Letters On Cyprus Issue  

This week an important conference to be given at the famous private Italian University, Luiss in Rome, was cancelled. The reason for the cancellation was “ serious threats to a number of professors and to the university”.

The conference was to be given by President Rauf Denktash of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

It was going to be an excellent opportunity to hear his position and try to understand the causes of the problem which threatens to block the enlargement process.

Like many of my colleagues, I was looking forward to hearing his opinion and asking a few questions. It is a shame that under strong pressure from the Greek camp the conference was cancelled. How are we going to find out the truth behind the problem if we totally ignore and silence one of the parties?

This incident reminded me of the famous Cyprus report by a prestigious Brussels think-tank which was later reprinted in a censored fashion. This was reported in European Voice last year without giving much detail.

I have since obtained the two versions of this report by a distinguished Italian researcher.

The first report proposed a “pre-confederation model”, explaining the constitutional framework and international treaties guaranteeing Turkish rights, with extensive historical background information as to how many Turkish Cypriots were killed and how many Turkish villages were wiped out by the Greek Cypriots.

The second and censored version did not include any information concerning the international treaties and international issues. Background information on the sources of the problem was completely omitted.

The term “pre-confederation settlement” could not be tolerated and was replaced by “common state”. In terms of academic freedoms and respect for independent research, it was a tragic event. My friends in Brussels told me that there was unbelievable pressure on this institution. Letters sent by the Greek Cypriot leaders to this think-tank institution and the types of pressure imposed on the author of the report will make an interesting reading to the members of the European Parliament and leaders of the member states.

No wonder when it comes to Cyprus problem, the EU institutions are like a blindman defining an elephant. After censoring independent research, this new undemocratic effort not to allow the leader of Cypriot Turks to speak should open some eyes. Silencing the president of the Turkish Cypriots and preventing him from speaking, even in a private university in Rome, is not in line with the principles we defend.

Europe means freedom of information, freedom of thought, unrestricted debate. By censoring reports of by banning conferences we will go nowhere.

Commissioner Günter Verheugen, talking to journalists in Frankfurt, claimed that Turkey will have to leave Turkish Cypriots alone. It is sad that neither the Commission President nor the enlargement chief has serious experts who understand the Cyprus problem.