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TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS
Prepared by: Ýsmail BOZKUR
T Presented in Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow up- Abu Dhabi 3 November 2001

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was born as a natural result of a historical process. It is not possible to understand the TRNC without looking at its geographical location and geopolitics-strategic position. Therefore, we believe that it is necessary to consider these issues first.

Geographical Location and Geopolitics-Strategic Position of Cyprus

§                Cyprus is between 34.33 - 35.42 latitudes and 32.17 - 35.42 longitudes in Eastern Mediterranean and it is the third largest Island in Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia.

§                It has an area of 9.251 km2, with a distance of 225 km from East to West and 93 km from North to South. 63% of the area is under the control of the by the Greek Cypriot Administration, while 34% is controlled by the TRNC, 1% by Britain and 2% by the UN The distance from Turkey is 71, from Syria 98, from Egypt 384 and from Greece 900 km.

§                Cyprus takes part in all domination theories. Not only that it is a strategic target itself but it controls many other strategic targets.

§                To explain it more fully, the following can be said about Cyprus:

       It dominates the routes of the petroleum from the Middle East.

       It controls the axis from Middle East to Africa. This control extends up to the surroundings of Anatolia, Middle East and Suez Canal.

       It's on a strategic point where the seaways from Suez Canal to Indian-Pacific Ocean can be easily controlled.

      With regards to the air space it is situated at an important strategic platform to orient air flights towards all destinations. This makes Cyprus resembling a stationary aircraft carrier ship.

       In case of a war due to the petrol in the Middle East, it can serve as a logistic store.

      Any country possessing the island will have a prestige among the Middle East countries.

A Brief Look at the Cyprus History

Due to its strategic importance, Cyprus changed hands continuously throughout the history. Egyptians, Hittites, Akads, Dors, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Arabians, Louisianans (French), Genoese, Venetians (Italian), Ottomans (Turks) and British came and went from Cyprus.

The fundamental reason for the Ottomans to invade Cyprus was the pirates who were settled in Cyprus were obstructing the commerce in the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition to this, Greek Cypriot community had asked help from the Ottomans as their religious freedom was restrained. During the invasion of the Island, Greek Cypriots helped the Ottomans. The priests pioneered the Greek Cypriot community in this issue. This is worth considering thoroughly and should be evaluated accordingly.

In order to understand the Cyprus issue better, we would like to emphasize some important points during the Ottoman Period in Cyprus from both the Turkish and Greek Cypriot perspectives.

Turkish Cypriots Position from the Point of View of Turks:

§                Turkish population from mainland Turkey was settled in Cyprus without disturbing the local Greek Cypriots and a Turkish Community was created in Cyprus.

Greek Cypriots Position from the Point of View of Greeks:

§                The authority of the Orthodox Church, which was taken by the Latins for 300 years, was given back.

§                The Archbishop was given the right to be the religious leader of the Orthodox and the ETNARK of the Greek Cypriot community. The Archbishop became the political representative of the Greek Cypriot community in the Ottoman Empire.

§                The ETNARK (leader) became the second political and influential person on the Island by having the right to access to the Sultan directive.

§                The Church was entitled to collect tax from the Greek Cypriot community. As a consequence of this right, substantial amounts of taxes were collected and the Church acquired major portion of the land in Cyprus.

§                The system of being a slave of the land (i.e. being part of the land and sold together with the land) which was called “Patrici” was removed and the “Millet” system was established. Greeks became a part of the “Millet” system. This system meant “autonomy”. The Greek Cypriot community were to establish their own rules and administer their schools, churches, cemeteries themselves. They also had the authority in civil law matters such as marriage and divorce.

§                The right to have representatives in the Council of State (Divan) was given to the Greek Cypriots, Armenians and Marionettes. In this way, Greek Cypriots for the first time had the right of speech in the administration of the Island.

§                To sum up, with the Ottoman Administration the Greek Cypriot community gained an identity. If the Venetian Administration had continued, most probably, there would not have been any Greek Cypriot community in Cyprus.

