Lobby for Cyprus News - the newsletter of Lobby for Cyprus. Lobby for Cyprus advisory panel: Alan Meale MP (UK), Alf Lomas, Jim Karygiannis MP (Canada)
Issue 16 Winter 2003
Enlarge photo
Left: Cypriots demonstrating at the Houses of Parliament demand that Britain fulfills its legal treaty obligations to protect the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and to end the illegal occupation and division of the island by Turkey.
Overview A settlement beckons, but Denktash and his supporters remain wary. On the face of it, the Annan plan accommodates the Turkish Cypriot leader and Turkey, but strategic considerations and the fear that the Greek Cypriot refugees will reclaim what is rightfully theirs causes serious concern. The law is on the refugees’ side and the UN plan is unlawful and subject to legal challenge. The EU is now a major power broker, as Cyprus in its entirety comes under the territorial domain of the European supra-state. There are far-reaching consequences concerning Turkey’s strategic hold in the north, the adamant stance of a broad cross-section of the refugees to realise their human and legal rights and Turkey’s ambitions to join the EU. What compounds the problem is that it was self-evident from the Copenhagen summit that the EU snubbed Turkey and that the reality is, hard as it may try, the Turkish state is never likely to accede to the EU. If it is not to be given much hope of entering the exclusive European club, what real strength have the reformist elements in Turkish ruling circles? It appears they are fighting a losing battle. In this context one wonders whether Denktash will gamble on an agreement or not. After all, the US is dependent on Turkey’s co-operation concerning operating against Iraq. How much real pressure can the US exert on Ankara to wrap up a deal on Cyprus when Turkey plays so vital a strategic role in the Middle-East and Central Asia?
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CONTENTS
Overview
Universal condemnation of Annan plan
Turkey and Denktash’s fears
The pitfalls of the Annan plan in brief
Right to return
Cyprus in the EU
The vanishing Turkish Cypriots are found
Hands off!
Vote rigging?
Quotes