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New Realities in TRNC
By  Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
The  Statesman, 5 December  2003

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdođan’s speech which he made on the occasion of 20th anniversary of the establishment of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, instilled a new ray of hope among the Turkish Cypriots and set new dimensions vis-a-vis solution to the long-standing issue. The Turkish prime minister’s speech also dispelled the impression as if Turkey had covertly agreed to some sort of “imposed solution” in order to grab European Union membership. The Turkish prime minister served a warning to the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that his goodwill mission doesn’t empower him to undermine the norms of the Turkish Cypriot state or to annihilate the very existence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Erdođan made it clear that the problems of the Turkish Cypriots are the problems of Turkey and Turkey’s problems are the problems of Turkish Cyprus.  

The European Union, in its annual progress report on enlargement, made public on November 5, 2003, had made it incumbent upon Turkey to first resolve the Cyprus issue and then seek a date for the start of accession negotiations. The move came in the backdrop of EU’s enlargement from 15 to 25 countries from May 2004. The Greek Cyprus is set to join the European Union without any fuss. EU’s bid to accept Greek Cyprus as member has widely been criticised both in Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Turkey had declared the decision biased and one sided. The November 05 report of the European Commission has further added fuel to the fire.

Prime Minister Erdođan said, “Turkish Cyprus must be one of the two equal founders of a new Cyprus state, adding that this was the prime prerequisite for reaching a settlement on Cyprus. A settlement on Cyprus must be one that would be lasting and would not lead to new tensions and hostilities”. He also ruled out “settlement at any cost” stance. The Turkish premier also lauded the valiant efforts of Turkish Cyprus President Rauf Denktash, which he had rendered for the Cyprus cause. The Turkish premier’s tributes to Denktash wiped out the impression as if the Turkish Cyprus president had lost the confidence of Ankara. With Turkey’s support, Denktash can now pursue the Cyprus issue more vigorously, especially when his tiny state of around 0.2 million inhabitants is valiantly surviving under the United Nations embargoes, for last 29 years. Credit, therefore, ought to be given to Northern Cyprus leadership for that.

Turkey, which is the only country that recognises Northern Cyprus, is providing 230 million dollars annually to TRNC but till when? As I earlier mentioned, Northern Cyprus has been braving the UN embargoes for the last 29 years. The embargoes, as a matter of fact, have not done the damage, the international community, and particularly the Greek side wanted to inflict upon them. The embargoes, unlike, have proved a blessing in disguise for the Turkish Cypriots and they have learnt to live even without any help.  

Education sector is contributing heavily towards TRNC economy and their universities are rated high among the contemporary universities the world over. Despite limited resources, Northern Cyprus offers the best social security services and has an enviable per capita income. So, hopefully, they can even live as an independent state, if ever such a situation arises yet it would still be a challenging enterprise.

Northern Cypriots were going to polls for the election of new parliament on December 4. Election fever, therefore, is all-time high there. The youth can play a decisive role in the elections and the way they have been pampered and exploited by the opposition, can lead to surprising results. TRNC government believes that the European Union, the American ambassador in Greek Cyprus and the commander of the British basis, have directly been meddling into the internal affairs of the country by offering lucrative packages, both in cash and kind, to the opposition parties in order to help them win the parliamentary elections.” They are providing all sorts of assistance to the opposition parties, with the hope that these parties, if came to power, would implement the Annan Plan, on the Cyprus issue. This is totally wrong approach since any decision on the future of the Cyprus issue will be taken by the people of our country and not by the aliens”, said, the prime minister of Northern Cyprus, Dervis Eroglu, while talking to a group of foreign journalists, ahead of 20th Anniversary celebrations.

The United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan had offered what was called a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem plan. Both sides were provided with the 138-page document. The leaders of both sides were asked to reach a decision by 28 February 2002 and accept the plan as a basis for the settlement of the long-standing issue. But, the plan was shelved since both sides had reservations.

The Turkish side rejected the plan because half of its population was to become refugees in case the plan was implemented in the letter and spirit. “A fast and workable solution to the Cyprus issue can be achieved through the acceptance of our Confederation proposal of August 31, 1998. Because this is a realistic and constructive proposal, which will provide for the security of both sides as well as safeguarding of the identities of the two peoples”, said Rauf Denktash in a breakfast meeting, with foreign mediapeople, at Girne, a tourist resort of Northern Cyprus, a couple of weeks ago.

The president genuinely voiced his concern over the partial stance of the international community towards the Cyprus question, which in no way, could help resolve the issue. President Denktash, had ordered opening of borders in April 2003 enabling people from both sides to cross over and meet one another. The step has significantly contributed to bringing both the peoples closer. This is of course an encouraging development, since it may, in the longer run, set basis for an amicable solution.

Now, one can see that people-to-people contacts are growing gradually, doing away with the rancor and bad blood, created due to 1974 events. President Denktash, therefore, has successfully been able to tell the world in general and the people of Greek Cyprus in particular that the government of Northern Cyprus sincerely wants a solution.

Relations between Northern Cyprus and Pakistan can be categorised as exemplary. Pakistan, though, does not officially recognise Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, yet TRNC Representative in Pakistan enjoys full protocol. A vast majority of Pakistani students is studying in Northern Cyprus universities. Political ties between the two countries are also on the move while business relations have also taken a new turn. The TRNC Representative based in Islamabad does not spare any efforts in wooing the Pakistani businessmen to go to Northern Cyprus and invest there. The economic policies of the TRNC government encourage free enterprise and foreign investment.

The Northern Cypriots have a unique blend of affection towards their Pakistani brethren. Pakistanis are received with open arms both in Turkey and Northern Cyprus and are given special treatment. Those were indeed touching moments when Prime Minister Tayyip Erdođan, TRNC President Rauf Denktash and hundreds of others sitting on the stage, stood up and started clapping when some of the Pakistani students, carrying Pakistani flag, marched in front of the stage, on the occasion of 20th anniversary celebrations. This was the rare show of excellent people-to-people and government-to-government contacts that exist between Turkey and Pakistan.

Summing up, the international community ought to act in an impartial manner and should bring the Greek Cyprus administration round, for an early, viable and acceptable solution to the issue. They should try to settle the issue keeping in view the ground realities and not merely on the whims of a particular country. The Turkish Cypriots have transformed themselves into a reality and thus need to be treated in the very perspective. The Muslim countries should also evince interest in this matter; especially the OIC is obliged to upgrade the Turkish Cyprus status from an observer to a full member.