The Origins of the Cyprus Issue

§                Megali Idea (big ideal), is the great ambition of the Greeks to establish the Big Greece on the land of Greece, Crete, Rodos, Cyprus and Anatolia which belonged to the old Byzantines and Alexander the Great’s Empire and to make Istanbul the capital city. This thought was announced for the first time by a Greek whose name was Rigas Ferreros. He prepared the first Megali Idea map between 1791-1796. The map was published in Vienna in 1796. Cyprus was shown as a part of the Big Greece on the map.

§                The word ENOSIS meant “joining Cyprus to Greece.” Since 1791, the map mentioned above and the Megali Idea is on the agenda. Therefore, the beginning of Cyprus issue could be said to originate from the date the map was published.

1821 Greek Rebellion, which was organized by a secret organization called Filiki Eterya, under the leadership of the closest person next to the Russian czar, Aleksandros Ipsilandis created hopes. As one of the leaders of Filiki Eterya, Konstantin Kanaris, came to Cyprus on 19th June, 1821. He collected money, weapons and food. After his visit, Kiprianu, the Archbishop of Cyprus, started to get prepared for a rebellion against the Ottomans. A Greek Cypriot called "Dimitri" from Ayanni village informed this preparation to the Ottoman Governor. As a result of this denunciation, the rebellion was prevented before it began. Dimitri in this denunciation letter, he wrote:

“On the Easter evening in Nicosia at 6 o'clock, a gunshot would be fired. Archbishop Kiprianu wrote a letter and this letter was read by his man in Ayanni Village. According to this letter, when the gunfire is heard, all the Christians will attack Nicosia with their weapons from all directions. Archbishop suggested to capture the entire Island, and this would be done in cooperation and acting together. After taking over Nicosia, they will massacre all the Muslims and get rid of them. Certainly, he informed all the Christians on the Island about this event by sending the letter to other villages as well.”

Cyprus Turkish National Archive

K.R.K. No:1

The Ottoman Governor of the period, Kucuk Mehmet, applied heavy sanctions on the Greek Cypriots as a result of the rebellion denunciation, which aimed to massacre all the Turkish Cypriots, stated as Muslims in the letter. In this context, some priests who were sentenced to banishment gathered in Rome towards the end of 1821 and published a declaration which is known to be the first “Enosis Declaration” in the history, and they asked help from Christian kings for its realization.

Cyprus was rented to the United Kingdom in return for 92 thousands gold per annum with a treaty signed on 4th June 1878. According to the 1st July 1878 protocol based on the treaty, in case of the withdrawal of Russia from the Ottoman lands (Batum and Ardahan) which were occupied by Russia, Cyprus would be given back to the Ottomans.

On 29th October 1914, due to the Ottoman's alliance with Germany in the First World War, United Kingdom annexed Cyprus with a unilateral decision on 5th November 1914. Turkey accepted this annexation with the Treaty of Lausanne, on 1923. Greece also signed this treaty but they did not give up their ambitions for Enosis.

Greeks were very happy about the fact that Cyprus would be under the British Administration. They were celebrating and screaming “Enosis”. Shortly after, they requested Enosis from the British Governor with a memorandum signed by the 54 leading figures of the Greek Cypriot community in 1879. They also expressed their desire for Enosis to Churchill as well who visited Cyprus in 1907. In 1918, upon the invitation of Venizelos Bishop of Cyprus went to Greece. The Bishop was appointed as the Athens Metropolit and assigned the work of organizing the Enosis campaign. 

Starting from 1878, all throughout Greek Cypriots being politically organized tried to achieve Enosis while the Turkish Cypriots tried to prevent it. Even the Greek Cypriot leftist organizations, including the communist AKEL Party, advocated Enosis and included it in their programmes.

In 1931, the big rebellion to realize Enosis had not been successful. In return, the British Administration applied Martial Law and censorship to the Cypriot people.

British Colony Administration started to relax the Martial Law, pressures and censorship after the Second World War. Further, efforts were made to provide an autonomous administration for the Cypriot people. In this respect plans were prepared one after another. These plans were as follows:

§                Lord Winster Plan (1947)

§                Jackson Plan (1948)

§                First Mac Millan Plan (1955)

§                First and Second Harding Plans (November 1955 - January 1956)

§                Radcliff Plan (December) (1956)

§                Second Mac Millan Plan (1958)

§                Spaak (Nato General Secretary) Plan (1958)

The common characteristic of all these plans were based on the continuity of the British sovereignty on the Island. Greek Cypriots categoricly rejected all of those plans as they would block the way to Enosis. They did not participate in the legislative council meetings, formed by the British Colony Administration and continued to their policy of “Enosis and only Enosis” which would mean “Direct Enosis” rather than of “Enosis step by step”.

