Paradigm changes and Cyprus

Eastern Mediterranean Presentation at the International Relations Congress:

At the International Relations Congress I attended in Mersin, I made a presentation on the Eastern Mediterranean and expressed my proposal for the solution of the Cyprus problem. I wanted to write this proposal, which was not considered in the international relations community, in order to make a note of it in history.

Two important factors emerge in the fact that the Cyprus problem has not been resolved for years.

First, the Greek Cypriot side's domestic and foreign policy as if it were the entire owner of the island, and the economic, sociological and political effects this policy had on the people on the Turkish and Greek sides.

The second is the security concerns of the Greek and Turkish sides, both from each other and from the states larger than them, due to the historical process.

Solving these two main problem areas can provide a solution to the Cyprus problem, provided that the secondary problems are dealt with later.

Three Paradigms:

Three paradigms compel change and transformation at the point where the Cyprus problem has reached.

The first paradigm is the fact that the Turkish and Greek communities, the two main founding elements of the Republic of Cyprus, which was established in 1960, have not been able to show the will to live together in the historical process since its establishment, and then they could not reach a federation-based solution. All federation-based negotiations and plans came to an end as a result of the failure of both parties to reach an agreement. It is a requirement of this reality that the last meeting held in Brussels is named unofficially. Then there is no point in continuing the efforts for a federative solution.

The second paradigm is the issue of equitable sharing of natural resources originating and emerging in the Eastern Mediterranean and their delivery to the European market. A new paradigm has emerged in the transportation of resources after the USA determined that the Eastern Mediterranean (EASTMED) Pipeline project, which was defended by the Greek Cypriot administration and Greece, was not applicable and this project was shelved. According to this new situation, the most viable solution is to deliver resources to Europe via Turkey-based pipelines, where regions belonging to both sides of Cyprus are used. Again, instead of the Sevilla map, which shows the so-called Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) borders of the USA in the Eastern Mediterranean and defends Greece's maximalist thesis, we may consider to use the EEZ map as a new paradigm which shows Turkey's approach in new political regional studies, although it is not a politically accepted yet.

The third and perhaps the most important paradigm is the international security problem, which has increased in importance all over the world as a result of Russia's attack on Ukraine. States that are not members of international security organizations, especially if they are neighbors with states that are bigger than themselves in every field, have become vulnerable to operations similar to the special operations carried out by Russia. Finland and Sweden's applications for membership to NATO, which they have not evaluated for years, are all about this sensitivity. In the case of Cyprus, the fact that the Greek Cypriot side is a member of the EU in order to ensure its security against Turkey, which is a much larger country than itself, is no longer an adequate defense mechanism in this new world conjuncture. Because the EU is not an international security organization, but an international economic organization. Putin  declared that Russia will not react negatively to possible EU membership. On the other hand he forced Ukraine into a ring of fire due to its possible NATO membership, reveals us the differences in the security paradigm of these two organizations.

Proposal for a Solution to the Cyprus Problem:

After these determinations, let's come to our solution proposal. It has been understood that the best solution for Cyprus is not based on federation. It is not possible to keep these two communities alive when one is happy and the other is sad.

Then, the first leg of the solution passes through two separate sovereign, equal states. It is obvious that many unions such as the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were dissolved and the states that emerged as a result of the disintegration continued their lives very well. The de facto existence of two separate states on the island of Cyprus, with the names of the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Republics (KTC and KRC), should now be fully accepted.

Both states should know each other and be recognized by the world in this way. These two states should be members of both the EU and NATO, so that the security concerns of the Greeks and the economic concerns of the Turks should be brought to an end. Turkey's EU membership process should be completed and the Eastern Mediterranean should be turned into a prosperous and safe area under the umbrella of the EU and NATO. While Turkey does not veto the KRC's entry into NATO, in return, Greece and the KRC should recognize the KTC and accept the joint EU membership of Turkey and the KTC. Thus, the process that started with the inclusion of Turkey and Greece together in NATO in 1952 should continue with the two Cypriot states, which are the offspring of these two states, and should win peace, not war.

Conclusion:

In the changing world order, this is the only solution that can be in the interest of the USA, EU, Turkey and Cyprus as a whole. The continuation of the deadlock means the continuation of security and economic problems, which is of no use to the components of the Cyprus problem. If the solution is in the interests of all parties, it will be an acceptable solution. Let's hope that the political actors of all parties will consider this proposal and this beautiful natural wonder island will cease to be a political problem.