Is The Future Of Cyprus In Limbo?

The new President of Cyprus Mr Nikos Chrystodoulides has recently visited Brussels to participate in the European Council Summit but also meet with EU heads of the European People’s Party (EPP) to remind them all - for one more time - that Euro-Cyprus continues to be occupied by the Turkish army.

He arrived to plead with EU chiefs to try and persuade Turkey through some kind of political handouts as an inducement for the resumption of the botched Crans-Montana negotiations. Not surprisingly, the trip in Brussels did not produce the anticipated results and returned home empty-handed but quite satisfied nevertheless!

On the same day, Sultan Erdogan visited the occupied northern part of Cyprus to reassure his followers that the island remains divided. While there, he threw a bombshell: he announced the illegal construction of a new town in the occupied Dherynia district with over 1.200 homes and apartments to house thousands of Turkish nationals, imported from Turkey.

Erdogan’s announcement has caught the Cyprus government napping—again!

Is the timing of those events, a coincidence? Who can tell but one thing has become apparent; Ankara will not abandon its ambitions on cementing Turkey’s control and influence in the region and beyond! The Islamization of the occupied northern part of Cyprus plays a critical role for Erdogan’s religious objectives! The one who controls the island; controls the Eastern Mediterranean!

Erdogan will do anything to keep his claws on the island in order to accomplish his distorted Neo-Ottoman dream. At the same time, he also plans to build a large Naval Armed Base in Famagusta as well as an Armed Air Force facility in addition to his existing Drones Base in Karpasia. The complete Muslim colonisation of the occupied north it’s now in full motion with nobody coming to the island’s rescue!

Mr Nikos Chrystodoulides is certainly facing a massive hurdle to overcome but will he actually take a radical stand as President and demand from the EU to introduce tactical measures to end Turkey’s occupation of a member-state’s territorial integrity before its far too late? Or, will he simply repeat the failures of former Presidents that capitulated to foreign pressure and failed to invest in a strong defense programme as a deterrent? A defenceless nation soon becomes a doomed nation and if Cyprus maintains its present fatalistic and passive policy, there are darker clouds ahead!

In reality, Cyprus today does not have an armed Navy Fleet and neither a proficient Air Force, the likes of Israel that’s capable of defending the country against the enemies of the state. Instead, it relies on the charity of others and everyone knows the outcome of such failings— the July 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus it’s a prime example, where many would like to sweep under the carpet!

When ineffective old policies full of political traps are not recognized and not abandoned, the only outcome for Cyprus it's the ultimate break up of the Republic. But that’s where a dynamic leadership can shine where all the others have failed the state!

Under the existing climate and stalemate, the government can seize the initiative and introduce a new strategy. One of those initiatives it’s to ignore the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar; a man that has proven to be the main obstacle to reconciliation and unification of the island! Without a doubt, he has become Turkey’s marionette in Nicosia influenced by local separatists for votes and the extremist Turkish organisation, Grey Wolves!

Provoked by Ankara’s threats and Tatar’s intransigence, the Chrystodoulides Government could consider Plan B and abandon the fruitless policies of the past. In fact, talks could start directly with Turkish Cypriots including political parties and community organisations as a way forward.

Gaining the trust of Turkish Cypriot voters for a solution, “made in Cyprus, for Cyprus by Cypriots” it’s critically important and could play a pivotal role at the next TC general elections in the occupied north. This matter of reaching out in friendship has been totally ignored by the government for years! It’s time to rekindle that hope for reconciliation by ignoring political pawns!

But, it seems as if the new government has decided to put all its eggs in one basket by trusting the wishy-washy EU/UN rhetoric—50 years of UN written resolutions and political failures, it’s far too long to wait for justice and security in Cyprus! Meanwhile, time is of the essence and something has to give!

The government in fact has to choose if the Republic of Cyprus is to survive as a nation or a fragmented state! The existing EU obsession and blind obedience has so far failed to provide the anticipated results. In fact it flopped! Yet, Cyprus will be joining the Schengen Information System (SIS) on July 25, 2023 for deeper EU immigration directives at the erosion of the right to forge national policies. That can only be characterised as “political subjugation” of a nation!

Some would argue that joining the EU has proven to be a bad mistake and the time has come to rethink Cyprus’s relationship with this all-consuming bureaucratic institution dominated by a group of non-elected but inglorious appointed "have-been" ex-politicians.

After nearly a 20-year membership (May 1, 2004) there is certainly a need for a serious revaluation and a public debate of Cyprus’s relationship with the EU but also the urgency to introduce immediate sweeping changes; changes that call for:

1. The EU Commission to impose sanctions against Turkey without dithering about, in the same manner it acted against Russia! If it’s good enough supporting Ukraine—a non-EU member—under the same principle, it’s also good enough to support Euro-Cyprus!
2. The EU to employ practical measures to end the dumping of illegal pseudo asylum migrant/refugees in Cyprus via Turkey and the occupied area, which its systematically changing the demographic character of the small island!
3. The present Openings along the Green Line—under EU/UN jurisdiction—which allows the free movement to all traffic, trade and flow of people should be conditionally closed to all—with the exception of Turkish Cypriots, their families and all legitimate holders of Cypriot citizenship including day tourists—until the EU/UN exercises its authority and puts an end to the illegal Turkish activities inside the Neutral Green Zone and beyond!
4. Make it abundantly clear to Brussels that Cyprus will VETO Turkey’s EU membership application unless it removes its troops from Cyprus and opens its port facilities to all shipping under the Cyprus Republic’s flag!
5. If all fails; to trigger and submit a caveat to the EU Commission that the Republic of Cyprus will consider a voluntary and a unilateral withdrawal from the European Union—under Article 50—unless Cyprus sees real progress of EU-involvement to end Turkey’s occupation of a member state!

The foundations of a two-tier policy exercised by the European Union certainly triggers a grave question; should Cyprus remain a fully-integrated EU member state, or, simply remain a trading partner of the European Economic Area (EEA) that allows countries to be part of EU single market—like Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein—without political, social and economic integration!

The current “solution” designed to break up the Republic of Cyprus under an archaic “two-state-solution”—a separate Muslim north and a Greek state south—under a Bi-zonal, Bi-Communal Federation (BBF)—which it does not exist in any other country—will not work and undoubtedly be rejected by the electorate.

Fortunately, the discovery of natural gas in the Exclusive Sea Protection Zone of Cyprus provides the greatest hope and a catalyst for reunification. Under prudent management of revenues from energy resources—like Norway’s successful “Fund” worth over 1.4 trillion and growing by billions—the anticipated wealth generated from gas sales, can benefit both Greek and Turkish Cypriots living as equal citizens under one citizenship of the Republic. In fact, it can safeguard and build financial wealth and security for years to come for all future generations!

The availability of vast amount of natural gas deposits has definitely propelled Cyprus into a new level of desirability; a level that could turn out to be either a blessing, or an ugly curse for the future!

Nevertheless, the outlook for the country’s future remains positive as long as the new leadership acts in the interests of Cyprus and not in the interest of EU and others whose prime objective it’s to feather their own nests!

If governed prudently, the island has the potential of becoming the shiny “Jewel of the Med” where all citizens can live in prosperity and peace under Democracy, Rule of Law and Equality and not under the rule of division, intimidation and corruption!

ENDS

Andreas C Chrysafis is the published author of “Who Shall Govern Cyprus – Brussels or Nicosia?”

Links of the author’s works:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B00478I90O?_encoding=UTF8&node=492564011&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader

www.artpal.com/chrysafis

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