during such a critical period when the General Staff’s Office and the government are trying to develop a common stance.
Cyprus is not a philosophical issue, as we have a strict calendar and a great many issues still awaiting resolution. The Greek Cypriots are set to join the ranks of the EU whether a settlement is reached or not. Turkey will have to sign the Customs Union agreement with the Greek Cypriots. After May, the Greek Cypriots will become member of the Turkey-EU Partnership Council and will probably want to open an embassy in Ankara. They will launch anti-Turkey campaigns inside the Union. Furthermore, when Ankara fights for its membership, they will be closely involved with the decision-making mechanism on it and the other candidates. In a possible no-win case, Turkey will either have to pay billions of dollars to Greek Cypriots as compensation in cases like Loizidou’s, or it will be kicked off the European Council.
Therefore, those who see themselves as the ‘real patriots’ must present their own solutions to these problems before harshly criticizing the steadfast efforts of others. Of course, the ideal solution is to persuade the world to recognize the existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). However, we know that not even Washington would recognize the TRNC when it badly needed Ankara’s support before the Iraq war.
Let’s forget about the traditional stances of the EU, the UN and the US, which are against Turkey’s position. In both Turkey and the TRNC, the general public also wants to solve this issue as soon as possible. In short, Ankara’s recent solution proposals are very important because they try to factor in every single aspect of the issue without getting carried away by feeling.
The National Security Council (NSC) meeting set for Friday is expected to re-affirm Ankara’s new stance on Cyprus. Ankara is committed to begin negotiations in line with the UN resolution plan. If the NSC manages to do this, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have a better hand to play during his meetings with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US President George W. Bush in Washington and New York next week.