“Now visualise ambassadors Lyn Parker and Michael Klosson in similar gear, dispensing excruciating pain to each and every Greek Cypriot until they cry ‘Uncle’,” he said.
“Seriously? The mood is more along the lines that Greek Cypriots should search their souls and now that they are safely in (the EU). They should behave like Europeans and reconcile with their old enemies and be generous to them, and stop all of this fuss about “indirect recognition” or “implicit recognition” or “recognition by oversight”. Either we shape up or move on,” he added.
In the immediate aftermath of the Greek Cypriot rejection of the Annan plan, critical comments came from all and sundry but in recent weeks, while criticism coming from EU quarters has petered out to a large extent, the US and Britain continue to vociferously express their disappointment.
EU diplomatic sources said they believed the two countries were going too far with the rhetoric.
The EU’s view was that the Greek Cypriot people had spoken and must be respected but at the same time the EU had “a duty of care towards the Turkish Cypriots, who are also citizens” of the bloc, the sources said.
“We all agreed within the EU to try to end the economic and political isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. There will be certain differences as to how best that can be done, but the wording is straightforward: ending isolation – yes. Also, helping the majority of Cypriots who wish to achieve the reunification of the island – yes. They are the two aims and we don’t believe that language of threats or language of rewards is a proper language,” said the sources.
Commenting on the apparent soft stance towards Turkey, the EU sources said that Turkish power in the region was something that needed to be taken into account and that all the various reasons for Turkey to become an EU member were solid “although there are also arguments against,” said the sources.
“To the extent that anyone goes beyond that and starts bashing the Greek Cypriots, I think they are making a mistake and I don’t know why they do it except they are a bit exasperated. On the other hand, we are all exasperated.”
British High Commissioner Lyn Parker told an Intercollege symposium that the results of the referenda in Cyprus had left the EU with a dilemma as regards the north.
“Cyprus’ accession means we have acquired a whole lot of EU citizens even though the acquis is suspended (in the north). And they have rights,” he said, adding that the EU Commission had decided to take steps to aid them.
Parker said he did not believe the theory that this type of assistance would deepen the island’s division. He said the economic gap between north and south was enormous and that if nothing were done it would become even wider. He said that helping the north to harmonise would lead to a smoother integration in the event of a solution and would not discourage the Turkish Cypriots from seeking a settlement.
As far as international recognition was concerned, it was not Talat’s aim, he said. “It matters to him not a bean,” said Parker. “They see clearly that they need a settlement,” he said, adding that despite measures to help, the north would remain handicapped as it would not be properly part of an EU member state. “They realise this is not a magic bullet and not the answer to their problems,” he said.
Parker said Turkish Cypriots did feel rejected by the Greek Cypriots and believed the latter did not want a settlement. “It’s very important that action be taken to turn around this perception in the north,” he said.
A Greek Cypriot official said the government had no problem in helping the Turkish Cypriots and was working with Brussels on the measures to be taken. “But we do have a problem with anything that would assist to further promote secessionist policies,” he said. “The new policies are coming from these two governments that were very much involved in the negotiations.
The official said both Britain and the US know recognition of the north would involve something formal but that even if they can’t go so far as to recognise it as a state, there were certain actions in international relations, which could be considered tacit recognition.
“It’s a matter of intent,” he said. “I think they want to do everything that is short of recognition. Of course the US wants to send a message. They are disappointed we said ‘no’ and they are angry.”
He said when the government told US State Department Coordinator Thomas Weston that Greek Cypriots would reject the plan, he said ‘fine’.
“But really what they wanted was only one box on the ballot paper.”
“We accepted to have a referendum because they said they wanted to bypass Denktash and then they made an effort in Burgenstock with papers to sign to give the impression there was an agreement,” he said, adding that the tactics were and still are counterproductive. “It’s a pity these governments don’t get the message.”
The official said the President’s emotional speech could not be responsible for swaying 75 per cent of voters. “If they bring back the plan and have another referendum and Turkey’s right of intervention is still there, they will get another ‘no’,” he added.
According to the official the government’s relations with Brussels are good and that it was “easy to put across your case with people who were prepared to listen”.
Britain had also made a gesture earlier in the week when Parker met Papadopoulos that it was ready to engage in a dialogue, said the official. The government does not take kindly to things going on behind its back, he added.
“My own interpretation is that a very serious game is being played in the region and we are just part of it. The Annan plan and the effort in Switzerland, especially by America, were to serve their aims in the region. They didn’t care about Greek or Turkish Cypriots. They wanted to solve the problem in any way and to give something to Turkey,” he said.
He also said that the UN had made some serious mistakes this time around in the way the negotiations process was formulated and carried out. When direct negotiations between the two sides failed, Annan had been mandated to fill in the gaps. “They (the UN) became part of the problem, not just the mediators.”