In 1949, an application was made to the UN Security Council by Greece for Enosis, annexation of Cyprus to Greece. (I would like to stress here that the application was not for the independence of Cyprus but for Enosis).

In 1950, the Pan Hellenic Enosis Committee headed by Greek Orthodox Archbishop continued to the Enosis campaign by publishing declarations and organizing meetings. The Greek Government started to implement the Enosis policy openly and officially.

The interest of USA in Cyprus started after the Second World War. USA had also prepared an ENOSIS plan in 1945. However, as a result of the inconsistency created by the civil war in Greece, USA shifted its policies to support the UK’s altitude in Cyprus in 1950's.

While these developments were taking place, the first secret meeting for the establishment of EOKA (The Greek Cypriot Underground Military Organization for ENOSIS) was held on 2nd July 1952 in Athens under the chairmanship of Makarios.

On 7th March 1953 “Revolution Council” was established and the founders took an oath for Enosis.

At the beginning of 1954, transportation of guns and artilaries started secretly. Grivas, the leader of EOKA, came to Cyprus secretly on 9th November, 1954. While the EOKA began armament, the Cyprus issue was taken to UN by Greece with a proposal of to grant the right of self-determination to Cypriots.

Turkish Community and Turkey showed a severe reaction to this. As a result this proposal was not included in the agenda of the UN. Upon this, EOKA started its armed operations (terrorist activities) against the British on the Island. The order to initiate armed operations was given by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The aim of the EOKA was to throw the British out of the Island first and then by exterminating the Turkish Cyprus to annex Cyprus to Greece i.e. to achieve Enosis. In due course the EOKA directed its intimidation and terrorist actions against the Turkish Cypriots. As the Turkish Cypriots resisted against these attacks, later a bloody civil war broke out between the two Cypriot communities in 1958.

As a consequence of these events, Britain in search for a solution called Turkey and Greece to a conference in London, in 1958. Greece defended Enosis covered by the self–determination right for the whole Cypriots while Turkey defended the right for “self- determination separately for each community” in the conference. Unfortunately, no solution was found at the end of the conference.

After the wide spread of the conflict between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, at the end of difficult negotiations the Treaty of Zurich was signed on 11th February 1959 and the Treaty of London was signed on 19th February 1959 between United Kingdom, Turkey and Greece.

The representatives of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots as the two founding partners having equal status signed the Treaty of London together with United Kingdom, Turkey and Greece.

As a result of these treaties, the bi-communal Cyprus Republic established on 16 August 1960 by the two founding partners, the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots, was based on equal status and common sovereignty of the two communities.

On the other hand, the struggle of Greek Cypriots and Greece for Enosis has not diminished until today. Zurich and London Treaties and the agreements of 1960 established the Cyprus Republic did not put off the ambitions of the Greek Cypriots for Enosis. Soon after the treaties were signed, the religious leader of Greek Cypriot Community, Makarios, declared that he viewed as the Republic of Cyprus as a `springboard` for Enosis. With such thoughts and intentions, Cyprus Republic could survive only for 3 years and collapsed in 1963.

The things done for Enosis did not remain with all these. Greek Cypriot Parliament, in 1960 unanimously took a decision in favor of Enosis. This decision has not been repealed until today.

The Inhuman Characteristics of the Efforts for Enosis

In the previous section, a historical account of the Cyprus issue was given and the role of Enosis in this process was revealed. It is widely accepted that the Greek Cypriots had never faught for the independence of the Island but always for its annexation to Greece (ENOSIS).

In this section, I would like to emphasize the inhuman characteristics of the efforts for Enosis, which aimed at getting rid of the Turkish Cypriots briefly and throw them out of the Island. As it was mentioned before, the rebellion endeavoured in Cyprus in 1821 at the same time with the rebellion in Greece, had a target of massacreing and exterminating all the Muslims on the Island.

EOKA’s demand to annihilate the Turks towards the aim of achieving ENOSIS has been clearly indicated. Here is a quotation from an EOKA document:

“There are two enemies facing us. First one is the British and the second one is the Turks. First, we will fight against the British and push them away from the island. Then we’ll exterminate the Turks.”

