The dangerous situation caused by Turkey’s illegal and provocative actions in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus has revealed the failure of the Anastasiades-DISY government’s policy. None of what the Cypriot government is propagating for a long time has been achieved. Developments, with the overwhelming majority of the mass media as their ally, have dispelled the illusions that the government ruling forces are cultivating among the people.
The much-publicized tripartite and four-party meetings that would supposedly “fortify Cyprus against Turkey” and make it “a leading force of the region” have collapsed under the weight of the suspension of the energy program of the Republic of Cyprus. Even the references to EastMed have been restricted by the government ruling forces because of the very limited, if not non-existent, chances of it being implemented.
The government’s policy of imposing European sanctions that “will hurt Turkey” has also fallen on deaf ears. The notorious European solidarity has been crushed by the powerful interests that are dominant in the EU. The Union’s refusal to impose substantial sanctions on Turkey has refuted the government’s narrative that we can corner the occupying power via Brussels. Turkey continues to engage in illegal actions in the Cypriot EEZ and to “gray” areas without any substantial costs. Developments have made it clear that with their policy, the government ruling forces not only have failed to make use of the factor of natural gas to operate as a catalyst to promote a solution to the Cyprus problem, but they gave the possibility to Turkey to turn it into a problem.
However, instead of the government ruling forces, under the weight of developments, correcting their policy accordingly, they are continuing to prioritize the communication management of developments. Exploiting Turkey’s provocative and illegal behaviour, they are undermining the need for a solution to the Cyprus problem. Their statements refer vaguely to a solution without making a reference to the agreed basis of the solution of the Cyprus problem, namely to bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, as well as to the Berlin agreement, which provides for the resumption of negotiations from the point where they had remained at the Crans Montana conference on Cyprus, utilising the acquis created over many years of negotiations.
Despite the fact that developments have shattered all the key narratives of the government ruling forces, they continue to remain stuck in engaging in slogans. The new slogan of the government’s policy is the position for the start of a dialogue between Cyprus and Turkey for the delimitation of the EEZ between the two countries. The position seems logical. The geographical given situation of the region make a dialogue for the delimitation of the EEZ imperative. The problem, however, is that Turkey does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus and will not enter into any dialogue with it. The government is fully aware of this, as is of course the international community too, which has a different view from that of the Cyprus government on resolving the issue.
This can be seen in the statements of the international community on Turkey’s illegal actions. The UN, EU, USA, Russia, Britain, France (referring to key players of the international community) specify that the solution of the Cyprus problem will solve the problems related to natural gas and the delimitation of the EEZ between Turkey and Cyprus. In fact, the UN Secretary General in his Reports stresses the great importance of the Christofias-Talat convergences that have been recorded on the issues related to natural gas and maritime zones.
After the complete collapse of their policy, the government ruling forces should have realized that they cannot bypass the solution of the Cyprus problem or try to replace it with something else.
In the face of dangerous developments, the government must end its policy of seeking impressions and deal with the substance. The status quo is sliding into the worst. The dangers for our people – Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – are increasing and partition is being consolidated. They cannot but realise this, unless they are seeking a delay until developments do what they themselves dare not admit. That is to say, the partition is consolidated and for everyone to get their piece of the EEZ that belongs to them, as Nikos Anastasiades himself had stated during the election campaign, for him later to attribute this statement to a slip of the tongue…Maybe this wasn’t a slip of the tongue after all?
Current developments on the Cyprus problem
