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[Viewpoint]

article by Nicos Rolandis in Sunday Mail 15/5/2005


IT HAS been said that “a politician thinks of the next elections, whereas a statesman thinks of the next generations.”

Unfortunately this is the case in Cyprus, which breeds countless politicians and very few statesmen. Because ever since 1960, Cypriots have been craving for power, and the acquisition of power. The vision for a united country, and the attainable parameters within which this country could function, have never been discussed in depth in public. After all, this sort of thing is averse to a people whom political parties have benumbed with fantasies that ignore the truth and the guilt of the past. Guilt that is shouldered by both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots for years gone by.

It therefore grieves me all the more to observe that in the past couple of years the risk of a deadlock in the Cyprus problem has grown considerably, so much so that it seems we are heading nowhere fast. Our goals, as expressed on various occasions by the President and his aides, are so out of touch with reality, so outside the framework set by the Makarios-Denktash agreement of 1977 and by the international community (which has weighed the faults and rights of each community), that it would be best not to make them public. It is perhaps for the better that the President will not reveal what he wants to change about the Annan plan; for were he to do so, then everyone would be convinced that the Cyprus problem has no beginning and no end, that it is a lost cause.

On the surface, contact between the two communities, following the opening of the checkpoints, may have brought some smiles to people’s faces and rekindled old memories. But in reality, this has served to worsen the pain and drive the communities farther apart, since the Cyprus problem remains unsolved. This ambiguous situation has fed misgivings and suspicion. And some day hostility and conflict might follow.

I knew Mr Talat well, both as a person and a politician. I believe he has both the will and the capacity to contribute to a solution of the problem. But many on our side are trying to slander him and ostracise him from the peace process. But if we cannot find a solution with Talat in Cyprus and Erdogan in Ankara, then how, when, and with whom shall we ever reach a settlement? Do we think it possible that a better combination of leaders will arise on the Turkish side? Having lived through the past 30 years of developments, it is my belief that combination is not possible.

Given the above, interest in the Cyprus issue has been waning, and all we are left with are formalities:

1. The UN Secretary-general – this week’s Moscow meeting notwithstanding – has been reluctant to come anywhere near the Cyprus problem;

2. The Americans (the driving force behind all things) refuse to meet us on a political level, but they have met with Talat at the highest level (of Foreign Minister). And Mrs Laura Kennedy was showering Talat with roses while sternly reminding our side that we should expect nothing unless we change our tactics.


3. Most Europeans simply tolerate us as a necessary evil, but behind the scenes they are striving to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots and promote direct trade with the breakaway regime, in other words, conditions that would essentially create another state on the island. Indeed, on April 26, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister apologised on behalf of the European Union for the fact that the financial assistance measures to Turkish Cypriots were taking too long to implement.

4. Greece, rightly or wrongly (wrongly in my view) has grown tired of keeping up with our act, and has chosen to play the part of a ball boy. The Greek government no longer takes an active role in the Cyprus issue. It just rehashes what we say, and in this way avoids problems with us. Perhaps the Greeks are thinking: “Let them reap what they sow.”


And through all this, here we are in a buoyant mood, marvelling at how well things are going after the ‘no’ of April 2004. Let the good times roll, we say. Things are going so well, in fact, that we have lost count of the slaps in the face from the international community, not to mention the influx of 100 new settlers every day and the ruthless exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north. What is more, we are now bent on solving the Cyprus problem through lawsuits. It seems that thousands of suits by Greek Cypriots against Turkish Cypriots, and vice versa, are on the cards. This is how we cultivate rapprochement and unity with our “Turkish Cypriot brethren”, as AKEL likes to call them. And in the event that European arrest warrants are issued against Greeks and Turks using property that does not belong to them, how then shall we ever reach a settlement based on brotherhood and peace, which is necessary for a united Cyprus? And, to allude to the phrase at the beginning of this article, how will we ever find a solution for ourselves and the generations to come?

But what future generations? Diehard politicians that we are, our only concern is to contemplate the next parliamentary elections: how many deputies will our party elect, and so forth; how the ministers will keep their jobs, whether or not Papadopoulos wants them out. We are even thinking ahead to the 2008 presidential elections. And as far as the future generations are concerned, well, God will provide.

Having begun with an adage, it would be fitting to conclude with something Charles Warner said back in the 19th century: “Politics makes strange bedfellows.” And in fact the governing coalition in Cyprus today is a strange mix of rightists, leftists, socialists, realism and outlandish dreams, with power being the one unifying vision.

When these bedfellows finally wake up, they will realise that their dreams and visions were nightmares. But by then it will be too late…

Interesting reading, love the part in bold sums up many GCs on this forum.

