CYPRUS TURKS STRAIN THE AZEBAIJANI TURKS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United Nations Organization, under the aegis of which a year ago the negotiations between the official Nicosia and leaders of Turkish separatists resumed, has come out with a new package of suggestions, the detailed discussion of which, most probably, will start in nearest weeks. The plan of the settlement was worked out several months ago. However, the opinion of the conflict parties was decided to be heard only after the extraordinary Parliamentary elections in Turkey held on November 3.

In Yerevan, Stepanakert and Baku they are following very attentively the negotiations between the President Kliridis and the leader of the occupational regime Denktash interrupted recently because of the illness of the latter. The interest of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict parties towards the settlement of contradictions between the Greeks and Turks is natural, because despite the essential differences, there is a certain similarity between the Cyprus and Karabakh problems. Very often the international community tries to equate the self-determination right of Artsakh nation with claims of sovereignty of the Turkish population of the island. In this sense the last proposals concerning the settlement of the Cyprus conflict made by peace makers is very important for us.
Not very long ago the Turkish side spread information about the content of the proposals of the UN mediators. The “Hurriet” newspaper issued in Ankara published the main principles, on which the scheme of settlement is being based. This publication was being actively quoted by the Baku media which noticed a similarity between the proposals of the peace makers and the Belgium model of state structuring. According to this information, the validity of which is not being rejected, the future single state will consist of two independent equal-righted formations, which will form their central power structures on the basis of the principle of consensus. It is proposed to set a Parliamentary system of governing in Cyprus. The President being elected by the legislators on a rotational basis (Greeks and Turks will replace each other), is not being endowed with serious plenary powers and is, in fact, a nominal figure. It is suggested to form a two-chamber parliament. The upper chamber will ensure the equal representation of the single state subjects, while the lower chamber will be elected on the proportional basis.
The decisions of the lower chamber will enter into force only after their ratification by the senators. It means that here again the principle of consensus will act. It is supposed that the competence of the Central authorities will include such issues as the foreign policy, defense, economy, representation in the international structures. The both components of the state will have their own parliaments and governments.

The “Hurriet”’s commentator notes that the principles, on which the latest proposals of the mediators are based, are very close to the position of the Turkish side. This, according to him, allows to assume that the new initiative of the peace makers will become a basis for the future peace agreement. The reaction of the Greek side is unknown yet. However, the readiness of the Greeks for concessions makes the mediators optimistic. The Cyprus President recently demonstrated his readiness – on the eve of the discussion of the issue of Cyprus’s membership in the European Union Glafkos Kliridis spoke for involvement of Turkey in the European community. Before it the President of the country started a direct dialogue with the leaders of the occupational regime.

The precedent of settling a conflict on the basis of one of the forms of the principle of the common state will have a great importance. It is known that the peace makers are rather willing to apply this model for the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. If the Greeks accept the proposed scheme, it will essentially increase the possibility of its application for the Karabakh conflict as well. The attempts of Azerbaijan to reject the proposals based on the principle of the common state will lead to pressure from the mediators, who are already nervous because of the unconstructiveness of the official Baku. The Greeks have enough rights to reject the claims of the Turks, who live in the Northern part occupied by Ankara. And if the legal government of Cyprus, troubling about peace and stability, agree on creation of a common state with an unrecognized republic declared by an ethnic minority, for Baku authorities it will be difficult to resist. If in the case with the Cyprus Turks the matter concerns newly arrived occupants, here nobody doubts the autonomy of the Armenian people of Karabakh besides Azerbaijan.