WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ARMENIANS, POSSIBLE FOR TURKS-CYPRIOTS
The self-proclaimed ''Turkish Republic of 'Northern Cyprus” did not agree with restrictions on its sovereignty.
Turks once again destroyed the plan of Cyprus conflict settlement proposed by the United Nations Organization. Following the negotiations that lasted for almost three months, Rauf Denktash, the head of the self-proclaimed ''Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'' turned down the initiative of the mediators, saying the plan of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was inadmissible.
The leader of the legal government of Cyprus, newly elected President Papadopoulos, who earlier way saying he was ready for the proposed concessions, blamed the leader of the Turkish occupational regime for the failure of negotiations. The position of the mediators is the same. Even in Ankara, worrying that the extreme radicalism of the leader of the unrecognized Republic may hinder to Turkey's membership in the European Union, they mention the non-constructivism of Denktash. The negotiations held in Hague proved that the Turkish side had no intention to make any concession. At present nobody doubts it, as the proposal was based on a scheme maximally close to the principle of two-community federation insisted by Denktash. Even guaranteeing the equal rights of two communities, the mediators did not manage to convince the Turkish leader to liberate at least a part of the occupied Greek territories.
The negotiations on settlement of the Cyprus conflict cause the interest of the parties of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as, despite significant differences, there is a certain similarity between the Cyprus and the Karabakh conflicts. At least, the international community often tries to put a sign of equality between the self-determination right of the Artsakh people and the claims of the island’s Turkish population on sovereignty. In this sense it is rather important for us that the mediators are more and more willing to recognize the equal rights of the parties of the Cyprus conflict. Moreover, the Great Powers are ready to make it up with the stubbornness of the Turks-Cypriots which refuse any status except the sovereign.
The plan proposed by the UN Secretary General was foreseeing creation of a common state consisting of two structures with equal rights, which would form the central authority structures on the basis of the principle of consensus. The President should be elected by the legislators on the rotation basis – Greeks and Turks should replace each other each 10 months. The same mechanism should be applied also for the Prime Minister. Regarding the government, which will include representatives of both communities, each of the parties should have a right of a veto on the decisions of the Council of Ministers.
The Turkish community of Cyprus was proposed a higher status than the one foreseen by the well-known ''Parisian principles'' approved by Heydar Aliyev, which however did not become basis for further negotiations. We shall note that Greeks, being natives, had enough rights to turn down the claims of the Turks who occupied the North of the island. However, the legal government of Cyprus, caring for peace and stability, agreed with the proposal of creation of a common state. It was the Turkish party to deny the plan of the UN. If the Republic proclaimed by Turkish occupants wants to have more than a status of a common state subject, and the international community is ready to accept it, it should be noted that the demands of the native population of Nagorno Karabakh are more than modest. And in this context, it becomes evident that the position of Azerbaijan is absolutely unjustified. Baku turns down a model of settlement giving the central authorities much more rights than it was envisaged to be given to the government of the common Cyprus.
The Great Powers, judging from all, are not going to make pressure over the Turks-Cypriots. (The only response may be the admission of Nicosia in the European Union). The Western world prefers to act in accordance with the existing realities and is ready to tolerate the maintenance of the status-quo. If the Western mediators are not afraid to be exposed in demonstration of double standards, in case with the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict they will be obliged to recognize the right of Karabakh on independence.
The negotiations on settlement of the Cyprus conflict cause the interest of the parties of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as, despite significant differences, there is a certain similarity between the Cyprus and the Karabakh conflicts. At least, the international community often tries to put a sign of equality between the self-determination right of the Artsakh people and the claims of the island’s Turkish population on sovereignty. In this sense it is rather important for us that the mediators are more and more willing to recognize the equal rights of the parties of the Cyprus conflict. Moreover, the Great Powers are ready to make it up with the stubbornness of the Turks-Cypriots which refuse any status except the sovereign.
The plan proposed by the UN Secretary General was foreseeing creation of a common state consisting of two structures with equal rights, which would form the central authority structures on the basis of the principle of consensus. The President should be elected by the legislators on the rotation basis – Greeks and Turks should replace each other each 10 months. The same mechanism should be applied also for the Prime Minister. Regarding the government, which will include representatives of both communities, each of the parties should have a right of a veto on the decisions of the Council of Ministers.
The Turkish community of Cyprus was proposed a higher status than the one foreseen by the well-known ''Parisian principles'' approved by Heydar Aliyev, which however did not become basis for further negotiations. We shall note that Greeks, being natives, had enough rights to turn down the claims of the Turks who occupied the North of the island. However, the legal government of Cyprus, caring for peace and stability, agreed with the proposal of creation of a common state. It was the Turkish party to deny the plan of the UN. If the Republic proclaimed by Turkish occupants wants to have more than a status of a common state subject, and the international community is ready to accept it, it should be noted that the demands of the native population of Nagorno Karabakh are more than modest. And in this context, it becomes evident that the position of Azerbaijan is absolutely unjustified. Baku turns down a model of settlement giving the central authorities much more rights than it was envisaged to be given to the government of the common Cyprus.
The Great Powers, judging from all, are not going to make pressure over the Turks-Cypriots. (The only response may be the admission of Nicosia in the European Union). The Western world prefers to act in accordance with the existing realities and is ready to tolerate the maintenance of the status-quo. If the Western mediators are not afraid to be exposed in demonstration of double standards, in case with the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict they will be obliged to recognize the right of Karabakh on independence.
