For decades, whenever Turkey's EU membership is on the agenda, the favorite subject in Brussels has been the Cyprus issue. This rule has not changed for years.
Some groups are fond of saying to those favoring Turkey's EU membership that the resolution on Cyprus is essential and otherwise Turkey cannot join the EU However, both Turkey's and Turkish Cyprus's genuine efforts on this matter must not be underestimated in an honest manner. Since 2002, Turkey has supported every step targeting a resolution that would be fair to both sides on Cyprus. As a matter of fact, when public approval of the Annan Plan referendum was on the agenda, Turkey went against both the president and the National Unity Party (UBP) government in Turkish Cyprus and the Orthodox Church and the parties that are against resolution in Greek Cyprus.
The Annan Plan, which was supported by Turkey and the majority of Turkish Cypriots, was unfortunately not accepted by the majority of Greek Cypriots, resulting in another deadlock, despite being close to a resolution.
Lately, Turkey and Turkish Cyprus have taken a great step again. They are realizing a coalition model that we are familiar with only in some EU countries such as Germany. Two center parties have built a coalition government, which is a coalition model that could not be imagined so far.
In other words, they achieved the impossible.
The Republican Turkish Party (CTP), which is a former pro-Soviet communist party and still trying to get rid of some of the "disorder" remaining from the past, and the National Unity Party (UBP), which is the stronghold of Turkish nationalists on the island against Greek nationalism and has acted for decades as a wing of the Kemalist oligarchy of Turkey that reigned until 2002, formed a coalition government.
The idea of this brave decision and this specific model, which is likely to present a great chance to both Turkish Cyprus and the whole island, of course did not come out of the blue. Mehmet Ali Talat, the former Turkish Cypriot president, was elected as the chairman of the CTP, while the UBP's chairman, Hüseyin Özgürgün, and the offices around him were also open to dialogue, arguing that the course of events is not on the right track. These developments enabled this coalition government, which is a first in Turkish Cyprus. Of course, Turkey has also played a major role by supporting all these efforts.
It is a great misfortune that Turkish Cypriot Parliament Speaker Sibel Siber, who took office as prime minister for a short term and performed this duty successfully, was not elected in the presidential election in Turkish Cyprus held this year. The current president, Mustafa Akıncı, is known to be in favor of a permanent resolution although he could not embrace the whole population of Turkish Cyprus, and some circles supporting him are closer to Greek Cypriots than Turkish Cypriots, which creates some serious problems in domestic politics. Despite this, Akıncı's election as president is a great chance for resolution efforts when it is considered together with the new coalition government. By this means, Akıncı will sit at the negotiation table by having the opportunity of representing a wide societal consensus and will take his steps more easily thanks to the program of this new coalition government. In addition, the new coalition government declared that it acknowledged the partnership agreement the parties accepted on Feb. 11, 2014 as part of the government program.
As can be seen, no obstacle was posed for the resolution of the Cyprus issue either by Turkey or by Turkish Cyprus.
On July 20, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a visit to Turkish Cyprus, proving once more that Turkey is supporting the process.
But what about Greek Cypriots?
The president of Greek Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, is suffering from this point. Some parties including the Democratic Party (DIKO) and the Movement for Social Democracy (EDEK), which supported him in the presidential election, are against this common agreement. Only the main opposition Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL) favors this document. But AKEL maintains a stance that is categorically against all the points supported by Anastasiades and his party, the Democratic Rally (DISY).
Therefore, the CTP-UBP coalition is a first for the entire island in this respect.
On the south of the island, AKEL and DISY are very far from the coalition model practiced in the north. These two leading parties have come to power with the support of those who walk along the path by relying on each other for domestic power calculations such as DIKO and EDEK, but also decelerate the resolution processes. In brief, Greek Cyprus is in fact in need of a "first."
The EU and EU capitals should also see this fact.
Instead of repeating that resolution on Cyprus is essential when Turkey's EU membership is in question, they should press Greek Cyprus.
Turkish Cyprus and Turkey are ready for the resolution of the Cyprus issue. Their only wish is a fair solution. Turkish Cyprus and its chief negotiator have the widest support both in social and political terms.
In Greek Cyprus, on the other hand, the majority of society is still being provoked with the slogan that the best resolution is the lack of solution, particularly by the Orthodox Church. The president is almost entirely alone with his pro-resolution stance. Furthermore, all the political parties comply with the Orthodox Church except Socialist International member EDEK whereas DISY and AKEL's not being able to present any contribution to the resolution so far is due to their unstable and opportunist stance. If the EU really favors a resolution on Cyprus, it has to find ways of persuading those against the resolution in Greek Cyprus.
