The root cause of the Cyprus issue is the Greek Cypriots’ consistent
refusal to treat the Turkish Cypriots, the co-owners of the Island, as
equal partners on the basis of political equality. The Greek Cypriots do
not want to share political power and wealth, including the Island’s
natural resources, with the Turkish Cypriots.
The Republic of Cyprus was established in 1960 as a partnership state
between the two peoples of the Island, through international treaties
concluded between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, as well as the
Guarantor Powers Türkiye, Greece and the United Kingdom.
This state of affairs has ceased to exist as such after the constitution of
the 1960 partnership state was unilaterally destroyed, alongside its
legitimacy, in 1963 by the Greek Cypriot side, through use of force and the
ousting of Turkish Cypriots from partnership state organs and institutions
as well as from their homes, in blatant disregard of all human rights
norms. Since December 1963, when the division of the Island actually began,
there has not been a joint authority or administration which is in law or
in fact entitled to represent jointly the two peoples of Cyprus, namely the
Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, and consequently Cyprus as a
whole.
Matters went from bad to worse when a coup d’état carried out by the Greek
junta in 1974 took place, aiming at annexing the Island to Greece.
Consequently, Türkiye was left with no other option but to intervene in
line with its rights and obligations stemming from the 1960 Treaty of
Guarantee. Since then, Turkish forces have been the only factor preventing
the repetition of earlier tragedies perpetrated on the Turkish Cypriots.
Thus, the only occupation on the Island is the ongoing occupation of the
partnership state established in 1960 by the Greek Cypriots.
The Turkish Cypriots and Türkiye support a just, lasting, sustainable and
mutually acceptable settlement on the Island based on the realities on the
ground. These realities are simple and evident. There are two peoples and
two states on the Island of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots have had their
own, fully functioning state since 1983, namely the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
After half a century of fruitless negotiations aiming towards a federal
settlement, and in view of the fact that every single process has failed
due to the Greek Cypriots’ intransigence, the Turkish Cypriots finally
withdrew their support from the federal model (which had been proposed by
them in the first place). They regard a two-state solution as the only
viable settlement model, and the long history of the Cyprus negotiations
validates their position.
For any new negotiation process to commence, therefore, the inherent rights
of the Turkish Cypriot people, i.e. their sovereign equality and equal
international status, should be reaffirmed. A minimal manifestation of
these inherent rights would be the lifting of the unjust and inhumane
isolation being imposed upon the Turkish Cypriot people for decades – by
enabling direct flights, direct trade and direct contacts.
Following the reaffirmation of the Turkish Cypriots’ inherent rights, the
two sides on the Island could start negotiating with equal status with the
aim of reaching a settlement based on cooperation between their respective
sovereign states. The recognition of the TRNC is thus vital to overcome the
deadlock in the Cyprus issue. Such a settlement has the potential to
contribute to peace, prosperity and stability in the Island of Cyprus as
well as in the Eastern Mediterranean region as a whole.
The international community should therefore acknowledge the existence and
the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, reflect on their views without
prejudice and lift the unjust isolation imposed upon them, which would
entail initiating direct flights and direct trade with the TRNC and
initiating direct contacts with the Turkish Cypriot leadership.