Last Situation of Cyprus-2002
Cyprus, after so many years, is again in the news. International interest is alive again and hardly a week passes by without some personalities from one or another country visiting it. The interest is fully justified. After such a long interruption at long last the inter-communal talks have started again and since the 16th of January they are going on without interruption. President Clerides and President Denktash meet regularly, two or three times a week, and will continue doing so until some time in June. At the same time the E.U. accession process is reaching its final stages and it is expected that by December this year, Cyprus will b . . .
The truth is that accession to the EU offers a unique opportunity: it will make the solution of the Cyprus problem much easier to implement and will be of clear benefit to everybody involved. Turkish and Greek Cypriots are able to create a common vision for a common future. Furthermore, Cypriots in the Union will come to understand, as for example the Germans or the Belgians have, that they can be loyal at the same time to their community, federated state, nation and EU as a whole. Already, it has announced 206 million Euro for the period between 2004 and 2006 and the possibility of another 70 to 90 million for 2003. e one of the countries to be invited to join the Union at the Copenhagen Summit. With a solution the Turkish Cypriot community will be harmonized with the Greek Cypriot Community within a short period of time, probably not more than few years, there will be no noticeable difference in the standards of living between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. By far the most important contribution of the EU would be provided by its various institutions and Cyprus’s participation in them. This will be made possible partly by the large special assistance that the EU is ready to provide. With accession, a new era of peace, development and economic well-being will begin for all Cypriots. This can only be that of a reunified Cyprus member of the EU, a country fully capable of fulfilling its duties and obligations within the Union, contributing to the decisions taken and ensuring their implementation. Mainly prosperity will increase across Cyprus because of the tremendous dynamism that the solution will generate. Another very important advantage of a solution, prior to accession, is that any agreement between the two communities will be enshrined in the Accession Treaty and will thus provide the best guarantee possible to both communities that what has been agreed is final and has to be implemented.
Common topics in this essay:
Turkish Cypriots, Copenhagen Summit, Cyprus EU, Cyprus International, Germans Belgians, Greek Cypriots, Accession Treaty, Cypriot Community, President Denktash, June EU, cypriot community, greek cypriots, |