CUMHURIYET- Columnist Mustafa Balbay comments on Greece’s and the European Union’s plans and current policies on Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:
The parties on Cyprus have once more turned another bend on the road towards a permanent solution. Since Kofi Annan will be the first UN secretary-general to visit the island in 30 years, a question comes to our minds: What’s next?
Recent developments have clearly showed what kind of plans Greece is planning to implement on Cyprus: to establish a model similar to that of western Thrace. In other words, Turkish Cypriots will be a minority on the island and there will be no longer be any Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Meanwhile, TRNC President Rauf Denktas recently presented a written proposal to Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides suggesting that a partnership state be established with two equal states. However, Clerides rejected the proposal as soon as it got it. Now what Denktas should do is to not leave the peace talk table until the EU’s Copenhagen summit this December.
It is also interesting that the European Union is helping anti-Turkey groups and trying to form organizations against Turkey on the island. The Union has so far spent $30 million on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and such groups which lobby against Turkey.
However, it is also high time for some self-criticism! During the last decade, Turkey has always allowed the island to be adversely influenced by our own domestic problems. In other words, we ourselves have given these circles many openings to criticize us and lobby against us.
From a wider perspective, we can see that the EU has a two-faced policy. On the one hand, the Union supports the disintegration of the Balkans, and on the other, it desires that the two parties on Cyprus be united at all costs! Disintegration by force in the Balkans, and integration by force on Cyprus! This is what they call a Western type of peace policy!
While pursuing such a policy, the EU is at the same time addressing the Greek Cypriots as follows:
‘We will let you join the EU even if you can’t reach permanent peace!’
In this case, nobody would want to engage in new agreements to find a solution. The Greek Cypriots are aware that they don’t have to come to terms with the Turkish Cypriots to join the EU.
The Greek Cypriots are unceasingly increasing their armaments on the island. This is understandable, as they are planning to be EU’s eastern Mediterranean base!
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION