The Greek Cypriots have done it again

We have been experiencing the same old story over and over again for 40 years, but this time the disappointment is even greater as everyone felt the time was ripe for a solution on Cyprus and a breakthrough was imminent.

But of course "a breakthrough seems imminent" was a magical phrase

When such a magical phrase crops up it immediately irks Greek Cypriots who feel any solution, even if it is for their benefit, will mean defeat, and thus they do something to sabotage negotiations and the peace process.

Greek Cypriots just had to find an alibi, and this time they came up with a claim that they could not discuss the future of Cyprus with the Turkish side while they were involved in a maritime dispute with Turkey. But behind it all lay the unchanging Greek Cypriot claim that Cyprus and everything on it along with its riches belongs only to Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots are welcome to stay on the island as guests.

If there is oil or gas under the waters surrounding the island, why not share it with the Turkish Cypriots who are actually your partners and are obliged to live with you until eternity and make this a source of wealth and prosperity for everyone?

Soon, Turkey will provide water and electricity to Turkish Cypriots from the mainland through a pipeline, and Ankara has always said the water could be shared with Greek Cypriots if the conditions are right. But when Greek Cypriots act with such enmity, how can anyone share anything with them?

Last month we wrote a commentary pointing out the kind of enmity displayed by Greek Cypriots when a Greek Cypriot soccer player transferred to a Turkish Cypriot club and wanted to set a precedent to forge friendship on the island. Greek Cypriots made life hell for him. They labeled him a traitor and harassed his family. We had then said such enmity showed clearly that Greek Cypriots have to change their mentality before any peace can be achieved. The latest developments show that Greek Cypriots have no intention of living in harmony with Turkish Cypriots and want the island to be theirs.

That is not going to happen.

If Greek Cypriots think they can exploit the problems Turkey is facing on its borders with Iraq and Syria and the Kobani riots they are really making a fatal miscalculation.