Newsroom / CNA
Cyprus` membership to the EU in 2004 has not worked as a catalyst towards a solution of the Cyprus problem, former Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told CNA.
The former Minister recalled that the EU was the only one which offered to help Cyprus - be it on harsh terms - as the country`s economy all but collapsed in 2013.
Kasoulides said that Cyprus must continue being an active and reliable EU partner, something which will enable the country to have more demands as an equal partner within the Union.
In an interview to mark 14 years since Cyprus` accession to the EU, on the 1 May 2004, Kasoulides, who also served as an MEP, outlined various reasons to explain why EU accession was beneficial to Cyprus and said the EU must be protected since it is one of the bastions of democracy.
The international community found the excuse they wanted to free themselves of the ‘moral guilt’ they had regarding Cyprus
Asked whether he believes that Cyprus’ accession still works as a catalyst for a political settlement, he said that this is not the case today.
"Cyprus` accession to the EU, which, while initially was seen as a catalyst for the solution of the Cyprus problem, has proven in the course of time not to be a catalyst."
He added: "In order to be a catalyst, the EU and its member states had to sincerely intend to integrate Turkey into the EU and secondly, Turkey had to sincerely wish to join the EU.
And then, of course, this combination, together with our status as an EU member state, would work as a catalyst for the solution of the Cyprus problem."
However, Kasoulides said, in the long run, neither EU member states nor Turkey sincerely aims for Turkey’s EU membership.
He argued that if Turkey had a true interest in joining the EU, it would not have the human rights record it has today.
Kasoulides, who led the Foreign Ministry from 2013 - 2018, also referred to the UN-backed Annan plan for a solution of the Cyprus problem, that was rejected by the vast majority of the Greek Cypriots and approved by the Turkish Cypriots in 2004, a week before Cyprus joined the EU.
“Since 2004, as a result of the referendum – and I am not passing judgment...we offered an alibi to the international community, the other EU Member States and the USA who had been seeking to render the Cyprus problem an issue which the island`s two communities must solve, instead of seeing the situation as it actually is, namely a problem of invasion and occupation of a big country against a small country."
He said the international community found the excuse they wanted to free themselves of the ‘moral guilt’ they had regarding the situation in Cyprus and now they tell the two communities to find a solution that satisfies both sides.
“This is the reality today."
A sense of security
Kasoulides, an MEP from 2004 - 2013, said that despite that, there is a series of reasons why Cyprus had to become a member of the EU.
He said international cooperation is of vital importance.
Kasoulides referred to other advantages such as the sense of security, issues regarding the environment, health, immigration, equal opportunities, gender equality and safety standards in the workplace.
"There are a number of problems that we cannot tackle on our own, such as climate, migration, protection of the environment, health, food."
He believes the EU offers security, external and internal security clarifying that by internal security he means the field of justice and home affairs.
“For all those reasons we belong in the EU."
On the bailout, he said the EU was "too strict and tough with Cyprus back in 2013” referring to the haircut imposed on uninsured bank deposits.
But he agreed that Cyprus had ignored EU warnings relating to the economy and thus was faced with a mountain to climb.
He said Cyprus must continue being an active and reliable partner "because the more active and trustworthy you are, the more demands you have to be an equal partner with the same rights and responsibilities as all other member states".
