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MILLIYET (23.05.2006)
SAMI KOHEN 

“Greek Cypriots voted for ‘partition’!”

The meaning of the outcome of the elections in South Cyprus is clear: Majority of the people supports Papadopoulos and his policies.

In fact, these elections were carried out for the parliament. Papadopoulos’ party DIKO –although it increased its number of seats in the parliament- is the third party in the parliament. The first party is AKEL, who preserved its traditional power (this time with a little loss of votes). However, AKEL is the coalition partner of the rightist DIKO and active supporter of Papadopoulos. If the votes polled by the right or left-wing “nationalist” parties in these elections are taken into account, we come up with a conclusion that those who support Papadopoulos’ policies are dominant and this is increasing the Greek Cypriot leader’s power.

Results of the outcome

The meaning of this policy is also clear: simply “nonsolution”...

Papadopoulos and other succeeding parties in these elections – and of course those who voted in favour of them- prefer nonsolution to a solution based on the Annan plan (or in other words, a bi-zonal federal system based on political equality). The only solution for them could be a “united state”, which unites the two sides under majority-minority status.

However, despite Papadopoulos’ maneuvers by using the advantage of EU membership in particular and his efforts to keep Turkey under pressure, it is certain that Turkish Cypriots and Turkey would not accept such a “solution”. What might happen is that Greek Cypriot administration’s insistence on this policy would totally deepen and cement the already existing division.

The outcome of the elections shows that the majority of the Greek Cypriot people are giving the green light to this situation either consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, those who create this situation with their votes would also have to bear its results.

The desire of the majority

According to the results of a survey carried out recently in South Cyprus by the Greek Cypriot research institution “VPRC Public Issue”, the majority of the Greek Cypriots does not any longer have hopes for a settlement and even do not want to live together with the Turkish Cypriots. For example, 61% of the Greek Cypriots under the age of 45 are in favour of living separately from the Turkish Cypriots. Those who favour a settlement based on the Annan plan are only of 1% and those who trust Papadopoulos are of 67%...

In this context, the possibility of starting a new process for the solution of the Cyprus problem is decreasing. Expecting Papadopoulos to make any effort towards reconciliation after the support he received in the elections is totally a dream...

But, is there no one in the Greek Cypriot side who can see that this situation would also cause the Turkish Cypriots to lose their hopes –which are already damaged- and as a result, the continuing de “facto partition” would lead to the process of “two states reality”? Even they are very few and their voice is weak, of course there is. A columnist in Greek Cypriot daily “Cyprus Mail”, Lukas Charalambous writes: “We face with a sad reality. Majority of the Greek Cypriots are in favour of partition or two independent states. Although this could create anger, we should go along with the majority’s desire.”

The fact that these sentences were published at the time when Montenegro broke away from Serbia and voted for independence is thought provoking...