Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

North Civil Initiative

06 January 2005

H.E Mr. Kofi Annan,
UN Secretary General
New York

Your Excellency,

As the representatives of the pro-solution Turkish Cypriot civil society organisations that constitute the ‘North Civil Initiative’, we would like to thank you for your significant efforts towards settling the Cyprus problem. We would also wish to express our gratitude for your enormous efforts for healing the injuries of disasters taking place worldwide and specially the earthquake and the tsunami disasters that has taken place recently.

Despite the ‘Yes’ vote of Turkish Cypriots, your settlement plan that was put on referenda and that was supported by the International Community, could not provide for a settlement to the Cyprus Problem due to the ‘No’ vote of Greek Cypriots. We believe that there is a need to take new initiatives for the settlement of the Cyprus Problem and we would like to convey our thoughts concerning this issue.

Turkish Cypriots have been feeling disappointed since the referenda;
• Greek Cypriots, who said ‘no’ in the referenda became an EU member as representatives of whole Cyprus, whereas Turkish Cypriots who said ‘yes’, remained outside the EU, as a community.
• Despite your statement underlying that ‘there is no need to put pressure on the Turkish Cypriots and prolong their isolation’ and the decision of the EU Council on lifting the isolation, any development concerning this issue is hindered.
• Despite the proposals of EU Commission concerning “Direct Trade” and “ Financial Aid” regulations, any concrete step is hindered.
• Turkish Cypriots’ discomfort as a result of the uncertainty over their future is increasingly continuing, this is particularly the case for the families to be relocated,
• Probable increase of Turkish Cypriot immigration due to the prolongation of the problem may threaten the Community’s existence.
• After the EU membership of the Republic of Cyprus representing Greek Cypriots only, there are efforts of pressurising Turkey to recognise the Republic in which Turkish Cypriots are not represented.
• There are efforts to move Cyprus issue away from the UN framework into the EU framework.

All these issues substantially concern and upset Turkish Cypriots.
In addition, the fact that the Turkish Cypriots are not being represented in any of the international organisations, is decreasing the Turkish Cypriots’ confidence in the International Community and the EU. However the Turkish Cypriots are referred to as the equal founding partner of the Republic of Cyprus and are characterised to be politically equal to the Greek Cypriots in the UN documents,

Cyprus Problem must be solved before Turkey-EU negotiations start.
Although the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 17th December look like a threat due to time limits, these decisions can be turned into opportunities by being pro-active. The precondition of the EU for Turkey to recognise the Republic of Cyprus for the start of the
North Civil Initiative

negotiations, a Republic not representing the Turkish Cypriot Community, poses serious threats. The case of not recognising will lead to an interruption of relations between Turkey and the EU and will cause serious threats for Turkish People and regional stability. We believe that these threats can be turned into opportunities. The only win-win solution for all concerned parties is to solve the Cyprus problem before Turkey-EU accession negotiations start and to take part in the EU as a united rather than a divided Cyprus.
Presidency Conclusions of the European Council of 17th December have dynamics to impose pressures on Turkish Cypriots and Turkey to solve the problem until 3rd October 2005. However, Mr. Papadopoulos underlined it many times that he is against the Annan Plan, the population ratios of %18 and %82 could not be politically equal and that federation is not a good solution, arguing that Turkish Cypriots can take part as minorities within a unitary state instead of a politically equal entity.

Within this context, Mr. Papadopoulos does not have enough motivation to start and conclude negotiations under the UN umbrella. We believe that every single, serious step for lifting the isolation will bring Greek Cypriot side closer to a settlement. At this stage, there are serious responsibilities to be assumed by yourself and the International Community in order to convince Greek Cypriots for a settlement.

It is worrying that the Papadopoulos Government demands the negotiations to start without a time pressure and without a fixed timetable. If the process of UN negotiations starts in an unfixed time frame, the Cyprus problem will be overridden by the developments that are already in the context of EU agenda which in turn can make the Cyprus problem impossible to be solved. In this regard, the UN initiatives should respect the date of 3rd October 2005.

We believe that it is possible to satisfy the needs of Greek Cypriot community with some modifications on the UN Plan, that has been voted in the referenda, without retrograding the rights provided to Turkish Cypriot community in the mentioned plan.

In the light of our sincere feelings, opinions and evaluations stated above; we believe that Cyprus problem has to be solved before Turkey starts accession negotiations with the EU. This is to say that, it has to be solved before 3rd of October 2005, and we respectfully request your initiative to start the negotiations at once.

We hereby celebrate your new year and of all the UN staff, and hope that the year 2005 will bring peace and happiness to all people in the world, rather than war and disasters. We hope 2005 to be the year that the Cyprus problem is solved and the united Cyprus takes its well deserved place within the EU.

