Μακαριος Δρουσιώτης

Non-establishing a relevance between Turkey’s membership negotiation with the EU and the Cyprus issue is one of the choices of Cyprus Government. Reason for this is clear: Nicosia’s fear to be brought Annan Plan again on the agenda… For the EU, the settlement of Cyprus issue means the Annan Plan. The President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell expressed the support of the European Parliament to the Plan a few days ago and called on Papadopoulos to hold talks with Talat about the Plan.

 

Papadopoulos’ fear is that if he severs relations, he will find the Annan Plan again in front of him and he will be forced to make a series of reconciliation. The impression of the EU is that the Cyprus issue remains in impasse because of Greek Cypriots. Therefore Turkey began to negotiations although they remained military forces in the Island. What’s more, with the approval of Cyprus…

 

Today everybody accepted that Tassos Papadopoulos’ argument in The Hague was a political bluff. In fact Papadopoulos did not accept philosophy of the Plan. But Rauf Dentaş’s non-reconciliatory stance gave him an opportunity to make the Turkish Cypriot party fall in a trouble. Although Cyprus issue did not settled because of Cyprus’ strategy against the Annan Plan which is regarded as “a sound settlement” by the EU, the Greek Cypriots were awarded with membership. At that time, the membership of Cyprus is the most influential pressure over Turkey about the settlement to the Cyprus issue.

 

Learning from gaining of his bluffs in The Hague, in his letter sent to Kofi Annan on December 17, 2003, Tassos Papadopoulos urged that negotiations are held to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue depending on the Annan Plan before 1 May 2004. For this time, Turkey became aware that their rival was making a bluff and gave an affirmative reply. The dynamic provided by Papadopoulos has paved the way for the UN Secretary General to accept mediation role in New York on February 10, 2004. Tassos Papadopulos recognized the philosophy of the Annan Plan both by letter sent to Annan and by accepting his mediation role.

 

Tassos Papadopoulos would have managed to be made important improvements in the Annan Plan after May 1. He did not want to do so, because he did not believe the Plan and its perspective. His alternative is to propose another thing. He could not do this too, because he eroded his credibility through tactical activities of 2003 –when he accepted the philosophy of the Annan Plan-.

 

Theoretically he accepted the Annan Plan as a base for the settlement. But he put forwards so many preconditions that he did not allow starting a dialogue in order to be made improvements in the Plan. Papadopoulos knows that he cannot play the same game for the second time. Therefore he is trying not to fall into a trap in the same process.

 

Thus the only remaining strategy is to buy time to force Turkey into corner in the EU. But the price of time is high.

Makarios Drousiotis - Politis

08/08/2005