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[Panicos UK]

All three options are incompatible with long-term peace; hence, they are not status quo solutions.

But the RoC is what the Greek Cypriots hide behind. We can't have it both ways. If we are for the RoC then we have to stick to the 1960 constitution which means full participation by the Turkish Cypriots, Turkish Cypriot MP's, Turkish Cypriot Vice President etc. Get them back in the fold and we can sort out differences along the way. The question is what would happen if 35 or so Turkish Cypriots got voted back into the House of Representatives with a Turkish Cypriot Vice President? It would make for a very interesting dynamic, especially if all the candidates were seperate to the TRNC representatives. They would probably start attacking the puppet regime. The political capital would far outweigh any temporary instability caused by the re-integration. The Greek Cypriots don't like being labelled the 'Greek Cypriot Government', but this is the de facto state of affairs and in one way or another this needs to be addressed. Rather than negotiating on the puppet regime's terms we should put the ball back in their court.

The GCs don't have to "hide" behind anything. They function within the laws and so they can have everything which is legitimately available for all in the RoC. Including taking the whole of Cyprus into the EU. Forget about the 1960 Constitution - even the British wanted to change it before the ink was dry and helped Makarios formulate the 13 point plan. There would have been decent, legal changes which would have democratized the Constitution if the TCs hadn't rushed-off bleating about the loss of their unfair privileges. Turkey further proved the 1960 Constitution was non-functioning by invading and occupying Cyprus.

Eventually the EU will get fed up with the "status quo" and remove Turkey. The TCs can then join what is available in Cyprus or follow the Turks back to Turkey.

I disagree. The Greek Cypriots NEED the RoC. It is the last remaining shield the Greek Cypriots have. The current spiele is that the Greek Cypriots are representing the whole of the RoC due to the necessity of maintaining the Republic. After the withdrawal of the Turkish Cypriots from government in 1963, the TMT/Turkish Nationalist expectation/hope was that the international community and the UN would also follow suit and declare the London/Zurich agreements null and void... but they didn't do that. They supported Makarios' claim (valid in my opinion) that he was still the legal President of the RoC and that the continuity of the Republic would be maintained. Without that key decision things would have been very different today.

Also you seem to be focussing solely on the macro-political situation when in reality the Cyprus Problem is also a humanitarian issue. For any future solution to succeed, Cypriots will need to share a common vision. The scenario you advocate will result in social upheaval and friction. Unity is built from the ground up - it cannot be foisted on peoples or enforced. The failure of the Zurich/London agreements have proved that decisively.

Furthermore, your interpretation of the destruction of the power sharing principle in 1963 is a little dismissive and one-sided. What about those Turkish Cypriot MPs who disobeyed Kucuk's orders and turned up for their parliamentary duties but weren't allowed to enter the House of Representatives and were forced to leave?

[GreekIslandGirl]

What about Turkey Pyrpolyser? It simply isn't on, unless we can enforce it, but if we could, we would probably opt for something else. Rather, if we thought we could.

I should have said the only "plausible" way to solve the CP not "possible". The way I see it is that the CP will not be solved with negotiations. It will be solved when Turkey and the EU will have so much dependency on each other that both will want to remove the CP from poisoning their interests. At that time Turkey will say "what can I do ,they have found no solution, how can I leave". Then the EU will say. You are right, but just forget their finding an agreement. "THEY ALREADY HAVE A BINDING AGREEMENT, THE 1960 CONSTITUTION." Let them return to that, and work out any differences they have from there....

The EU will do no such thing because even the Masterminds - having recognized the unworkability of the Treaties - were trying to change the 1960 Constitution within months.

In a letter of 11th March 1971 from Seconde (Southern European Department, FCO), to Ramsbotham (High Commissioner in Cyprus), the former writes:

"We have been through the 1963 papers, which tend to confirm that the Thirteen Points were indeed framed with British help and encouragement; that the then High Commissioner [Clark] considered them to be reasonable prospects; and that our intention was to promote their acceptance by the Turks"

The Turks walked out ...

[Panicos UK]

Also, one of the key proposals by Clerides during the ceasfire negotiations just before the second Turkish invasion (the first was legally and politically justifiable in my view) was that the Turkish Cypriots return to full political participation.

[Panicos UK]

Plus the eventual aim of the 1968-72 intercommunal talks was to get the Turkish Cypriot represenatives back into the governmental structures.

[GreekIslandGirl]

Failed.

(Anyone who condones the invasion of a country, is sick.)

[Panicos UK]

Failed.

(Anyone who condones the invasion of a country, is sick.)

I'm not condoning it my dear. I'm saying it was legally (under the Treaty of Guarantee) and politically (also under the Treaty of Guarantee) justifiable.

[GreekIslandGirl]

Failed.

(Anyone who condones the invasion of a country, is sick.)

I'm not condoning it my dear. I'm saying it was legally (under the Treaty of Guarantee) and politically (also under the Treaty of Guarantee) justifiable.

But the Treaties were null and void.

Remember? The Turks walked out ...

[Panicos UK]

How?

[GreekIslandGirl]

Using their legs?

[Panicos UK]

Sorry, I replied before you posted the last section. Are you saying that the RoC didn't exist in 1974? Anyway the Turkish Cypriots may have walked out, but the UK, Greece and Turkey were still signatories to the treaty of Guarantee. That agreement was never legally nullified or superseded was it? Bulent Ecevit wanted to carry out a joint operation with the UK but the UK washed it's hands. Up to the ceasefire, I think Turkey acted reasonably within established legal parameters.

HOWEVER, the policy pursued at the negotiation table was for division and for the Turkish Cypriots to have their own administrative zone. In Clerides's memoirs he states that 'if the Turks had intervened (his word not mine) under the Treaty of Guarantee, they should have been satisfied with the re-establishment (again his word not mine) of the 1960 constitution...