Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Great article from the Cyprus mail today please read and absorb before posting a reaction as it is like it or not very close to the truth.

By Makarios Drousiotis

ONE of the main reasons behind the Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the Annan Plan was the impact of the argument that after its accession to the European Union, Cyprus, as a full member, would be in an advantageous position and thus able to achieve a “European solution” of the Cyprus issue, in other words to reverse the 1974 fait accompli.

The strategy of President Tassos Papadopoulos, which for a long period of time after the referendum remained a riddle, has now become clear.

Accession to the EU, total neutralisation of the Annan plan, recognition of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey, derecognition of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ and a European solution.

This oversimplified strategy was condemned to failure because the Cypriot side believed that it was the only player in the game. It had never discussed its plans with any other party in Europe and failed to establish any strong alliances in order to promote it. On the contrary, the EU – under the impression that President Papadopoulos deceived it and clandestinely inserted the issue of Cyprus in the European club – refuses to allow Cyprus to play this kind of game, for one and sole reason:

The accession of Cyprus, beyond the efforts made by the country itself and the help of Greece, was part of the strategy developed by the United States and Great Britain in order to assist in a solution of the Cyprus issue and to open the road for Turkey to join the EU. The accession of Cyprus was the most effective pressure ever exercised on Turkey to resolve the Cyprus problem.

But Cyprus, after securing its own accession, attempted to reverse the rules by turning it into a European problem. The EU reacted to this and, at the first European summit meeting that Cyprus attended as a full member, in June 2004, President Papadopoulos was forced to put his signature to its conclusions, which stated that Turkey carries no responsibility for the failure to resolve the Cyprus issue. On December 17, 2004, Turkey was awarded the status of a candidate country, while its occupation of Cyprus was not considered to present any political obstacles. The only obligation undertaken by Turkey was to implement the Ankara Protocol provisions for a customs union. However, this is considered to be a technical issue and it is in this spirit that the EU is currently trying to overcome it.

Nicosia lived under the illusions that it could persist with her strategy by using the Ankara Protocol as the vehicle. After two and a half years, the policy of a “European solution” has totally collapsed, simply because Brussels has grown tired of Cyprus. Nicosia is now called upon to return to 2004.

According to Olli Rehn, in the conclusions of the European Summit in December the European Commission will propose that the United Nations embark on a new initiative to reach an overall solution of the Cyprus issue.

However, the reunification of Cyprus is no longer an easy proposition. The United Nations cannot propose a solution that will differ substantially from the Annan plan, in fact it could even be worse. Many things have happened in the two and a half years since the rejection of the plan. The walls of suspicion between the two communities have risen higher. The Turkish Cypriots have been upgraded politically and economically and have started to believe that they can make it on their own. On the other hand, the government, in order to clear the way for a “European solution” has scorned the United Nations and demonised the idea of a compromise solution. The Greek Cypriots have been poisoned by the policy of fear and the sense of insecurity cultivated among them by the government and the media. Their disappointment from the poor results of the “European solution” strategy has not turned toward self criticism or a revision of their views, but they have reacted by favouring partition.

The premise that partition will guarantee the future of the Greeks of Cyprus is an even bigger illusion from that of the “European solution”. The 180-kilometer-long Green Line will be transformed into a border separating us from a hostile country of 70 million. In the event of a collapse of accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU because of Cyprus, the situation will become dramatic, while there is no guarantee that the UN will continue for long to supervise and enforce the inviolability of the Green Line status. The latest report on Cyprus, submitted to the Security Council by UN Secretary-general Kofi Anan, is a poignant danger signal: “The continued active involvement of the international community in Cyprus through the presence of UNFICYP should not be taken for granted”.

Truly, has anybody given a thought to what will happen if UNFICYP is withdrawn from Cyprus? What if the Turks begin gradually to encroach on the buffer zone? Will the status quo continue to be a factor for stability, as the majority of Cypriots currently believe, or will it turn into a source of instability and insecurity?

[Kikapu]

Great article from the Cyprus mail today please read and absorb before posting a reaction as it is like it or not very close to the truth.

By Makarios Drousiotis

ONE of the main reasons behind the Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the Annan Plan was the impact of the argument that after its accession to the European Union, Cyprus, as a full member, would be in an advantageous position and thus able to achieve a “European solution” of the Cyprus issue, in other words to reverse the 1974 fait accompli.

The strategy of President Tassos Papadopoulos, which for a long period of time after the referendum remained a riddle, has now become clear.

Accession to the EU, total neutralisation of the Annan plan, recognition of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey, derecognition of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ and a European solution.

