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Sir,

Upon reading your editorial of 16 January, I recalled that I myself had informally raised the issue of the teaching of history in Cyprus, on both sides, as long ago as March-April 1977, during the Sixth Round of Intercommunal Negotiations in Vienna held under the auspices of Dr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General of the UN at the time. I was in the Turkish Cypriot Negotiating team under Mr. Ümit Süleyman Onan. The Greek Cypriot team was headed by Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos and included Mrs. Stella Souliotou, the first Justice Minister of Cyprus, and an eminent person greatly respected by all, on both sides.  

During a dinner hosted by Dr. Waldheim at a hotel in Vienna, I expressed the view that there was a need for reviewing history books and teaching of history, on both sides, to ensure that the two communities would be able to live in harmony together on the island after a settlement. That was essential if the settlement to be reached were to be lasting. History teaching should be confined to its traditional role and must in no way be allowed to be used, on either side, as a vehicle to create enmity in the hearts and minds of children against the other side. The current feeling of suspicion, fear and even hate should be transformed through reform in education and other appropriate social measures, into a feeling of mutual trust, confidence and even love, this being one of the most critical criteria for rendering a settlement truly lasting.  

Mrs. Souliotou, I recall, welcomed the idea but Mr. Papadopoulos did not seem to be interested.

The law passed unanimously on 5^th December 2003 by the legislative assembly in the south establishing “September 14” as “Official Remembrance Day for Asia Minor Hellenism and the Asia Minor Catastrophe” irrespective of its historical truth, is surely a step in the wrong direction, as far as current peace making efforts are concerned.  

Yours Sincerely,
Rüstem Z. Tatar
Former Auditor General of Cyprus
(1960-63)