Why don’t we give it a try on this board? Alexis, you said you might have voted for the Annan plan. I take that to mean you did not like parts of it. Could you put together a plan that you would like (short and precise please) and we all can add or subtract or even agree. See if we can do what the politicians cannot.
Apologies in advance if this is too long, but I have this predisposition to rant.
Anyways, this is just a starter for 10, which could do with fleshing out. Please remember, at the end of the day this just my opinion.
Ok, let's be realistic, the Annan Plan is massive and I would ideally want to sift through and analyse each clause. There's no time to do that, but I would like to point out my main gripes with the plan and what I would do differently:
1) For me (and many GCs) the right of residence anywhere in Cyprus for all Cypriots is paramount. The permanent restrictions on residence based on ethnic background was clearly unacceptable. Individuals should be allowed to choose where to live. This does not mean there should not be a transition period. Resrictions on the amount of property any one individual can purchase coupled with restrictions on large businesses buying large swathes of land can be imposed for a fixed time.
2) The wording of the Annan Plan was very clever in attempting to make the constitution of Cyprus amenable to both communities. In doing this, however it throws up some stunning contradictions in terms (subject to interpretation of course). The devil is mainly in the detail, but it is worth looking at the following article:
START QUOTE
Article 2 The United Cyprus Republic, its federal government, and its constituent states
1. The status and relationship of the United Cyprus Republic, its federal government, and its constituent states, is modeled on the status and relationship of Switzerland, its federal government, and its cantons. Accordingly:
a. The United Cyprus Republic is an independent state in the form of an indissoluble partnership, with a federal government and two equal constituent states, the Greek Cypriot State and the Turkish Cypriot State. Cyprus is a member of the United Nations and has a single international legal personality and sovereignty. The United Cyprus Republic is organised under its Constitution in accordance with the basic principles of rule of law, democracy, representative republican government, political equality, bi-zonality, and the equal status of the constituent states.
b. The federal government sovereignly exercises the powers specified in the Constitution, which shall ensure that Cyprus can speak and act with one voice internationally and in the European Union, fulfill its obligations as a European Union member state, and protect its integrity, borders, resources and ancient heritage.
c. The constituent states are of equal status. Within the limits of the Constitution, they sovereignly exercise all powers not vested by the Constitution in the federal government, organising themselves freely under their own Constitutions.
2. The constituent states shall cooperate and co-ordinate with each other and with the federal government, including through Cooperation Agreements, as well as through Constitutional Laws approved by the federal Parliament and both constituent state legislatures. In particular, the constituent states shall participate in the formulation and implementation of policy in external relations and European Union affairs on matters within their sphere of competence, in accordance with Cooperation Agreements modeled on the Belgian example. The constituent states may have commercial and cultural relations with the outside world in conformity with the Constitution.
3. The federal government and the constituent states shall fully respect and not infringe upon the powers and functions of each other. There shall be no hierarchy between federal and constituent state laws. Any act in contravention of the Constitution shall be null and void.
4. The Constitution of the United Cyprus Republic may be amended by separate majority of the voters of each constituent state in accordance with the specific provisions of the Constitution.
END QUOTE
This is very cunningly worded to make the country look united (amenable to GCs) but at the same time give the Constituent states a lot of autonomy (amenable to TCs).
For the most part this article should stay. In fact I would probably have voted for Annan simply bassed on clause 1a). For me, my main worry is the fact that there is no hierarchy between the federal government and the constituent states. To the best of my knowledge this system has never been tried out before; even in Switzerland this is not the case. Now, many TC will argue for as loose a federation as possible, to prevent them becoming a 'minority in their own country'. I would say that at the federal level a mechanism can be put in place which will ensure that the GCs can never dominate proceedings in issues that are sensitive to both communities. I would go further and suggest that in general a three-tier system might work:
A) Federal Centralised government with maybe a senate (50-50) and a house of representatives (proportional rep with limits?), with a mechanism to prevent GC dominance on certain issues. At this level only national issues such as health are dealt with.
B) Constituent States government elected by members of that community only that deals with sensitive local and constituent state issues such as schools, social services etc....
C) Local government. Does not deal with any issues that are sensitive to the communities. I.E. only deals with things like transport, utilities, street lighting, hospitals, etc...
The taxation system would reflect the above to ensure that, e.g. GCs pay for GC schools and TCs for TC schools.
3) Restitution for property. I strongly believe that adequate compensation should be given to disspossed refugees that are not given their homes back. Compensation is clearly the way forward as it allows many established settlers to stay and also deals with the other complexities of the property issue. If at all possible, however, land should be given back to the original owners. Problem is, who pays for this, I believe the GCCS pays for TC refugees it dispossessed and that Turkey should pay for GC refugees, this will lighten the burden for the TCCS. Raising the money internationally may be an option.
4) Territorial adjustment. This begins to become a secondary issue simply because there will be no residence and political restrictions in either constituent state based on ethnicity. Many GC would welcome some kind of adjustment though. For me the present lines can stay provided that there is true freedom of culture, residence and politics in both states under the mechanism described above.
The objective is a unified two-state federation which has some sort of bond. The idea is to make Cypriots proud of their country and not just their ethnicity.