After the Republic of Cyprus was established, what the President of this Republic Makarios said on 4 September 1962 was nothing but the reflection of the same philosophy:

“Unless this small community that is part of the Turks, the everlasting enemy of Hellenism, is thrown out of Cyprus, the mission of EOKA heroes shall not be deemed accomplished.”

After years, as if he had not uttered the above-mentioned words, the same Makarios reveals what Ioannides, the strong man of Greek Junta in 1967, had told him. What Ioannides proposed to Makarios was:

“Let us launch an all-out sudden attack against the Turks everywhere. Let us defeat them at once and settle the problem from its roots. That’s all.”

It is known that the Akritas Plan implemented by the Greek Cypriot leaders in 1963 aimed at rendering the Turkish Cypriots ineffective, one of the two equal cofounder partners of the ‘Republic of Cyprus’, established by the 1960 Treaties, and even exterminating them, without giving a chance to the guarantor powers, specially to Turkey to intervine.

The fact that the philosophy of exterminating the Turkish Cypriots en was put into practice as far as possible during the period of 1963-1974 and that besides ethnic cleansing, massacres have been committed is a fact of history. I suffice by referring to it only and wish to display the document of a mentality that feels regret for failing to “slaughter” the Turkish Cypriots. The following is written in July 1990 issue of the To Periodiko magazine:

“Do you know why the Cretans were liberated? They rebelled altogether one night and slaughtered the Turks. We also seized the chance of slaughtering the Turkish Cypriots but our leaders turned everything into a mess.”

Unfortunately, the years 1963-1974 are the years that the Greek Cypriots never remember, while the Turkish Cypriots could never forget.

Cyprus Republic

Zurich and London Treaties signed in 1959 and the Constitution of the Cyprus Republic (1960) based on these treaties considered and created a balance between Turkey and Greece in Eastern Mediterranean and in Cyprus.

Cyprus Republic was based on equal partnership of the two sovereign communities. Equality does not have an absolute or numerical meaning but it was expected to provide equal rights between the two communities with suggested mechanisms in the Treaties and in the Constitution. Turkey, Greece and Great Britain became the guarantor powers of the Cyprus Republic, and also the established balances. It was forbidden for the Cyprus Republic to become a member of any international organization in which both Turkey and Greece are not members.

Cyprus Republic was a functional federate republic, which possessed some confederal characteristics. The Turkish and Greek Cypriot national administrations established and stated as communal chambers in the Constitution, were authorized sovereign units, specificly in the areas of religion, education, culture, social services and law of civic rights.

The Constitution of the Cyprus Republic contained confederal characteristics besides functional and federate characteristics. As it is known, in confederal structures there is an obligation for the equal units and these units should be in cooperation with each other in arriving decisions in consensus. This means that it is not possible for the bigger unit to make decisions which the smaller unit does not approve. The meaning of veto rights of President and Vice-President and separate majority in the Parliament is an obligation for the two communities and their representatives to seek consensus on fundamental issues. As a result, the Cyprus Republic contains confederal characteristics.

As we pointed out above, the President of Cyprus Republic, Makarios, had explained that he sees Cyprus Republic as a “springboard” for Enosis as soon as the Treaties were signed.

Just as, when the Cyprus Republic was founded, he aimed to violate all the rules and rights of the Turkish Cypriots, mechanisms which provided equality to the Turkish Cypriots. As he could not be successful politically, he tried to throw the Turkish Cypriots out of Cyprus Republic with a well established Akritas Plan. When the Turkish Cypriots refused to accept 13 points amendment proposal of Makarios which aimed to abolish the partnership and give minority right to the Turkish Cypriots, he started an armed operation on 21st December, 1963 and pushed the Turkish Cypriots out of the Republic. As a result of the armed assaults, hundreds of Turkish Cypriots were killed and disappeared. More than 100 Turkish villages were destroyed by the Greek Cypriots. “Ethnic cleansing” which entered the world political literature in 1990`s was implemented to the Turkish Cypriots at that time.

Naturally, this was a heavy stroke on the living conditions of the Turkish Cypriots. They were forced to live in the enclaves surrounded by armed Greek Cypriots.

