WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE NOW?

Last week’s Cyprus summit in New York raised hopes that the issue will be solved this time. In this optimistic atmosphere, the two parties will start negotiations on Thursday. Are these negotiations different from previous ones? Yes, there is a difference, but we must say that this atmosphere is no guarantee that the new process will end in success. Yet the significant differences this time justify this optimism. And just what are these?

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest initiative – with his plan for the island – formed a mechanism that effectively binds the parties. This time the involved parties are not only the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides but also Ankara and Athens. All of them signed onto Annan’s method and timetable. Annan will fill in the blanks wherever the parties fail to reach agreement, and the final text will be presented to the Parliaments of Turkey and Greece as well as to the public of the two populations of the island. The parties ushered in a solution process in New York. Turning back would be difficult…

The European Union is also involved this time. The Union is pressing the Greek side for a solution by May 1 [when Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU]. This was obvious at the New York summit. The EU is aware of the drawbacks of accepting a divided Cyprus for EU membership. Another power that is involved is the United States. Washington also wants the new process to end in success. American diplomacy will play a leading role in the process in Nicosia, as it did in New York.

Turkey’s diplomatic moves have also had a huge effect on starting the new process. Overcoming many internal obstacles, the Erdogan administration took courageous and resolute steps to put an end to the unresolved situation. If Ankara continues acting like this, then it could affect the negotiations in Nicosia positively.

The recent elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) showed there is an environment favoring a solution. TRNC President Rauf Denktas showed himself a different leader than in the past. His manner was affected by the leading role of the Turkish government as well as by the TRNC’s new political realities.

The elements that created the main differences in the Cyprus problem will be discussed in the new process, which is set to start in Nicosia. Among them are also issues that Denktas called ‘vital.’ It won’t be easy to reach a compromise on these issues. If the negotiations were done under other conditions, then we could say that it’s an old story whose ending we already know. But this time there are different factors, the ones listed above. And this has boosted the hopes that the process will end in a different way, that is, a solution.”