The Cyprus issue – many obstacles to overcome

The 1974 coup attempt by Greek Cypriot nationalists and the Turkish army invasion that followed still casts its shadow over the divided island of Cyprus today. Unless a solution is found it will continue to darken people's lives and the dividing line that runs through the landscape like a scar, won't get a chance to heal. But now the Cyprus problem is once more back on the agenda, with the continuing talks between the North and the South. We talk to Arne Strand from the Norwegian Peace Research organisation PRIO about the current situation and what hope there is for a reunification.

By Camilla Kaas Stock

How do you think the talks are going?

"It really depends on who you talk to at the moment, but if there is to be a solution to the Cyprus problem, then 2009 is the year that offers the best chances. The presidents on both sides want to find a working agreement and there is currently pressure on Turkey to resolve the problem to help clear a way for them to enter into the EU."

What are the biggest obstacles that stand in their way?

"The situation is of course very complicated, but the land and property issue as well as what sort of government there will be, are perhaps the hardest issues to be resolved."

PRIO, International Peace Research Institute Oslo was established in June 1959 and has since then been engaged in the promotion of peace through conflict resolution, dialogue and reconciliation, public information and policymaking activities.
PRIO was requested to become involved in trying to create dialogue in Cyprus in 1997 and PRIO Cyprus Center was established in Nicosia after the 2004 referendum where the North voted yes and the south voted no to a reunification of the island.
Arne Strand, who worked with conflict resolution in Afghanistan, has been working there for two years.

How would the property issue be resolved?

"It will be a question of compensation, but there will also have to be some return of land to previous owners. This will of course have consequences for the whole island as land was abandoned on both sides in 1974."

What about a political solution, what do you think the outcome of the talks will be?

"It is very hard to know at the moment with both parties holding on to their position, but the most difficult issue is, if there is to be a solution, what sort of government there will be, and if there is to be a federation then what sort of powers will the central government have. There is of course also the possibility that there won't be an agreement, and in this case there might be a total separation.
The North is in a much weaker position both politically and economically and they are currently totally dependent on Turkey to sustain their economy. The fact that the South is a member of the EU puts them in a very strong position, with the power to veto any issues related to the North, even down to blocking football games. "

In PRIO's own research they have looked at four possible outcomes of the talks. The solution could be a bizonal bicommunal federation, a two state solution, a functional federation with a loose bizonality, or it could be a stale mate and a continuation of the current status quo.

So what effect has the decision to let South Cyprus into the EU in 2004 with a disputed border had on the negotiations?

"In PRIO we have to be unbiased and not take any sides. Our task here is to do research and to contribute to an informed debate, so we concentrate on the way forward as this is more constructive than dwelling on the past. But privately I might say that the decision was not the wisest and perhaps it was a missed opportunity."

There are fears that the newly elected Turkish Cypriot nationalist party UBP could cause problems for the ongoing negotiations. What effect do you think this will have?

"Of course it could complicate the talks further now that president Talat's own party the CTP is out of the government. His term is ending in April next year and this adds to the time pressure."

How do the population feel about a possible reunification?

"We have found during our research that the older men that fought in the conflict leading up to 1974 are much more forgiving and willing to find a way forward. This is probably because they saw atrocities done on both sides and know that no one were blameless in the conflict. The women of that generation, on the other hand, are much less forgiving. They lost loved ones and carry the hurt and anger with them and this has transcended the gap down to their children's generation."

Ayla Gürel

As a Turkish Cypriot, Ayla Gürel, who works at PRIO focusing on property issues, was initially for a reunification if the island. Now she can see all the difficulties this would entail.

"The differences between the two sides are huge and the whole issue is so complicated. I think if there is to be an agreement there has to be a third party involved in the talks. They won't be able to settle this on their own. The government in the south looks at this as an issue they have with Turkey and there is a slogan at the moment ‘Solution for Cyprus by Cypriots', but can there be such a thing? I am not so sure."

What about the previous talks leading up to the 2004 referendum? Here the North voted for a reunification, while the South rejected it. Still South Cyprus was let into the EU despite having a disputed border. Do you think this has complicated the situation?

"It was very wrong of the EU to let South Cyprus in before the problems had been resolved. The Annan Plan, which was the basis of the failed talks, was widely accepted by the Turkish Cypriot people, who felt on the whole it was pretty fair.

People here still desperately want a solution so they can join the rest of the world and free themselves from the reliance on Turkey. They want to govern themselves and now there are more talks of a separation then there is of whether there should be a federation or a confederation. Perhaps it isn't such a bad idea to explore this further. It might make people realise that a full separation entails just as many complex issues that would need to resolved and perhaps it is even more complicated. Whichever way it goes there is a difficult path ahead for Cyprus. All the issues are so complex and people often say the more they know the less they understand."

What about the property issue and the Orams case ruling?

In 2004, a British couple David and Linda Orams, were taken to court by a Greek Cypriot, from the south of the island, who laid claim to their house by ‘pre-74 rights'. A Greek Cypriot Court found in favor of Mr Apostolides and ordered the house to be demolished and the couple to pay damages or lose their house in the UK. It all became big news when Cherie Blair QC, human rights lawyer and wife of Tony Blair, the former prime minister of Britain, took their case and won in the High Court in London. The Greek Cypriot appealed to the ECJ (European Court Of Justice) who issued their ruling on the 28th of April backing Mr. Aporstolides claims to the land, the rights of a Greek Cypriot court to decide on property issues in the North and that a ruling by one EU member state can be enforced in another member state. The Orams are now taking the issue back to the Court of Appeals in the UK.

"I did expect this to be the outcome, but I was still a bit surprised at how lightly they seemed to take it. For a while it may have a bad effect on the property market here which is depressed anyway, but this will go back to the Court of Appeals in England, so it isn't the end of it."

What about all the different title deeds, when you read up it seems that with the Turkish Cypriot government standing as guarantor for the land, it should be pretty safe to buy here?

"Reading on various web-sites can be very misleading. The whole land issue is very complex and even though the government here say they guarantee the land, this is easier said than done. Their intentions might be good, but in reality this promise might be hard for them to keep. The only safe title deeds are Pre 74 Turkish or Foreign title, because there is no dispute on this land. My advice to people is not to buy previously owned Greek Cypriot land."

In the South people seem to be buying property without worrying too much, but there must be disputed land there too, with Larnaca and Paphos being big Turkish communities before 1974?

"Of course there is. In fact the whole land issue in Cyprus is one big mess. In the South people were given previously Turkish owned land and properties to build on and live in, but the government there still stands as owner of the land. While in the North, Greek owned land was given in compensation for land lost and ownership in most cases was transferred to the new owner."

The North is economically totally dependent on Turkey, but with Turkey's accession talks to enter into the EU, won't this put pressure on Turkey to get the situation resolved?

"Well Cyprus isn't the only problem hampering the accession into the EU for Turkey, but the talks are definitely being poisoned by the whole Cyprus issue, so of course this might put some pressure on them."

So, on a personal level, are you feeling hopeful at the moment that there is a solution in sight?

"No I am sorry to say I don't hold out much hope. I think that a reunification will be difficult now because of all the problems that have to be overcome. Also since the referendum and yes vote in 2004, the gap between the two sides has widened and bridging that void might be too difficult. So, in other words, I am feeling pretty pessimistic."

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