Either insane or a simpleton!

Andrew Mango, who died not long ago, was one of the historians held in high esteem by the Turkish public. May he rest in peace. His book about Ataturk was read with great interest in Turkey. Before the Annan Plan referendums in 2004, Mango went to Cyprus and spoke at conferences. His purpose was to warn Cypriot Turks of the risks of war. The then Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation met with Mango....

Afterwards, Mango was in shock. He explained the situation as follows: "Turks have quickly forgotten the atrocities committed against them. Peace in Cyprus was secured by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkish Army. If these two supporting factors collapse, no one will be able to stop the resulting clashes. Those who think that they will be able to live as before are either insane, simpletons or have hidden motives. The Annan Plan was a plan for war!".

If we’re discussing the idea of international law, then surely it’s explicit that only united states exist. Federated states mean the voluntary sharing of sovereignty. The Greek Cypriots, while undertaking negotiations on the premise that they support a federal solution in Cyprus, meanwhile secretly wish for a united Cyprus entirely under their control.

Under these conditions, it would be suicide to give up on the idea of political equality between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities. Those who compromise and try to inflate insignificant gains are fooling no one but themselves. In 2014, the then United Nations Cyprus representative Lisa Buttenheim, brought to public attention an agreement between the leaders of Turkish and Greek Cypriots. This agreement noted that the only solution to the Cyprus problem was the establishment of a federation.

The UN General Secretary’s report (8 March 1990, S/21183) and the UN Security Council’s 716 decision mentions the importance of "political equality" by stating that a federation constitution must be approved by both communities in Cyprus, with both side’s governmental organs implementing necessary governmental decisions in an effective manner. It continues that the potential federation government will prevent decisions being taken against the interests of the communities on the island and that both federal states will be equal, with the same governmental authority.

The "two communities" term written in the Geneva Declaration of 30 July 1974 is as follows, “The Ministers (Foreign Ministers of Turkey, United Kingdom and Greece) noted the existence in practice in the Republic of Cyprus of two autonomous administrations, that of the Greek Cypriot community and that of the Turkish Cypriot community.”

Likewise, the term "two communities" is mentioned in the United Nations General Secretary’s report dated 8 March 1990 as “each federated state will be administered by one community which will be firmly guaranteed a clear majority of the population and of the land ownership in its area.” With such a clear decision, it is difficult to see how the Greek Cypriots could accept this given their ulterior motives.

Additionally, the Turkish National Security Council gathered on 5 April 2004 to discuss the Cyprus issue. Releasing a statement to the press, the NSC pointed to a potential solution being the implementation of the primary law decisions of the European Union.

Those without a strategy are bound to fail. Our concerns are heightened when we see what Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci and his fellow politicians are willing to accept. We see that they lack a strategic vision and have not even examined the documents and legal decisions which are in our favor.

The foundation stone of a solution to the Cyprus problem, in other words our "red lines", should along the lines of ‘two separate people, two separate democracies, the institutionalization of two communities, political equality, the foundation of a new state on the basis of partnership, two founding states existing in equality, the continued implementation of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, and the implementation of European Union primary law.”

Isn’t that enough? You go on your road, and I’ll go on mine. If the Cypriot Turks manage to keep the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in existence, they could be one of the most prosperous societies in the world in the coming years.