Tag: United Kingdom

The Rt. Hon. Jack Straw has described Cypriot accession to the European Union as one of his “greatest regrets” from his time in office.

Writing in the Independent to mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish intervention in Cyprus, the former Foreign Secretary, describes how the “legal nonsense” of the terms of Cyprus’ accession to the EU has handed Greek Cypriots “all the cards” when it comes to negotiations on the divided island.

He warns that if the Greek Cypriot side continues its refusal to negotiate in good faith “there is only one way to unblock the impasse.”

It will be for international partners, such as guarantor nations like the UK, and the EU to tell the southern Cypriots that “partition of the island will be on the table, and the enforced isolation of the north will end.”

He highlights that the current stalemate and lack of agreement is due to the intransigence of the Greek Cypriot community which has rejected every negotiated settlement, including the 2004 UN backed Annan proposals. A rejection that led to “outrage” among European ministers.

Mr Straw insists that the EU and its member states “should have postponed Cyprus’s accession and insisted that it would only go ahead once a power-sharing peace settlement for the whole island was in place.” He points to how “this, after all, was part of the original rationale for making Cyprus an accession state.”

Going further, he labels the current position of the EU an “absurdity”. Referring to a declaration from the recently re-elected EU Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, that the EU would “never, ever” accept a two-state solution for the island.

He remarks that “there are plenty of examples, in Europe and beyond, where partitions are the least-worst solution to continuing conflicts.” He goes on to reiterate that “the possibility of partition is the one thing which could, and likely would, prompt the south to compromise, because if not, they would have an entirely separate, internationally recognised, independent state to their north.”

A situation that he acknowledges “is that de facto that’s what we have anyway.”

For him, it is time for change. Mr Straw questions why “innocent people in the north continue to be punished” with international isolation due to the “obduracy” of the Greek Cypriots.

In his mind, “the prize, of a settlement, would have many advantages for the long-term future of the south as well as the north, and should now actively be pursued.”

A two-state solution is the only way forward.

The United Kingdom must step forward and fulfil its duty by ensuring lasting peace for Cypriots, according  to the leader and senior figures of the Democratic Unionist Party. 

A former leader of the party and the Rt. Hon. Sammy Wilson MP have both called on the UK government  to take a lead on resolving the 50-year-old ‘frozen conflict’ in Cyprus in recent commentaries. 

They believe that Cypriots on both sides of the UN-enforced Green Line deserve better than the current  efforts of the British government and international community. 

Both believe that there is a “moral duty” and “responsibility to help resolve the Cyprus issue” that, by  failing to create a lasting peace, the UK government is not upholding. 

They believe that peace can only be achieved with a two-state solution and recognition of the Turkish  Republic of Northern Cyprus as equal to the Republic of Cyprus.

Writing for the House Magazine, the former leader highlights that continuing to reject Northern Cypriot  independence is “an unfair and untenable situation” that leaves Turkish Cypriots “perpetually punished for  the inability of their counterparts to reach an agreement”. 

Mr Wilson, published on politics.co.uk, argues that “Continuing to insist on reunification is not helping  anyone and only adds to the problem. Cyprus has changed and cannot be considered one state  anymore.” 

Calling on the opportunities of Brexit and the strength of the UK’s historic relationship with Cyprus, both  are clear that the UK is uniquely placed to take the lead on ensuring a cooperative and long-term solution  for Cypriots. 

Sammy Wilson goes further and points to the UK’s support for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina,  commenting that, “The UK has a long history of supporting new states declaring independence on ethnic  and religious lines… We support a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. What makes the  situation in Cyprus different?” 

Commenting Chet Ramadan, co-founder of Freedom and Fairness for Northern Cyprus, said: 

“I am profoundly grateful for the intervention of the DUP and their recognition of reality in Cyprus. For 50  years, the international community has been far too willing to ignore Cyprus and let it continue in limbo  with a succession of failed negotiations – all rejected by Greek Cypriots. 

“The United Kingdom has a responsibility to find a true solution that benefits all Cypriots and continued  support for the status quo is failing that duty. A two-state solution is the only answer.”