ΦΩΝΗ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ – KIBRISLILARIN SESİ – CYPRIOTS’ VOICE
Communiqué
CYPRIOTS’ VOICE addresses the following announcement to the Authorities and the people of Cyprus:
The Cypriots’ Voice Forum having convened (11-13 Sep. 2009) and having considered the current negotiations on the Cyprus Problem, feel the need to voice their deep concern at the slow progress of the negotiations. Having taken up those aspects of the Cyprus Problem on which there seems to be wide divergence of the positions of the two sides, the members of the Cypriots’ Voice reached consensus on all issues discussed and decided to voice this consensus so that both the leaders and the people of Cyprus follow suit by approaching the diverging positions in a conciliatory and compromising spirit thus promoting the solution prospects.
- The New state of affairs: Regardless of whether it is expressly stated in the agreement to be and of whether there will be a new name (and anthem and flag) of the state embodying the renewed partnership and power sharing, there cannot be revocation of Cyprus’ UN membership and EU accession treaty or of any other treaty obligations of the Republic of Cyprus.
- Renewed partnership: The framework of a settlement for a renewed partnership has already been drawn by the UNSC (Resolution 1251, June 1999) and accepted by the parties that “a Cyprus settlement must be based on a State of Cyprus with a single sovereignty and international personality and a single citizenship, with its independence and territorial integrity safeguarded, and comprising two politically equal communities as described in the relevant Security Council resolutions, in a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation, and that such a settlement must exclude union in whole or in part with any other country or any form of partition or secession.”
- Political Equality: They fully endorse the UN Secretary General’s definition adopted by the UNSC (Resolution 716, Feb. 1990) which reads as follows: “While political equality does not mean equal numerical participation in all federal government branches and administration, it should be reflected inter alia in various ways: in the requirement that the federal constitution of the state of Cyprus be adapted or amended with the concurrence of both communities; in the effective participation of both communities in all organs and decisions of the federal government; in safeguards to ensure that the federal government will not be empowered to adopt any measures against the interests of one community; and in the equality and identical powers and functions of the two federated states.” The above definition is so comprehensive that there should not be any controversy particularly on the issue of numerical participation.
- Governance: Regardless of the form of government as well as of direct or indirect (through senate) election of the highest executive organs of the federal republic to be, it is important to introduce election mechanisms that will discourage nationalist or narrow communal orientations while encouraging and rewarding moderation. Indirect joint election through senate, with such safeguards as stated above, should be seriously considered.
- Federal powers: There should be such federal powers as to safeguard the one single international personality and one single sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Cyprus. Such arrangements would effectively guarantee the unity of the country. In this regard, constituent state powers should not negate in practice the above stated principles.
- Properties: There should be a compromise between the rights of the owners and the safeguarding of the bi-zonality principle as this is defined in UNSC resolution 750 (Apr. 1992), which definition has been endorsed by both the 8 July 2006 Agreement and by the 23 May 2008 Agreement.
- Territory: A compromise territorial adjustment should provide for the return of areas that were densely populated by Greek Cypriots prior to 1974 so that a large number of Greek Cypriot refugees may return to their homes and lands. In this regard, the Cypriots’ Voice members agree that the provisions of the UN maps proposed in 2004 might constitute a sound basis for an agreement.
- Turkish mainland settlers: Allowing for humanitarian considerations of intermarriages or of those that have lived for decades in northern Cyprus and may feel now as Cypriots, incentives should be given for the repatriation of the rest so that the cultural identity of the Turkish Cypriots as a distinct cultural identity is safeguarded.
- Security and guarantees: A compromise solution accepted by all parties involved and readily implemented is the highest form of security for both communities. The European framework within which a solution will function is an additional substantive safeguard relating to security, particularly as the European framework engulfs both the bi-communal relations and the relations of Cyprus with Turkey and Greece. As for the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, we do not think that it should, after structural modifications, be allowed to jeopardize a final settlement if an agreement is reached on all other issues.
- Cyprus and Turkey: Granted that a reunified, demilitarized, independent, federal republic of Cyprus would in no way pose a threat to Turkey or any other neighbouring country, the Cypriots’ Voice agree that the interests of the people of Cyprus as a whole should not be sacrificed on account of an outdated confrontational understanding of Turkey’s strategic interests.
- Position of Turkey: We wish to underline that the position of Turkey (tabled at the 47th meeting of the EC-Turkey Association Council, Brussels, 19 May 2009), regarding a Cyprus settlement that, “In line with the EU acquis and the nature of Cyprus issue, equal treatment of Greece and Turkey on the Island should also be maintained in the framework of a solution, including the four fundamental freedoms of the EU (free movement of persons, capital, goods and services)” is not welcomed by TCs & GCs, as well as by the EU institutions and the EU Member states. Cypriots’ Voice believes that insistence in this regard by Turkey would not be constructive.
- Prepare the public: The Cypriots’ Voice call upon the two leaders to work consistently in the direction of preparing the public for the federal solution model which they have agreed upon.
Cypriots’ Voice – Communiqué no 10 – 11/9/2009