BY YUSUF KANLI
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS - After the rejection of recent Turkish Cypriot proposals by the Greek Cypriot National Council, it was interesting to observe a U-turn in the Turkish Cypriots' ruling National Unity Party (UBP) government. The UBP has been categorically against Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat's acceptance of the package. So too was it interesting to see the Greek Cypriot demand for cross-voting to elect the president and vice president in the possible future federation. It is a fact, in any event, that the UBP government has been as unhappy with the cross-voting section as the Greek Cypriots have been with the rest of the package.
Obviously the Greek Cypriot position on the effectiveness of the federal government to be established - the suggestion in the package that there should be a four-to-three representation of the two constituent states in the independent or autonomous high boards, such as the high board on regulation and supervision of the financial sector, the competition board, the authority for the supervision of private provident funds and the advisory council for macroeconomic stability, and that decisions on those high boards must require at least two favorable votes from members coming from each of the two constituent states - is a rather valid one. Yet such a representation ratio and qualified vote requirement in decision-making is a must to demonstrate at every level the federal character of the federal state with two peoples and two constituent states to be established.
Similarly, is it not a must for Turkish Cypriots to demand a reflection of the equality of the two constituent states and the two peoples of the federal republic to be established in regard to foreign relations or relations with international bodies, as well as ties with the European Union? Naturally, the demand that the two constituent states have the right to conclude international treaties with other states, international organizations and sub-entities on all matters within their sphere of their competence defined in the future founding treaty and in the federal constitution was considered by Greek Cypriots an 'unacceptable and provocative' confederal component. Yet, in refusing this proposal, somehow the Greek Cypriot side neglected to notice the right the package suggested for the president and the vice president, separately or together, to take matters they consider to constitute a breach of the Constitution to the Constitutional Court before such agreements are concluded.
As was also stressed in the Greek Cypriot-rejected 2004 Annan plan, the Turkish Cypriot proposal suggested that the new federal partnership state on the island would maintain special bonds of friendship with, and respect the balance between, Greece and Turkey that was established by the 1960 founding treaties of the Cyprus Republic. In addition, with the new accord for the establishment of the new partnership state and until Turkey becomes a full member of the EU, it would accord Turkey and Greece equal treatment, including the enjoyment of four freedoms - the freedom of movement, settlement, owning property and employment throughout Cyprus.
This demand, obviously, was a requirement to soothe the Turkish Cypriots' concerns that they might be flooded and their agreement rights might be eroded gradually by the Greek Cypriot majority. But the same concerns emanating from such an arrangement among Greek Cypriots must be acknowledged as well.
Similarly, the demand that the two constituent states should have separate flight information regions, or FIRs, as well as the stress on equality of the constituent states - in that neither community can claim sovereignty over the other and that the new partnership accord should acknowledge and reflect the distinct identity and the integrity of the two peoples of the island and the fact that their relationship 'is not one of majority and minority, but of political equality where neither side may claim authority or jurisdiction over the other' - were all elements to underline the political equality of the founding peoples of the new partnership state.
Yet the Greek Cypriot rejection underlined that they are so far unprepared to have a new power-sharing partnership with Turkish Cypriots on the basis of political equality. Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias is expected to soon present his written ideas regarding governance to Talat. That paper will demonstrate more vividly the mentality of the Greek Cypriot side.