‘Loose’ confederation of two states proposal on the table
A PROPOSAL to settle the Cyprus problem on the basis of a “loose” confederation of two states — in a departure from decades-old UN-led attempts to reunify the island as a federation — has been put on the table, sparking uproar on both sides of the border.
The suggestion was put direct to Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades in a hushhush meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on the sidelines of last month’s UN General Assembly in New York.
Contact between the pair was confirmed at a session of the South’s National Council, at which Mr Anastasiades was said to have revealed his own counter-proposal of a “loose federation” with “decentralised powers”.
The news was greeted with fierce opposition from Greek Cypriot political parties — just three days after TRNC President Mustafa Akıncı had voiced his own concern at the start of direct contacts between Ankara and South Nicosia, warning that Turkish Cypriots could be “sidelined” if they continued and Athens did not reciprocate with the Lefkoşa leadership.
Mr Akıncı said this week he wanted to meet Mr Anastasiades to probe his suggestion, and the Greek Cypriot leader was reported yesterday to have agreed to an “informal meeting” this month.
Speculation is rife of a rift between Ankara and Mr Akıncı over the future direction of the peace process following the collapse of talks in Switzerland 15 months ago, with suggestions that Mr Çavuşoğlu believed the push for a federation was over, but Mr Akıncı had refused to diverge from it, as the mandate on which he had been elected.
A source who asked not to be named told Cyprus Today: “Mr Akıncı has refused a confederal solution model so would not propose it, hence it left Ankara no other option than to make the proposal direct to Mr Anastasiades, who in return said he would want a loose federal model.”
The source said Turkey now had “limited contact” with Mr Akıncı because of “disagreements over his handling of the negotiations”.
“Turkey did not approve the handing over of a map in Geneva, because all other domestic issues had not been agreed upon and the map was supposed to be exchanged at the very end of the process.
“Mr Akıncı’s call for the Guterres Framework to be a strategic agreement, without even consulting with Turkey, did not go down well either.”
Political scientist Ahmet Sözen dismissed as “mere speculation” reports of differences between Mr Akıncı and Ankara, but admitted it was being fuelled by an apparent lack of communication.
Mr Anastasiades’s reference to wanting a “loose” federation was “nothing new”, he said, but “the question is: is Turkey trying to change the parameters of a solution?”.
He added: “The Greek Cypriot political elite is smart enough to put the blame on the Turkish side in showing that they want a two-state solution outside established UN parameters.
“Mr Akıncı’s warning . . . is correct. Seeking a two-state solution will get the Greek Cypriot side off the hook.”
Former Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ergün Olgun declined to be drawn on Mr Çavuşoğlu’s direct approach, but said Ankara had a “new look and policy” on Cyprus.
“It has increasingly become apparent that a federal solution is neither viable nor productive. There will be a new evaluation of the way forward and a new model.”