This oversimplified strategy was condemned to failure because the Cypriot side believed that it was the only player in the game. It had never discussed its plans with any other party in Europe and failed to establish any strong alliances in order to promote it. On the contrary, the EU – under the impression that President Papadopoulos deceived it and clandestinely inserted the issue of Cyprus in the European club – refuses to allow Cyprus to play this kind of game, for one and sole reason:

The accession of Cyprus, beyond the efforts made by the country itself and the help of Greece, was part of the strategy developed by the United States and Great Britain in order to assist in a solution of the Cyprus issue and to open the road for Turkey to join the EU. The accession of Cyprus was the most effective pressure ever exercised on Turkey to resolve the Cyprus problem.

But Cyprus, after securing its own accession, attempted to reverse the rules by turning it into a European problem. The EU reacted to this and, at the first European summit meeting that Cyprus attended as a full member, in June 2004, President Papadopoulos was forced to put his signature to its conclusions, which stated that Turkey carries no responsibility for the failure to resolve the Cyprus issue. On December 17, 2004, Turkey was awarded the status of a candidate country, while its occupation of Cyprus was not considered to present any political obstacles. The only obligation undertaken by Turkey was to implement the Ankara Protocol provisions for a customs union. However, this is considered to be a technical issue and it is in this spirit that the EU is currently trying to overcome it.

Nicosia lived under the illusions that it could persist with her strategy by using the Ankara Protocol as the vehicle. After two and a half years, the policy of a “European solution” has totally collapsed, simply because Brussels has grown tired of Cyprus. Nicosia is now called upon to return to 2004.

According to Olli Rehn, in the conclusions of the European Summit in December the European Commission will propose that the United Nations embark on a new initiative to reach an overall solution of the Cyprus issue.

However, the reunification of Cyprus is no longer an easy proposition. The United Nations cannot propose a solution that will differ substantially from the Annan plan, in fact it could even be worse. Many things have happened in the two and a half years since the rejection of the plan. The walls of suspicion between the two communities have risen higher. The Turkish Cypriots have been upgraded politically and economically and have started to believe that they can make it on their own. On the other hand, the government, in order to clear the way for a “European solution” has scorned the United Nations and demonised the idea of a compromise solution. The Greek Cypriots have been poisoned by the policy of fear and the sense of insecurity cultivated among them by the government and the media. Their disappointment from the poor results of the “European solution” strategy has not turned toward self criticism or a revision of their views, but they have reacted by favouring partition.

The premise that partition will guarantee the future of the Greeks of Cyprus is an even bigger illusion from that of the “European solution”. The 180-kilometer-long Green Line will be transformed into a border separating us from a hostile country of 70 million. In the event of a collapse of accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU because of Cyprus, the situation will become dramatic, while there is no guarantee that the UN will continue for long to supervise and enforce the inviolability of the Green Line status. The latest report on Cyprus, submitted to the Security Council by UN Secretary-general Kofi Anan, is a poignant danger signal: “The continued active involvement of the international community in Cyprus through the presence of UNFICYP should not be taken for granted”.

Truly, has anybody given a thought to what will happen if UNFICYP is withdrawn from Cyprus? What if the Turks begin gradually to encroach on the buffer zone? Will the status quo continue to be a factor for stability, as the majority of Cypriots currently believe, or will it turn into a source of instability and insecurity?

I'm sure Mr. Makarios Diousiotis, who wrote this article, will be accused of being a "Turkish Agent" by some members on this forum.!!

[Viewpoint]

Thats one way of avoiding the content, which all Gc should take note of whether they bury their heads in the sand is really up to them. The points he is making are still very valid and it would take a fool to say they are not.

[Bananiot]

He already has my friend. All level minded people in the south are readily accused of treason by the agents of yiorgatjiism that rule our lives since 2003.

[Piratis]

I'm sure Mr. Makarios Diousiotis, who wrote this article, will be accused of being a "Turkish Agent" by some members on this forum.!!

Drousiotis and Loucas Charalambous are known already. The same exact article could have been posted by Charalambous.

The accession of Cyprus, beyond the efforts made by the country itself and the help of Greece, was part of the strategy developed by the United States and Great Britain in order to assist in a solution of the Cyprus issue and to open the road for Turkey to join the EU. The accession of Cyprus was the most effective pressure ever exercised on Turkey to resolve the Cyprus problem.

This was the biggest joke ever. UK and US wanting pressure on Turkey? In fact they wanted to close the Cyprus problem with Turkeys terms right before Cyprus entered the EU exactly because they didn't want any kind of pressure on Turkey.

For some reason Drousiotis and the Turks (same thing?) believe that they will manage to get into EU. The fact is that Cyprus will assist the majority of Europeans that don't want Turkey in the union to push her away. Cyprus is not alone at all in this, and except with Greece we also cooperate with many other countries for the same aim.

As I said many times before, the solution of the Cyprus problem will come only when the balance of power will change. Meanwhile what we have to do is to keep the Turks as impoverished as possible, and make them face as much consequences as possible. This is our aim for now not to "solve" the Cyprus problem in the period were the balance of power favors Turkey and were the "solution" plans will be the 99% of what Turks want, like the Annan plan.