The North Civil Initiative

Organisations forming the North Civil Initiative are as follows:
1. Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce
2. Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry
3. Northern Cyprus Hoteliers Association
4. TRNC Businessmen Association
5. Turkish Cypriot Association of University Women
6. Women Research Centre
7. Cyprus Turkish Medical Association
8. Association of Cyprus Turkish Pharmacists
9. Turkish Cypriot Heart Associationn
10. Cyprus Turkish Managers Association
North Civil Initiative


11. Association of Improvement and Development of District of Güzelyurt
12. Cyprus Turkish Journalists Union
13. Press Labourers Union
14. Eastern Mediterranean University Academic Personnel Union
15. Hands Across The Divide
16. North Cyprus Association of Socially Insured People
17. Cyprus Turkish Booksellers and Publishers Association
18. Cyprus Turkish Building Contractors Association
19. Dillirga Solidarity Association
20. Doğancı Peace Fire Committee
21. Doğancı Producers Association
22. EKİM Culture Association
23. EMAA –European Mediterranean Art Association
24. Folk Arts Foundation
25. Food and Packaging Producers Association
26. Initiation for Peace and Democracy
27. KAYAD
28. Kutlu Adalı Foundation
29. Rights and Freedom Association
30. TRNC Certifying Officers (NOTARY) Union
31. Turkish Cypriot Advertisers Union
32. KAMU-SEN Cyprus Turkish Public Servants’ Union

[Saint Jimmy]

• There are efforts to move Cyprus issue away from the UN framework into the EU framework.

Insan, why do you think that is so upsetting to TCs??? Would the EU impose a solution in favour of GCs, blatantly ignoring, or even contradicting, UN principles?

[insan]

Insan, why do you think that is so upsetting to TCs??? Would the EU impose a solution in favour of GCs, blatantly ignoring, or even contradicting, UN principles?

There may be several reasons of this, Jimmy. First of all, those pro-solution TC groups took big pains with the Annan Plan. They organizedly worked very hard in hope of solution of the Cyprus problem. They know how long it takes to draw a new framework. They know why Hellene's ruling elite wants to move Cyprus issue away from UN framework to EU framework. They know Turkey's EU road is prickly both because of her complicated internal affairs and growing opposition of Christian Democrats.


They say that "We confirmed that we don't want a seperate state. We urgently want the isolations end. End of the isolations does not mean end of the efforts for united Cyprus" Pro-Solution TCs don't believe that Annan Plan is a partition plan. They believe that it is balanced and best possible under the particular circumstances of Cyprus. Though there were some issues which could be different if T-Pap and his team genuinely have negotiated the plan would have got, e.g number of settlers which will stay, political rights of GC refugees which will return, reducing the transitional periods 2-3 years etc.

[magikthrill]

From what I've come to understand from TC comments on this forum is that the only way TCs can be happy with an EU solution is if some EU laws are "bended" (which seems to me as a nicer substitute to disregarded), the same way the Annan Plan disregarded many UN Charter rules.

[erolz]

From what I've come to understand from TC comments on this forum is that the only way TCs can be happy with an EU solution is if some EU laws are "bended" (which seems to me as a nicer substitute to disregarded), the same way the Annan Plan disregarded many UN Charter rules.

Yes we would expect some 'bending' of the existing EU rules just as they have been 'bent' many times in the past to accomodate new entrants. These 'bendings' are called 'degrogations' (as I understand it and within the limits of my applaing spelling) and have been applied to EU laws in the past on many occasions. They have never been applied on a permanaent basis in the past but for the first time it has been suggested such permanent 'bendings' be considerd in the case of Turkeys proposed accession (again as I understand it).

[magikthrill]

They have never been applied on a permanaent basis in the past but for the first time it has been suggested such permanent 'bendings' be considerd in the case of Turkeys proposed accession (again as I understand it).

At the risk of going off-topic, would you know of any specific "bendings" or are you just speaking in general?

Thanks,
magik

[Saint Jimmy]

Magik, wouldn't these permanent derogations suggested for Turkey include the permanent limit on the number of Turks allowed to move to another EU country? I think that's what the EU is saying.

[magikthrill]

Oh, I had no idea about that.

And although I can't believe I'm saying this but that doesn't say quite fair to me.

[mehmet]

There are currently limits on the rights of citizens of the new entrants to the EU to settle in the older EU countries. This is one of the most important derogations/bending (I can't make up my mind which word I prefer). Alexandre recently raised the spectre of a million Turks settling in Cyprus if Turkey was in EU. This might be another case where there is bending. I must admit when I first read it I was shocked, then I started thinking that perhaps two million might come from Greece and we might all just fit as long as we didn't want to sit down at the same time.

[magikthrill]

mehmet,

I think if 2 million Greeks wanted to move to Cyprus they would have done so a while ago.

Also, even if a million Turks were to come to Cyprus they would have no citizenship rights (ie voting gov't representation etc) just like any other EU ethnicity would if they came to Cyprus.