BY ERDAL GUVEN
RADIKAL- I've been writing about the current situation in Cyprus and my impressions about it during my three-day visit there. As a result of this visit, I can conclude that winds of optimism for a solution to the Cyprus issue on the island and in the international community might stop soon, as Dimitris Christofias was elected the Greek Cypriot administration leader. The Turkish side is maintaining its will for a solution, despite its frustration and loss of excitement recently. The problem is on the Greek Cypriot administration. Christofias' style and language is different from that of his predecessor Tassos Papadopoulos. Christofias is more flexible and constructive in certain issues, but in the final analysis the reasons he puts forth as an obstacle on the solution cast a shadow on his plausibility. In addition, Papadopoulos was very clear, whereas Christofias is rather ambivalent.
Obviously, the most important and striking side of my visit was my meeting with Christofias. After listening to him for nearly three hours, my judgment about him became stronger. Christofias can't be like Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece. Simitis has changed Greek's stance on Turkey strategically, but Christofias isn't a leader who can focus on the larger picture. Firstly, let me give you a note so that we can understand with whom we're dealing with. One month after Greek Cypriots' rejection of the Annan plan, Christofias said the political leadership [his Progressive Party of the Working Part of Cyprus (AKEL)] should show it collectively and clearly that the result of the referendum doesn't mean the rejection of the Annan plan and that nobody should think that the Greek Cypriot administration's rejection caused the plan to be thrown away.
On the other hand, when we listened to Christofias with a group of colleagues last week, he rejected a solution to be found to the Cyprus issue through the Annan plan, objected the plan's content and the way of preparing it and he was definitely against the United Nation's arbitration role. After listening to Christofias, one can think that his final aim is not to solve the Cyprus issue, but to end Turkey's military existence and right of intervention on Cyprus.
There's also another fact that the Greek Cypriot leader can't see, that is, the Cyprus issue is a lock which can be opened with four keys and which can't be opened without the key in Turkey's hands. Actually, Turkey's military existence and right of intervention, the concept of virgin birth, the UN's arbitration role and the Turkish side's argument of two states and two nations, which are considered obstacles on the solution, are nothing but pretences for them. If the Greek Cypriot side is really wiling to find a solution to the issue, there's only one matter to deal with, that is, arrangements on possessions. The Annan plan has already resolved all other issues within its own balance. When the parties decide to deal with this issue, things would become more serious.
Thus the process of meetings on Cyprus will be very difficult. The Cyprus issue can't be solved through confidence building measures, but through the nation's approval which will confirm the political will and the mentioned consensus in order to be able to reach an agreement on basic subjects. After Christofias was elected the Greek Cypriot leader, he paid his first official visit in his new post to Athens, where Prime Minister Constantine Karamanlis asked him if their aim was to solve the Cyprus issue, or drive Turkey into a corner. In his reply, Christofias said that of course, his intention was to solve the Cyprus issue. I hope he told the truth and he will do what's necessary towards this end. Le me tell you one more thing. A determining decision by Christofias shouldn't be accepted, before a decision is made on the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) future.