Functional federal/confederal Cyprus Republic founded by two communities with equal rights with international treaties was collapsed. Greek Cypriots occupied the Republic of Cyprus illegally.

The Events and Factors which Created the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Greek Cypriots had occupied the Cyprus Republic in 1963 by throwing their co-founder partner, the Turkish Cypriots at gun point and denied their right to rule themselves in the Cyprus Republic. The Cyprus Republic was no more a bi-communal state but a Greek Cypriot Republic without Turkish Cypriot participation. Under these circumstances, Turkish Cypriots had to have a governmental organization.

As we pointed out above, Cyprus Republic was consist of two separate national administrations besides the central administration. National administrations had separate parliaments, executive organs, even judiciary organs. Each national administration was authorized to collect taxes.

When the Turkish Cypriots were thrown out of the Cyprus Republic at gun point, Turkish Cypriots developed and expanded their own national administration within the framework of the constitution of Cyprus Republic and formed a government system separate and independent from the Greek Cypriots. This situation continued until 1974 under the attacks, embargos, pressure and threat of Greek Cypriots.

In 1974 Makarios was dismissed from the Republic as a consequence of the coup d’etat carried by colonel’s junta which was in power in Greece by then. Their aim was to declare Enosis. Turkey having the rights of a guarantor state given to it in Zurich and London Treaties, organized a military intervention to Cyprus. Consequently, Cyprus was divided into two without using a separate state name. Turkish Cypriots had their own governmental organization since 1963 and in 1975 they established the Cyprus Turkish Federeted State with its identified boundaries. They hoped and expected that the Greek Cypriot Administration would establish their own Cyprus Greek Federeted State and a Federal Cyprus Republic would be based on these two federated states on equal basis. In spite of the continued negotiations between the two communities under the auspicies of the UN for many years, Federal Republic Cyprus could not be founded. Furthermore, international community continued to recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration as the “Cyprus Republic” which was illegal and unjust. That was not fair and it was against the international treaties that established the Republic of Cyprus. For Turkish Cypriots, there was nothing else to do. They declared their own independent state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on 15th November 1983. Turkey recognized the TRNC and established political relations.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus possesses all the required characteristics and conditions an independent and sovereign state. It has a population of 200,000 and occupies an area of 3400 km2 in the north of Cyprus.

The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is selected directly by the people in a parliamentary system. It has a democratic constitution approved in a referendum by a vast majority of its people. Within the framework of this constitution, it permits the implementation of a multiparty democratic political life.

The only government which recognizes the TRNC officially, is Turkey. Turkey has an Embassy in Nicosia and the TRNC has an embassy in Ankara. However, many other countries recognize the TRNC as de facto without addressing its name. This enabled the TRNC to initiate a number of diplomatic representative offices under various names in different countries.

To sum up, the TRNC is a sovereign and an independent state on the world map.

Searching for a Solution to the Cyprus Issue

The Cyprus issue is still unresolved. All the iniciatives taken by the UN through direct and intercommunal talks have not resulted in a solution.

During the negotiations the UN focused on a federae solution. The Turkish Cypriot side defended this approach for many years. However, while Turkish Cypriot side anticipated a federation based on sovereignty and equal partnership, Greek Cypriot side on the other hand anticipated a government having a unity in its structure with Turkish Cypriots having minority rights while the citizens/people/individuals would be equal under the name and appearance of a federae state. Likewise, the Turkish side hoped to have a new state and a new partnership, while the Greek Cypriot side wanted to amalgamate the Turkish Cypriot side onto the so-called Cyprus Republic which was illegal and was taken away from the Turkish Cypriots by force, illegally. While both sides had accepted a bi-zonal solution and had made a voluntary population exchange agreement in 1975, totally disregarded this agreement and asked for all the Greek Cypriot immigrants to return their homes in the North. They refused to accept a global solution of property exchange between the two communities. They insisted that the Greek Cypriots should go back to their own properties.

There is no doubt that the iniciatives of the UN based on equality of the two communities favouring equal opportunities in a solution was not favoured by the Greek Cypriot Administration. Furthermore, the recognition of the Greek Cypriot Administration, as the sole representative of the Cyprus Republic by the international community in total violation of the international law, had also played an important role in Greek Cypriot sides uncompromising attitude and thus not being able to set a common base for negotiations.

