BirKibrisli wrote:OK,Hermes,lets be serious...
We are in a catch 22....You say until Turkey leaves us there is no chance of peace,and I say Turkey will not leave us unless there is peace...Now we have cut through everything,and we are at the heart of the problem...We are looking at the same sad situation from two opposing angles...And unless both of us shift somewhat from our positions there will NEVER be a solution...Or as someone else said a long time ago the present situation is the permanent solution...It is pointless going around the same old boring issues like why Turkey invaded,who is to be blamed and for how much of the fault...The point now is,will we agree to make the status quo permanent and move on with our separate lives,or will we agree to a compromise solution that might give us an opportunity to reunite as one nation,one people down the track...The GCs cannot have it both ways,Hermes...You cannot say,no we will never agree to making the status quo permanent AND,no, we will never agree to a compromise solution...This has been the sticking point all along...When you finally realise you have to chose between one of these options,the problem will be solved...If you keep sitting on the fence,there is no problem to be solved...Have I made myself clear???
Bir, you need to be realistic. No GC will ever sign an agreement that will give Turkey unilateral intervention rights from a Treaty of Guarantee such as that defined in the 1960 agreement between Turkey, Greece, and the UK. You know the reasons why this can never happen, but nevertheless I will outline them once again.
1. Turkey is an unstable democracy, with a less than perfect political system. It is unable to guarantee the human rights of its own population and this is evident with what is occurring to the Kurds and other minorities. It is very provocative how Turkey and the TC community demand unilateral intervention rights in Cyprus, which is an EU member no less and with a healthier democracy, a better human rights record and a better political system. The RoC has far better international ratings in all relevant aspects and areas of concern.
2. Turkey has already used these unilateral intervention rights in 1974, and it has miserably failed to adhere to the terms that were strictly defined within the 1960 Treaty. The result of the 1974 "intervention” is nothing more than invasion and occupation today, and it created a situation far worse than the one it supposedly came to rectify by not recognizing and guaranteeing the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus, and also the provisions of the basic articles of its Constitution.
3. Cyprus is sovereign and a member of EU and UN. Turkey is also sovereign, and a member of the UN. One sovereign nation cannot claim intervention rights into another sovereign state because the principle of sovereign equality between UN members, as state in the UN Charter, article 2 Para 1, is nullified. The notion that one sovereign state has the right to essentially invade another as long as there is a pretext to do so, is contradictory to the most fundamental principles on which the UN was founded, and it also violates the principles on which the EU was founded, and this extends even more so to a country that is not a member of the EU.
If Turkey insists on such an anachronistic provision, then I am afraid there will be no solution. And if there is no solution, all sides will lose. However, the TCs and Turkey will lose far more. While the GCs will actually still thrive in their Government controlled area, the TCs will eventually, over a long period, dwindle in numbers. The GCs will also enjoy de jure international recognition over all of Cyprus. Also, I am convinced that should this situation persist long term, due to Turkey's "all or nothing" approach, since we must do what Turkey wants (since we are in Turkey's back yard
), then eventually, Turkey will lose everything. The only question is WHEN.If Turkey and the TCs are interested in a solution, I suggest they look at other ways to address this issue. We are open to all proposals, but we will never agree to anything that will allow Turkey to think it can repeat its actions in 74 and afterwards. In addition, Turkey and the TCs will need to adhere to the provisions of the peace talks under the current framework which is a BBF with one international personality and sovereignty. This is clearly defined in the UN framework. A Confederacy is outside the legal UN framework.
Also, your assertions that the population will blow out to over a million people in the "TRNC" is nothing more than utter nonsense. What will all these people do? How will they etch a living? Is the "TRNC" going to "employ" them on the public payroll which Turkey itself funds? I don't think so. We know the situation on the ground, and many are just itinerants.
BirKibrisli wrote:You are in Turkey's backyard and you will do what Turkey wants
And quite frankly, it is quite offensive that you should suggest that we, the RoC, must do what Turkey wants if we want a solution since we are in its backyard. I am sorry Bir, but this statement is extremely insensitive and stupid. Why must we do what Turkey wants? Because we are in its backyard right?
Well, must Malta do what Italy or Libya wants? Must Canada do what the US wants? And why would Cyprus do what Turkey wants, which occupies its territory mind you, illegally? Why not Israel, Syria, Egypt or dare I say, why not Greece? We are in their backyard too.
Absolutely the most absurd thing I have heard in a long time....
