You know a good sound bite when you hear one. In the case of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertugruloglu, he throws a few:
“We didn’t create the Cyprus problem. We’re not a minority population. We’re co-owners.
“If there’s no deal, that’s the end of a 50-year process, but tomorrow we will talk about other things.”
Tahsin is, of course, referring to the reunification negotiations between the leader of TRNC, Mustafa Akinci, with Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, which have reportedly achieved big results in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, last week.
After five days of negotiations, addressing issues such as property and territorial delineation of the Greek and Turkish constituents of a future federation, the two leaders have reached an overall preliminary agreement on the territorial issue, agreeing on principles that will determine the delineation of territory.
According to reports, some of the principles discussed were population return, land percentages and access to the coastline. Despite that progress, Tahsin, who welcomed a group of journalists from Europe, Asia and Africa to his ministry recently, duly admitted his differing views with Mustafa when it came to the question of whether any agreement would give equal rights and freedom to the people of TRNC.
“I and the president (Mustafa) don’t share the same view (about the negotiations).
“He is much more hopeful it will produce (a final) agreement, but I’m not... not because I don’t want an agreement, but it must be the right kind of agreement.”
The island was divided between a Greek south and a Turkish north when the Turkish military intervened in 1974 under the terms of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee in response to an Athens-backed coup aiming to unite the island with Greece. TRNC was established on Nov 15, 1983, with a self-determination vote in the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, formed after 1974. While Tahsin remained unconvinced despite progress achieved in Mont Pelerin, the next talks scheduled tomorrow will be the most vital on the road to reunification. Even then, any agreement will need approval from both the Greek and Turkish communities in a referendum.
For pessimists, they point to the result of the United Nations’ effort called the Annan Plan to end the dispute, which saw 65 per cent support among Turkish Cypriots, but only 24 per cent among Greek Cypriots in 2004.
So, a mixture of history and realities on the ground meant a lot has to be done still to change those who have the perception that it remains to be seen whether an agreement will be fair to both the Turk and Greek communities.
For the Greek Cypriots who enjoy unrestrictive trade and political freedom, they have the upper hand. With or without the agreement, they don’t lose anything. But, for the Turkish Cypriots, while an agreement will also give the same privileges — how much is debatable — without it, the sanctions against TRNC will continue.
To a certain extent, this situation reminds me of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But, TRNC is fortunate that they have Turkey to fall back on and to continue living on half of the territory securely.
So, on the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of TRNC this week, her leaders and citizens once again attended a heartfelt and nostalgic occasion at which many undoubtedly would be thinking about the future of TRNC.
On his interpretation of things, Mustafa, in his speech in Nicosia, said: “Our island’s destiny can be changed by realistic, reasonable and fair approaches.”
He added that the negotiations in Geneva next week could actually turn into a five-party conference, since the three guarantor states of Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom are attending.
“It is time the negotiations that have been going on for around half a century come to an end. Negotiations cannot continue like this for another 50 years,” stressed Mustafa.
TRNC president of the Chamber of Commerce, Fikri Toros, is among those hoping for a positive result. He believes an agreement can boost trade on both sides of the island especially in the services sector.
At the end of the day, we shall see whose beliefs will be rewarded, the optimist or pessimist, with the Nov 20 negotiations scheduled for three days.
Azman Abd Hamid is BH Features/Op-Ed Editor