Opinion
by Larkos Larkou
The big news: "Compensation of €345,000 will be paid to a T/C of American origin by the Republic of Cyprus, while also returning his property in Limassol, which was being used illegally. In particular, T/C Orhan Hussein Dervish won the case against the Attorney General and Minister of Interior as Guardian of T/C Property. The lawsuit concerned the management of T/C property by the Guardian of T/C Property".
The property issue stands out as a quintessential political matter. Unless decisive action is taken at the highest level, it will continue to linger, with each subsequent defeat of 'the Guardian' ultimately resolving it. During the negotiations in Crans Montana, substantial progress was made in addressing the property issue. The Secretary-General reported and briefed the United Nations Security Council on September 28, 2017, stating, "Regarding property, the parties reached a fundamental agreement on two distinct property regimes, although certain details still remained unresolved." Notably, no one responsible for the matter has refuted the Secretary-General's statements from that time. However, six years later, the President unexpectedly reopens the issue during his press conference marking his first 100 days in office on June 20, rejecting the position put forth by Guterres.
As the Republic of Cyprus prepares to pay €345,000 in compensation to Orhan Dervish, we are presented with yet another piece of evidence among many others that the unresolved Cyprus problem continues to evolve, manifesting in various forms such as the Varosha beach issue and the Tricombe case. This situation extends to legal actions involving Greek Cypriots, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot Property, as well as unconventional activities like offering round-trip cruises for passengers between Limassol and Salamis. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the significance of cheaper fuel prices in driving the economy is not overlooked.
The court's ruling serves as an additional warning sign that we are navigating in the wrong direction, even surpassing Denktash's misguided "vision." As taxpayers shoulder the burden of the compensation, it is crucial for them to question those who promised them the best outcomes, only to deliver the worst. The increasing financial burden on citizens will persist as long as we deceive ourselves and each other, continuously postponing solutions and engaging in futile games against the unforgiving passage of time.
In relation to the compensation issue, the Secretary General's report to the members of the UNSC (covering the period from December 13, 2022, to June 12, 2023) was released on July 4th. The report addressed the two leaders but also had an audience from civil society.
Acknowledging that "the division between the communities continues to widen," the Secretary-General emphasized that "time is running out for a mutually acceptable political settlement in Cyprus. I urge the leaders of the two communities to take immediate action to create room for meaningful dialogue."
Subsequently, the Secretary-General put forward 11 substantive initiatives, which he referred to as his "mandates":
1) "I urge both sides to provide the necessary support and resources to the Technical Committees to ensure their effective functioning and deliver tangible results.
2) The Bicommunal Technical Committees have the potential to achieve more. It is unfortunate that the Technical Committee on Education faces obstacles that need to be addressed.
3) Strengthening cooperation in managing natural and man-made crises and developing concrete proposals for coordinated prevention and response is of utmost importance.
4) I welcome the extension of European Commission funding to the Technical Committees and the EU's support for ongoing projects, such as the potential construction of a photovoltaic power plant in the buffer zone.
5) I encourage the two leaders to agree on and implement Confidence Building Measures that are mutually acceptable.
6) I urge both leaders to promote contact and cooperation between the two communities.
7) It is important for the leaders to foster more inclusive cooperation between the two communities, actively engaging women, minorities, youth, and people with disabilities.
8) The two leaders should actively promote people-to-people contacts, cooperation, and trade, including by improving existing crossing points and opening new ones.
9) Consideration should be given to implementing unilateral steps or gestures that can contribute to building trust and serve as important investments toward a mutually agreed settlement.
10) The overall media environment on the island has not been conducive to building trust between the parties, with incidents of misinformation and disinformation undermining efforts.
11) An important step forward would be an agreement between the parties to appoint a UN envoy who can explore possibilities for finding common ground and facilitate the resumption of negotiations for a lasting settlement in Cyprus."
The Secretary-General emphasizes the need for "urgent action." Only through urgent action can barriers be dismantled and an envoy be involved.
Merely requesting the appointment of an envoy without addressing the broader issues does not yield any results. Even if a UN envoy were appointed today, they would still require the above-mentioned actions, as this is the only way to move forward. There are no miracle workers. Therefore, the UN's leader is calling for a comprehensive approach to assess and make decisions, setting out the terms accordingly:
1) We must move beyond mere talks for the sake of talks.
2) Create an environment conducive to meaningful dialogue.
3) It is essential to break the cycle and ensure that this time things will truly be different.
4) Engage in substantive and results-oriented negotiations that can lead to a comprehensive settlement.
5) Seek agreement from all parties involved for the appointment of a UN envoy.
[This op-ed was first published in Kathimerini's printed Sunday edition and translated from its Greek original]
