Invasion anniversary
July 20, 2009
Turkey will never abandon its rights as a "guarantor" power on Cyprus, even if a peace deal is signed between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders later this year, declared Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek on the 35th anniversary of Turkey's invasion of northern Cyprus.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since July 20, 1974, when Turkish troops launched an invasion in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at a union with Greece.
Despite a series of initiatives over the past 35 years, no deal for reunification has been reached. Current UN-led negotiations - that began again last year after four years of stalemate - are seen by international observers as a last chance for resolution.
The most recent project aimed at reunifying Cyprus was the Annan Plan in 2004, initiated by then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Both the Turkish and Greek sides of the island took part in a referendum on Annan's proposal, but the Greek-Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected it.
With Turkey hoping to gain EU membership, it has an incentive to negotiate a settlement. The issue of Cyprus has been one of the major stumbling blocks to moving forward with Turkey's EU accession talks, as the international community does not formally recognize Turkey's claim to northern Cyprus. And although Cyprus is an EU member, only Greek Cypriots are subject to EU laws and benefits.
As part of its EU membership bid, Turkey is expected to open its airports and ports to Cypriot planes and ships. However, Hugh Pope of the NGO International Crisis Group says that there is currently a feeling of resignation in the country.
"There's this feeling in Ankara now that whatever we do, Europe is not going to accept us. Look at Chancellor Merkel, look at Sarkozy of France. Every occasion they have, they say ‘we do not want Turkey in the EU'," says Pope.
In addition to the issue of reunification, Cyprus and Turkey are at odds over the island's energy resources.
Cyprus has complained to Brussels and the UN over "provocation" by Turkish naval vessels trying to hinder oil exploration off its southern coast. It has also said that it will not resume EU accession talks if Turkey continues to act like a "neighborhood bully".
"The energy chapter can't open when Turkey tries to impede Cyprus, an EU member state, from utilizing its own energy sources," Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou told reporters.
Turkey claims that exploration for mineral wealth excludes Turkish Cypriots from reaping any benefits, a claim Greek Cypriots deny.
Turkey is regarded as an essential route for the EU if they are to lessen their dependence on Russia for natural gas.
President Demetris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mehment Ali Talat are to resume face-to-face talks later this week.
vj/AFP/AP/Reuters
Editor: Susan Houlton