BY MURAT YETKIN
RADIKAL- The Cyprus issue has been making Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan busy recently the most. Erdogan thinks that finding a satisfying and permanent solution to the Cyprus issue is in favor of Turkey. He considers the continuation of the current situation the waste of time and grows impatient about the solution. There might be both foreign and domestic policy reasons for this impatience. This is not a secret that there is the Cyprus lobby in Turkish politics. Erdogan and his staff might think that the continuation of the current situation in Cyprus will cause increasing problems in Turkish domestic policies. Whatever the reason is, Erdogan wants a permanent solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as the most. The Greek Cypriot main opposition Democratic Unity Party (DISI) was invited to Ankara by the Justice and Development Party (AKP). This invitation will be a first. It is understood that Foreign Ministry was informed on this invitation later. Some people consider this step wrong, some consider it risky or bold. For example, if a DISI representative says in Ankara, ‘Turkey should give up recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Turkish army should withdraw from the island immediately,’ it would be difficult for us to say, ‘This is their opinion. We don’t agree with them.’ Erdogan took step by taking all these risking all these possibilities, which can be considered an intervention into Cyprus balances.
Erdogan wants to give a message to the US, Britain, Greece, the EU and even Russia with these sorts of steps. He might also make other moves in terms of the Cyprus issue because the Turkish government has the right to convince the public opinion so the TRNC government can take new steps. The TRNC government and public said ‘yes’ during last April’s referendum and thus, made the greatest and most serious declaration, showing their support for a permanent solution. However, the result of this referendum couldn’t be voted at the UN Security Council with Russia’s veto. Similarly, the EU and the US didn’t keep their promise to lift the economic isolation on the TRNC. However, the Greek Cypriot administration became an EU member last May. This way it can prevent the support programs on the TRNC. However, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Democrat Party (DP) need concrete examples to be presented to voters before next month’s elections. These examples might strengthen the coalition party and influence the result of presidential elections in April. Such a situation would relieve the Turkish government as well.