The way out for Denktas
Gunduz Aktan, Turkish Daily News, December 24, 2002(gunduzaktan@hotmail.com) - It is useful to analyze what Mr. Rauf Denktas said in an interview with Ankara TV last Friday (Dec 20, 2002).

Before the so-called Annan plan, Mr. Denktas has accepted the entire package presented by then U.N. Secretary-General Cuellar in 1986 and 95 percent of Butros Ghali's Set of Ideas in 1992; both packages were rejected entirely by Kiprianu and Vasiliu respectively. Both packages fell short of foreseeing European Union membership for Cyprus and suggested instead solutions based on the idea of a federation. In addition, the current face-to-face talks process started upon an offer to that effect from Mr. Denktas. In this sense, he is justified in feeling sorry for claims that he is uncompromising.

The Annan package, in several respects, lags behind both these two packages and the 1960 system that was brought down by Greek Cypriots. It envisages EU membership for Greek Cypriots as well. The EU acquis communitaire, on the other hand, is not embracing exceptional provisions (derogations) to protect Turkish Cypriots. According to Mr. Denktas, the Turkish section, which is to lose its most fertile lands and almost all of its water sources, which will have to create settlements for at least 50,000 people deprived of property in the mountainous coastal strip, which is to admit a huge Greek Cypriot population in its territory, which will not be able to grant the same rights it will grant to the EU member Greece under the "Most Favored Nation Clause" of the 1960 system to Turkey, which is to be deprived of Turkey's guarantee and, given that it lacks veto power, which lacks political equality in the real sense, will "vanish in five or at best in ten years." Despite this, Mr. Denktas sees it is difficult on political grounds to reject the plan. He is ready to negotiate the plan. But he also says it is very difficult, almost impossible, to negotiate the plan, already embraced by the public, and especially the maps. He thinks the latest version of the Annan plan, which is not quite different from its current version, can be accepted only in one circumstance: If the plan is implemented in Cyprus alongside with Turkey's accession into the EU.

Greek Cypriots say they have completed accession negotiations and that they cannot wait outside the EU until Turkey becomes a member. Mr. Denktas is not against Greek Cyprus' immediate EU membership. But for this to happen, the accession treaty of Greek Cyprus should include provisions stipulating that Greek Cyprus will use competencies and functions of the Common State as a representative of this state and that it will carry out negotiations as a "component state."

Northern Cyprus should prepare for EU membership until Turkey becomes a member. The international embargo on the Turkish Cyprus should be lifted, EU aid should arrive and efforts to achieve harmonization with the EU acquis communitaire should start. Commercial and humanitarian relations with the south should develop. Years-long wounds inflicted on both sides should be healed and mutual trust should be built.

This solution way to be presented by Mr. Denktas to Greek Cypriots envisages that northern Cyprus become an EU member at the same time with Turkey and therefore the implementation of the Annan plan be postponed until Turkey's membership. Only in this way it will be possible to protect the Turkish Cypriot presence on the island.

What is more important is that Cyprus negotiations will be carried out at a far greater ease as several provisions of Annan plan, which could lead to several inconveniences in the event Northern Cyprus enters the EU alone, will be remedied automatically when Northern Cyprus joins the EU together with Turkey. For instance, the issues of derogations, a guarantee system, "the most favored nation" rights will no longer stand as problems. Even the issues of the veto right and Greek Cypriot refugees returning to the Turkish section will be relatively easier to resolve. Mr. Denktas' proposal is a last attempt. And there is no other possible solution on the horizon.

This proposal will probably satisfy those who deem EU membership as the highest foreign policy goal of Turkey and complaining of lack of solution in Cyprus. Maybe we can show a unity around this proposal, unprecedented in our recent history, and launch a joint struggle.

If the purpose of Greek Cyprus is not to swallow the north within the EU, then it should accept this proposal too. If Greece is sincere in its rapprochement with Turkey over the last three years, it will take this last opportunity for solution during its EU term presidency, which is likely to become historic. If the EU really wants the establishment of a lasting and irrevocable peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey's membership, it will support this proposal. If it is rejected by the Greek-Greek Cypriot side as well as the EU, then we will get out of the current atmosphere of uncertainty and get a sense of what we will do.

For now, history is testing them.