Turkey sets as a condition for the resumption of talks the recognition and the sovereignty of the Turkish Cypriots and this to be adopted by the Security Council.
This term is repeated in letters to their counterparts of the five permanent members of the Security Council (with a notification to the UN Secretary General), the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. In a two-page letter dated May 24, the Turkish official called for the end of the existing base of talks and insisted on a two-state solution.
On the same wavelength is the letter of the TRNC President, Ersin Tatar, to the Secretary General Antonio Guterres, dated May 18. The six-page Tatar letter deals with the past and the history of the Cyprus issue in abundance in 1963, while in this regard, it reiterates its position for the recognition of the TRNC.
It is clear that what the Turkish side wants to highlight through the letters, is its vision. That is, that which has been expressed through the document, which was tabled by Tatar during the informal Five-Party Conference in Geneva (April 27-29). A vision, which goes through the recognition of the TRNC. What the Turkish side is discussing after the recognition of “equal international status” is the future relations of the “two independent states” in matters of property, security, border arrangements as well as relations with the EU.
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu’s letter, which is clearly more important, states that “mutual recognition of equal sovereignty would help the parties bridge the gap between them, create expectations for the future, providing a solid starting point in a new process towards a lasting and sustainable settlement “. In this sense, it is noted, it supports “change of example and a new framework of negotiations, which will be based on a” bottom-up “approach and taking into account the realities on the island.” It is recalled in this connection that the reference from the “bottom-up approach”, to which the Secretary-General in Geneva also referred, is an idea of English origin, formulated and submitted before Geneva, apparently in consultation with Turkey.
This process is mainly used as a tool to promote a federal solution model. What they are explaining is that domination will start from below, from the dominant communities, and the reserves will go to the central government. An approach that alludes to a confederation.
“Turkish Cypriots are safeguarded through a UN Security Council resolution. “This new basis will preserve the status of both sides in the event of the failure of negotiations or the collapse of any agreement reached.” The Turkish Cypriots should never be left in the lurch again, the letter reads. contribute to peace and prosperity for the benefit of all in the Eastern Mediterranean. ” In short, they are preparing the ground for secession by covering the United Nations decision, which they are seeking. With their recognition by the Security Council, in case of collapse of the agreement, the two states will operate … autonomously.
Everything mentioned in Çavuşoğlu’s letter, apart from the fact that the new position of the Turkish side is repeated and highlighted, is also part of the diplomatic effort undertaken by Ankara to promote the issue of a change of base in the Cyprus issue. The letter is part of the Turkish side’s campaign to convince them that the talks so far have completed their cycle and that there should now be a change of course, based on the facts. Reports indicate that Ankara has begun these efforts by approaching various international players.
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At the same time, reports suggest that the Foreign Office is trying to persuade Washington not to be so vocal about a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. This happened even after the recent announcements of the State Department and as we are informed in this regard, the British pressure seems to continue.
This game is expected to “thicken” the more the developments in the Cyprus issue are interconnected with those in both Euro-Turkish and those taking place in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey has started talking to its neighbors and that it is seeking reconciliation with everyone except Cyprus.
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is talking to Egypt, to Greece, while it seems that all this is being done in order to reach out to the Americans. With Athens, the Turkish effort is a “quiet summer”, although they are conducting exercises.
The unfinished mission of Lut and the difficult task of “common ground”
The UN envoy, Jane Hall Luth, went to Athens and Ankara and chatted with the British on Greek soil. It is clear from Ms. Lut’s unfinished tour that the United Nations understands that the task of finding “common ground” is not as easy as they initially thought. Despite the fact that the landscape is clear, the Greek side supports the decisions of the International Organization and the Turkish solution of two states, however, the information indicates that Ms. Lut is exerting pressure on the Greek side, in order to show “flexibility”. It is noted that the person in charge of the Cyprus issue at the Foreign Office, Ajay Sharma, when he was in Cyprus ten days ago, had indicated that Nicosia could explain the decentralized federation taking into account “the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish side”. Then, as the British official explained, common ground could be found. Ajay Sharma met Jane Hall Luth in Athens and they told her at length about the next steps in the Cyprus issue, which seem to be delayed.
