Denktas Has Made An Expedient Move

Fuat Aksu*

   A comment along the lines of "Denktas refuses to negotiate", allegedly made by UN Special Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto during his recent contacts in Ankara, is one that strains the bounds of responsibility and diplomatic courtesy for a diplomat known as a "goodwill officer" or "mediator", if it was in fact made.

    The comment, however, does admit to some truth. Had it not been for Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, who has been defending the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community with deep faith and great determination, a solution to the Cyprus problem would have been found years ago, without even leading to the current stage, where UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has eventually felt the need to come up with a plan.

    The extent to which the solution would have been satisfactory for the Turkish side, however, would have been questionable in such a case. This, in fact, is one aspect of the ongoing anti-Denktas campaign in Cyprus: a solution based on the idea of being a Cypriot, and not a Turkish Cypriot or a Greek Cypriot, to be accepted even through a referendum would cut off all connections between Turkey and the TRNC. The thing is, there has not emerged a single personality to be so brave as Denktas as to assume such a great responsibility in such a reckless process as this. The leaders of even the Turkish Cypriot opposition shrink when it comes to assuming the responsibility to replace Denktas, as far as his leadership in this rightful fight is concerned.

    Another aspect of the anti-Denktas campaign is the fact that de Soto allegedly made this comment during his talks with Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Considering the fact that the political leadership in Turkey sometimes finds itself in inner conflict, highlighting to the public and international community alike through the media the points of disagreement between Turkey and the TRNC, this deals a heavy blow to the determination of the Turkish side in their argument about the Cyprus issue. It is therefore unfair to accuse Denktas of being the sole obstacle to peace process ? under the influence of such conflicts and the huge negative influences of these disagreements. As a matter of fact, it is quite natural that the United Nations and the European Union, along with the Greek and Greek Cypriot sides, display such a stance, since there is a salient discord and inconsistency between the traditional state policy about the Cyprus issue and what the AKP leader has been recently saying about this issue.

    Looking at the situation from this standpoint, it could therefore be said that Denktas has made an expedient move. Denktas has made a move that is "comme il faut" by diplomacy and a reminder to forgetful "goodwill officers" who have neglected their responsibilities, duties and limits. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen's statement to the effect that the chances of finding a solution to the Cyprus problem will disappear after the EU accession agreement is signed is, in fact, nothing but a reflection of the EU's provocative intentions. Ironically enough, it is also reflective of the illegality of the EU's Cyprus policy.

    The EU, which puts forth an absence of border problems as a precondition for its member candidates, but which has so far disregarded this precondition in its assessment of the membership process of Cyprus, might as well pull a last-minute surprise and change its mind about admitting Cyprus. The failure of the Turkish and Greek sides to come up with a solution based on the equality of the two communities, on the other hand, will eventually turn the Cyprus issue into a problem between Turkey and the EU.

    The oppressive and threatening strategies to which the Turkish side has been subjected to can therefore be interpreted as the EU's striving to "unmake a mistake" it has made.

    One other aspect of the issue is the insincerity of Turkey about its willingness to become a full member of the EU, and its failure to admit this fact. Therefore, any unilateral solution would make the EU even happier than it would make the Greek side.

    For years, Denktas has been doing nothing besides speaking the whole truth about Turkey's responsibilities towards Cyprus and as far as the Cyprus issue is concerned, and the realities he has been airing are crucial for the economic, social, and political self-sufficiency of the Turkish Cypriot community. The only element that can in any way prevent the violation of these sensitivities is the preservation of Turkey's effictive guarantor status. The Annan plan would not only violate the responsibilities of Turkey emerging from its being a guarantor state but also prevent Turkey from fulfilling these responsibilities were it implemented. Turkey would surely react to such a situation. The concept of a "secure society" which the EU is trying to develop, on the other hand, is still trying to find its feet and is still based for the most part on the use of sovereignty rights of national states. Thus, any solution contemplated to the Cyprus issue has to be based again on the presence of fully sovereign national states.

    EU membership should be a choice that its members make of their own free wills. A solution that oversees the rights and independent presence of the Turkish Cypriot community is doomed to eventually fail and would result only in the assimilation of the Turkish Cypriot community.

"Denktas Has Made An Expedient Move", Turkishnewsline, 2 February 2003,Turkishnewsline, http://www.turkishnewsline.com/detay.php?detayid=5