Opinion
By Stachyologos
Given the government’s track record so far, it’s hard to know how seriously to take an initiative (call it a “proposal”? a “thought experiment”?) that kicks off with, “Nicosia is working toward the maturation of the necessary political conditions (!)...”
Yes, you read that right. When those mysterious “necessary political conditions” finally mature, the very ones the government is diligently nurturing, it will be hailed, no doubt, as a true upgrade for our country. Up to now, our “upgrades” have been…creative. We’ve been a “hub,” a “bridge,” or a “center.” An energy center, a cultural center, an educational center, a center for space diplomacy, a hub for Eastern Mediterranean air transport… At this point, we’ve officially run the category into the ground. So, once these conditions finally mature, we might become, or at least aspire to become, “a kind of NATO, or a kind of OSCE of the Middle East…”
Déjà vu: Takis Hadjigeorgiou
Let’s not forget that some time ago, former MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou floated a similar idea: establishing in Cyprus a UN-backed international organization dedicated to peace. As he explained back in early 2024, “My idea, assuming a solution is reached, is to set up a major international organization in Cyprus. One whose very name inspires a sense of security in everyone. And not only that. Such a move would push the process forward. Leaders at the negotiation table would act with more confidence, knowing that their country would host the headquarters of an international organization of this scale.”
Notice the qualifier: “assuming a solution is reached.” President Christodoulides’ proposal; does it come with the same caveat, or are we just winging it?