Furthermore, International Treaties establishing the Cyprus Republic and its constitution prohibit Cyprus Republic to become a member of any international organization in which both Turkey and Greece are not members. European Union (EU) disregarded these international Treaties and accepted the application of the Greek Cypriot Administration for membership to the EU. Furthermore, it processed the application and currently accession negotiations are being carried. This made the Cyprus issue even more complicated and the situation became worse. As a result of all these developments, Turkish side proposed a confederal solution based on sovereign equality of the two sides rather than a federal state.

Lastly, the recent efforts of the UN Secretary General in August and September of this year, could not been able to iniciate the negotiations between the two sides. As both the latest and previous negotiations have been covered on the world press to a great extent, I find it unnecessary to focus on these in detail.

The terrorist attacks to USA on 11th September 2001 changed the agenda of the world and even gave an indication on the formation of a new world order. For the time being, Cyprus is not on the agenda, however it is inevitable that it will be on the agenda again soon. At least, because of the mistakes and carelessness of the EU, in starting the accession negotiations with the Greek Cypriot Administration, when decision of accession comes, there will be a big chaos because neither Turkey nor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus would accept Greek Cypriot Administration to become a member of the EU as a whole Cyprus. They will show an unpresidented reaction to this membership.

A Brief Evaluation

Currently a cold war is taking place between Greek Cypriots, Greece and Turkish Cypriots, Turkey about the Cyprus issue. In this cold war, the aim of the Greek Cypriots-Greece side is not any different from their aims in the past. Throughout the history, they tried to exterminate Turks or send them away from the island by using force/power. Now, they are trying to remove the co-founder partnership and sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriots and put them into a minority situation. Instead of the equality of the two communities, they insist on the equality of citizens/people/individuals. It is obvious that in the origin of this policy, there is the aim to get rid of the community status of the Turkish Cypriots or oblige them to leave the Island. It is clear that if the Turkish Cypriots do not have an equal status, they will disappear in Cyprus. What has changed, is their tactics. There is no difference in their strategy.

In this context, Greek Cypriots and Greece through their lobbying are changing the realities. Another issue that they are distorting is the military intervention of Turkey to Cyprus in 1974. They regard this intervention as illegal and they tell the world that the Cyprus Issue had started in 1974. They can not explain why the UN piece force came to the Island in 1964. They present the Cyprus issue as an issue of “occupation of Cyprus by Turkey”. Yet, the Greek Supreme Court of Appeals in Greece gave the answer to this with its verdict of 21st March.1977:

“….On 15th July 1974, General Yoannidis, together with General Yorgitsis, the Commander of the Greek Regriment in Cyprus and General Yanakomidis organized a coup d’etat against Makarios with other 102 Greek officers. The Presitent’s Palace in Nicosia was kept under fire by heavy weapons but president Makarios survived this attack through a miracle. After Greek officers violated the Cyprus Constitution, Nikos Samson was appointed as the new president of Cyprus Republic. Turkey intervented to Cyprus using its legal right, on 20th July 1974.”

Greek Supreme Court of Appeals 21 March 1979

Decision no.:2658/79

Finally, I would like to state the following: Under any circumstances, the solution to be found to the Cyprus issue should be new, permanent and viable. Such a solution should be based on separate sovereignty, equal partnership, continuation of the present guarantee system, two states based on geographical realities, Turkish-Greek balance being established in the Eastern Mediterranean by international law with a more global approach. Without these basic principles being contained in a solution to the Cyprus issue, and furthermore if a solution gives Turkish Cypriots only certain minority rights and join them to Cyprus Greek Administration a solution cannot be possible. Such a solution will not be genuine and will cause danger through potential inconsistencies.

At a possible solution, another issue is closely related with the future of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which was established based on sovereignty rights of the Turkish Cypriots. Any solution, which will not provide the TRNC the possibility to continue its existence will not be realistic.


*Chair, Centre for Cyprus Studies, Eastern Mediterranean University; President, Cyprus-Balkans-Eurasia Turkish Literatures Foundation, Gazimagusa-Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Tel.: +90 392 630 1527, Fax.: +90 392 365 2027, E-mail: ismail.bozkurt@emu.edu.tr.


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