BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- Not only the Greek Cypriot administration and Athens, but also the European Union itself is disregarding Turkish Cyprus. The old continent has failed to take effective measures to support the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), despite the promises European leaders made in the wake of the resounding support that the Turkish Cypriots gave to a UN reunification plan earlier this year. Verheugen promised that the Turkish Cypriots would not be punished for supporting the Annan plan. Nevertheless, the EU recently stepped over the line by punishing the Organization of Islamic Conference’s (OIC) recognition of the TRNC as an observer country under the name of ‘The Turkish Cyprus State.’ The EU-OIC Summit which had been expected to begin today in Istanbul was cancelled due to this so-called Cyprus crisis. This shows that for the EU, the Cyprus issue outweighs a gathering of civilizations in the search for peace.
The Greek side, which rejected resolving the problem in line with a UN plan, still has the power to create such a crisis. The Greek Cypriot administration hailed the latest developments as a ‘diplomatic victory.’ But for whom? The EU or the Greek Cypriots? Maybe the foreign ministers from Islamic countries didn’t balk loudly at having to cancel their trips to Turkey at the last minute, but this time Europe’s actions really can’t be forgotten.
As a matter of fact, Ankara has failed to take advantage of its superior moral position in the wake of the Cyprus referendums. The Erdogan administration has preferred to let the European leaders control the post-referendum process. However, the fact that the Annan plan was developed thanks to a sort of a civil uprising in the TRNC shouldn’t be forgotten.
Today, the Cyprus issue is a matter of human rights. Ankara must seek new cooperative efforts with the TRNC to more effectively and efficiently bring this issue to the international stage.