Cyprus-Forum.com

[YFred]

Solution naysayers never consider the real meaning behind their claims

TURKISH Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat is resorting to ‘blackmail’ in order to secure a solution by the end of the year. This was how Phileleftheros interpreted Talat’s weekend remark that if there was no deal in 2009 he would not stand for re-election next year, as his political cycle would have been completed. It was, concluded the paper, yet another move by the Turkish to push things towards a settlement as if this were a bad thing.

Would the paper have been happier if Talat and Turkey were pushing things towards a deadlock, as the intransigent Denktash had always done? Probably, given the consistently negative stand the paper has taken towards the peace process, but this fear of what has come to be known as a ‘speedy deal’ has always been widespread among the political and media fraternity.

Over the years, the public has often been warned that foreigners were trying to ‘close’ the Cyprus problem, while now everyone agrees that the negotiations should be held without ‘suffocating timeframes’.

Of course, it is all a matter of definitions. What constitutes a ‘suffocating timeframe’? Is it three, six or 12 months? And what would be wrong with a ‘speedy deal’, if the two sides resolved all their difference within a few weeks? Arguably, the most absurd, recurrent claim was that foreigners ‘would rush to close the Cyprus problem’.

Surely after more than 40 years of peace negotiations, the problem is over-ripe for ‘closure’. For how many more years should it be left open – 10, 20 or 50 – before it becomes ready for ‘closure’?

The belief that we have unlimited time and the suspicion with which the slightest sense of urgency is viewed are fashioned by one thing – opposition to a federal settlement. It was no accident that the late Tassos Papadopoulos, when he was president, insisted that there should have been proper preparatory work before peace talks begun. He never set a time limit for the preparatory work he was proposing, because he would have been happy for the problem to remain open indefinitely.

This school of thought never takes into consideration that with the passing of time the status quo will be our settlement. It naively assumes that the UN will keep undertaking peace initiatives, for as long as it takes Greek Cypriots to decide that the time was ripe for a solution. Of course by then, there might not be a single Turkish Cypriot wanting any settlement other than partition. There is growing support for this in the north – the latest opinion poll showed the majority to be in favour of a two-state solution.

Under the circumstances, it is difficult to view Talat’s remark as ‘blackmail’. A more realistic interpretation is that the Cyprus problem would have reached the end of the road by the end of the year. Talat is more than likely to lose next year’s ‘presidential’ elections if he stands and his successor will most likely be from the ‘two-state’ camp.

Is there any chance of President Christofias negotiating a deal with such a person? On the positive side, we can stop worrying that the international community will be rushing to solve the Cyprus problem.



Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2009

[YFred]

I said that Talat had a reason for holding elections which will become apparent in good time. Everyone said Turkey forced him.

Was I right or was I right.

He is a Gentleman and If MR X cannot agree with him, its all over, I am afraid.

[DT.]

I said that Talat had a reason for holding elections which will become apparent in good time. Everyone said Turkey forced him.

Was I right or was I right.

He is a Gentleman and If MR X cannot agree with him, its all over, I am afraid.

If he's a gentleman, why doesn't he bend over and take it like a man?

[YFred]

I said that Talat had a reason for holding elections which will become apparent in good time. Everyone said Turkey forced him.

Was I right or was I right.

He is a Gentleman and If MR X cannot agree with him, its all over, I am afraid.

If he's a gentleman, why doesn't he bend over and take it like a man?

I never realised that was customery for gentlemen, I withdraw my membership form the said club.