[Saint Jimmy]

VP,

the part in bold mentions 'the influx of 100 new settlers every day and the ruthless exploitation of Greek Cypriot properties in the north'. It's easy for me and you and Mr Rolandis to criticise and point the finger, but how would you or Mr Rolandis deal with these issues? I know he's right in what he's saying, and I agree with him, but what alternative are we giving these people so they don't have to resort to lawsuits?

[Viewpoint]

Saint Jimmy only way to deal with them is by returning to the negotiating table and addressing the issues directly, the GCs shoudl display a more positive attitude towards Talats extended hand.

Saint, the influx of settlers is an easy issue they do not get TRNC citizenship or GC property, they are migrant workers that can leave as quickly as they arrived but this can only be achieved through negotiations conducted in good faith.

How do you think we could address the law suits GCs are sueing TCs and soon Tcs will sue GCs where does that leave everyone???? no solution but lots of lawyers making lots of money off innocent Cypriots, the issue in my opinion has be addressed directly through dialogue, no dialogue no solution.

[brother]

I have to agree with VP that this is a political problem and should be solved through negotiations but tassos has put phase 2 into action where he has people sueing each other so the partition can slowley cement itself, this property issue and everything else can be solved in no time if tassos was ready to sit down and negotiate for peace, but expect pigs to fly rather than tassos to sit down for negotiations anytome soon.

[boomerang]

I have to agree with VP that this is a political problem and should be solved through negotiations but tassos has put phase 2 into action where he has people sueing each other so the partition can slowley cement itself, this property issue and everything else can be solved in no time if tassos was ready to sit down and negotiate for peace, but expect pigs to fly rather than tassos to sit down for negotiations anytome soon.

There two issues here. one is an everlasting agreement and the other is I WANT MY HOUSE BACK.

Why should I wait until Turkey is good and ready to give me back what belongs to ME.

If Turkey wants to join the EU then she must have faith that the system will work. So stop playing games.

Why join the club if you have no faith.

[Saint Jimmy]

Αaaaah, but, see, you've changed your tune, now... You said:

many GCs on this forum

,
and now you're talking about T-Pap. I can see your argument about him, but he's one thing and the GC citizens who have to face the problem don't have a whole lot of options.
So, it's one thing to say 'T-Pap has f****d-up', and quite another to say 'oh, those damn GCs'.

*Reminder: T-Pap is not on this forum.*

[brother]

I understand your fustration but this affects us all, Turkey is playing games as equally as tassos is with the ROC.

My family lands have been used and are being used as we speak with two large restuarants on them and various other business, should we tommorrow go and sue these gc for rent on 30 years or the roc who refuses to let us claim it back or sell it, the roc live here for 6 months then you can sell is bullshit as tc who have tried that still wait in vain even though they take them to court.

The game is being played on all sides and the joke is on us the cypriot people, we the tc have got rid of our wolf who hindered settlement and now it is your turn to get rid of your wolf who is as we speak hindering solution the ROC president and liar tassos.

[boomerang]

I understand your fustration but this affects us all, Turkey is playing games as equally as tassos is with the ROC.

My family lands have been used and are being used as we speak with two large restuarants on them and various other business, should we tommorrow go and sue these gc for rent on 30 years or the roc who refuses to let us claim it back or sell it, the roc live here for 6 months then you can sell is bullshit as tc who have tried that still wait in vain even though they take them to court.

The game is being played on all sides and the joke is on us the cypriot people, we the tc have got rid of our wolf who hindered settlement and now it is your turn to get rid of your wolf who is as we speak hindering solution the ROC president and liar tassos.

I do not know about wolves but definetely the loosers are the Cypriots. Tasos is armed with UN resolutions and the EU law on his side. How is Turkey armed?

As far as your lands the same applies to you too. Taken them to court. The problem here is that the properties lost to GC far outweigh the properties lost by the TC. So you see Turkey does not want you to sue.

[brother]

Tassos thinks he is very well set up with the law on his side but the E.U has shown in the past with the likes of Belgium etc. that they can be flexible for the right reasons, if tassos carries on with his non compliance of coming to the table then i believe the situation will change.

And sorry i forgot to say "welcome to the forum boomerang"

[Viewpoint]

Saint Jimmy

Αaaaah, but, see, you've changed your tune, now... You said:
Viewpoint wrote:
many GCs on this forum

I said many on the forum share this attitude high lighted in bold not all so really Im not changing me viewpoint what Im saying is that many again not all support Papadop in his not returning to the table and feel that all is going real well for GCs, if 1/10th of the effort being put into sueing TCs and foreigners was devoted to getting your administration back to the negotiating table the last year it would have proved more fruitful in stopping development on GC properties in the north and building trust and co-operation. All we have now is talk of closure of the borders and mistrust between our communities steming from who will be served with a summons or arrest warrant next, the clouds that pass over GC lands in the north????