Progress in Cyprus
Sir: There has been progress in Cyprus since John Torode’s perceptive article (‘In Cyprus, warm words conceal dark intentions’, 2 willia_p_0206.07 5/29/07 2 August) was written. We are led to believe that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with the Cypriot foreign minister, Marcos Kyprianou, on the sidelines of the recent Euro-Mediterranean conference. Mr Erdogan is reported to have said it was unacceptable for the Cyprus problem to remain unresolved and that he would do his utmost to reach a solution. In Turkey, the chief prosecutor’s case to ban Mr Erdogan and his party, the AKP, which was jeopardising the future of Turkey, and therefore Cyprus, failed.
Turkey’s message may be mixed, but her democratically elected president and prime minister have made the clear connection between Turkey’s own European Union prospects and a Cyprus settlement which would first reduce and then remove the Turkish troops now stationed in Cyprus. At last we can see Prime Minister Erdogan and President Gul, and in Cyprus the leaders of the two main communities, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, and the leader of the main opposition party, Nicos Anastassiades, uniting to support a settlement.
There may well be those in both Cypriot communities whose vested interests lie in the 4 status quo. However the overwhelming majority of Cypriots, including Turkish Cypriots, will benefit from a break with the past, especially from the substantial economic growth that will inevitably follow. If the pro-solution faction succeeds, we in the UK who care about Cyprus will be able to say ‘Cyprus’ without the next word always being ‘problem’. Citizens of Cyprus in both communities can enjoy their future together in a Cyprus with one sovereignty, one citizenship and political equality, in the new bi-zonal, bicommunal United Federal Republic of Cyprus.
Andrew Dismore MP
Vice Chair, Friends of Cyprus London SW1
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