ONE of the main reasons behind the Greek Cypriots’ rejection of the Annan Plan was the impact of the argument that after its accession to the European Union, Cyprus, as a full member, would be in an advantageous position and thus able to achieve a “European solution” of the Cyprus issue, in other words to reverse the 1974 fait accomplice.

This is another joke. Have you ever seen a member of this forum or anybody else that supported "no" during the referendum, to come now and say that he regretted that he voted "no" because their is not solution yet????
This "reason" for voting "no" exists only in the heads of those that voted "yes" apparently.

I explained this in more detail in another thread:

The "yes" supporters keep hoping that something will change with the popularity of Papadopoulos if the Cyprus problem is not solved soon.

They think that those that voted "no", if a solution is not found will say "oh, there is no better solution, we should have voted for Annan plan"

They said this before, then DIKO (the party of Papadopoulos) was the party with the biggest gains during the parliamentary elections, and surely if the parties that support the government remain united they will easily elect the next president as well.

So when will these people wake up and realize one simple thing: The great majority of the people that voted "no" didn't do so hoping that within a short period a good solution will be found. They voted no because for the great majority of Greek Cypriots the Annan plan would bring a situation that would be worst than the status quo (and many believe worst even from official partition).

This is because Annan plan was not the solution for Greek Cypriots. It was a solution for Turkish Cypriots (they got their partition dream 90% realized with a good potential of getting it to the 100% after a while, EU, money, end to their isolation problem), a solution for Turkey (got what they demanded for Cyprus, solution to their biggest EU problem) but it was not a solution for the Greek Cypriots, since basically for 7% of land that was given back to us, we had to sign off the rest 29% of our country, we had to compensate ourselves for what Turkey was responsible, we would see our economy that we worked to hard to build collapsing, we would have to pay even for the welfare of the settlers, and we would have to live under an unworkable, undemocratic constitution that would create more and more conflicts and eventually collapse.

So cypezokyli, I know you will say that people voted "no" for different reasons (and this is true). But the elections and the polls during the last years prove beyond any doubt that almost none of those that voted "no" did so because they hoped that a good solution will drop from the sky within months or a few years.

[Kikapu]

I'm sure Mr. Makarios Diousiotis, who wrote this article, will be accused of being a "Turkish Agent" by some members on this forum.!!

For some reason Drousiotis and the Turks (same thing?) .

Meanwhile what we have to do is to keep the Turks as impoverished as possible, and make them face as much consequences as possible. This is our aim for now not to "solve" the Cyprus problem in the period were the balance of power favors Turkey

I can always rely on Piratis, as not to let me down, regarding Drousiotis.!!!

I have been asking Pyropolizer for the last few days on another thread, whether or not, the RoC really wanted peace in Cyprus. As it turns out, Piratis had the answers all this time.!!

[Piratis]

Peace will come when the Turkish aggression against the independent and sovereign Republic of Cyprus ends.
Anything other than this is not peace, but our capitulation, and this will never happen.

[skipper]

As I said many times before, the solution of the Cyprus problem will come only when the balance of power will change. Meanwhile what we have to do is to keep the Turks as impoverished as possible, and make them face as much consequences as possible.

Good luck with thinking that will happening at any time in the future where it would actually make a difference to Cyprus. I mean think of Istanbul, its been over half a millenia and even if tommorow it came to become the possesion of Greece, you'd have 15 million Turks to contend with.

If you have n't noticed the importance of Turkey has been increasing lately not the other way round and thats has nothing to do with the EU, just due to the simple fact of its location and as long as the world runs on oil and gas that will be the case. Infact in many ways Turkey is in a better state now than it has been for most of its recent history.

In theory there could be a some extraordinary major event that could change things but you'd be going on hope rather rational thought, but thats fine by me so again good luck there.

[Piratis]

Skipper, Turkey is an unstable country and it owns its existence on the support of the US. Turkeys aggressiveness managed to gain for her many enemies that surround her, and also don't forget that millions of Kurds who want independence from Turkey. (and most of oil is in Kurdistan actually).

Since the Turks are so aggressive and hostile against us and want to take part of our country we have no option other than fight against them. You may say that our chances are 1% I can say it is 30%. But what does it matter? We have to do what we have to do. Meanwhile they can gain on land on our loss, but they will be losing in many other things. The Cyprus problem will continue to be their problem also.

[paaul12]

Piratis wrote:

I'm sure Mr. Makarios Diousiotis, who wrote this article, will be accused of being a "Turkish Agent" by some members on this forum.!!



For some reason Drousiotis and the Turks (same thing?) .

Meanwhile what we have to do is to keep the Turks as impoverished as possible, and make them face as much consequences as possible. This is our aim for now not to "solve" the Cyprus problem in the period were the balance of power favors Turkey

For someone reading this board, pirates would u care to put into percentage terms how many people in the south share this point of view:

Just so we can get an idea of the situation on the ground, I want to know how many Ar**hole, P***ks there are out there, down south