Turkish Cypriots Urge for Immidiate Solution
Below is the common declaration by the 86 NGOs.
The Common Vision of the Turkish Cypriot Civil Society:
We support the direct talks aimed at finding a political settlement in Cyprus and the European Union membership of the new Partnership State that will be formed with the solution.
The fact that the Cyprus problem remains unresolved effects the Turkish Cypriots adversely and leads to large-scale emigration. In order to solve our problems, we need a solution to the Cyprus problem and EU membership.
The Cyprus problem must be solved before the end of year 2002. Currently, conditions are more conducive to settle the Cyprus issue than ever before.
After the end of the year 2002, the chance for Turkish Cypriots to reach an agreement based on equality and obtain the right for equal representation in the European Union will be lost.
If a solution is not reached by the end of year 2002, and the Greek Cypriots achieve unilateral EU membership, Turkish Cypriots together with the people of Turkey will bear the greatest costs.
"Solution and European Union membership" in Cyprus will eliminate one of the most difficult problems in front of Turkey's EU membership, which is the most important project of the people of Turkey after the War of Independence.
The solution of the Cyprus problem will enhance Turkey's relations with the European Union and will make it easier for a date to be given to Turkey to start the accession negotiations.
The main criteria for a solution:
- The establishment of a new Partnership State that will have specified responsibilities and use of sovereignty, based on the political equality of the sides.
- The establishment of component states (component state / constituent state) with equal rights, one in the north and one in the south of the island, each with its own specified responsibilities and use of sovereignty.
- Transfer of those use of sovereignty required by the European Union membership.
- The formation of a solution as a package, whereby the Treaty of Guarantee is preserved.
- The new Partnership State should have effective legislative, administrative and judicial structure, sufficient enough to carry out its relationships with the European Union, with single international legal identity.
- The settlement of the land and property issues in Cyprus should be in a way that will not give rise to new refugees, at a large scale.
We, as the Turkish Cypriot Non Governmental Organizations, believe that it is possible to solve the Cyprus problem by the end of year 2002 and achieve EU membership. "Solution and European Union membership" in Cyprus will carry the
Turkish Cypriot people to a bright future and eliminate one of the most difficult problems facing Turkey's EU membership, which is the most important project of the people of Turkey after the War of Independence.
Reaching a mutually acceptable and lasting solution in Cyprus followed by EU membership for the whole of the Island means investment, production, employment, science and technology, and social security. It means increased freedoms, prosperity and security.
It means the end of emigration and return of our citizens living abroad. It means the end of our isolation from the rest of the world. Given the situation that we are in right now, it is not possible to solve our problems by working harder and making more sacrifices. For this goal we need a transformation. The name of this transformation is "Solution and European Union membership".
Economic situation: As the Turkish Cypriot people, we are living through very difficult times. Economic measures unsuitable for the Turkish Cypriot social fabric, embargoes, the deterioration of workers' rights and benefits because of mismanagement of the economy, problems with illegal workforce, unregistered economy, inflation, banking crises, devaluations, problems in transportation and communication, the inability of our country to get its share from the world tourism markets, inability to find markets to sell our products, high taxes, unfair competition environment, the high prices of energy and other input factors have steadily worsened our economic condition, creating an atmosphere within our society of unhappiness and hopelessness about the future.
The income level of the people is constantly going down with the high inflation. Everyday, we are becoming poorer and unable to pay for our basic needs such as food, health and education. Claiming that they were amending the unfair retirement regulations, an amount of about two trillion TL were transferred to about twenty politicians, while maintaining that there was lack of resources to give increases to those at lower income levels. Our youth, whom we educate by spending a lot of funds, have been migrating because of our inability to create employment for them. Losing our youth means losing our future.
The fact that thousands of our workers go to the Greek sector everyday to work is another indicator of the dire situation that our economy has been brought into. Our farmers, animal grazers, artisans, craftsmen, industrialists, traders,people dealing in tourism and our businesspeople are having tough times with high interest rates and sequestrations and penalties, consequently many businesses are having to shut down.
The countless number of suggestions we have made as the Non Governmental Organizations to the government for structural reforms have been constantly ignored. The fact that the Cyprus problem remains unresolved has an adverse effect on our economic, political, administrative and social activities.
The Cyprus problem must be solved before the end of year 2002. By the end of year 2002, the applications for membership of ten countries including "Cyprus" will be finalized at the Copenhagen Summit. Either there will be a solution in Cyprus by the end of the year and the new Partnership State will be a EU member or Greek Cypriots will become a member in the name of whole of Cyprus.
Since the enlargement process carries great importance for the EU, the membership of the ten candidate countries will take place as a single package treaty and single voting. With the existence of Greece, even if there is no solution on the island, the one-sided accession of the Greek Cypriots will take place as long as they are perceived as the flexible side.
We consider the negotiations taking place to solve the Cyprus problem, as the last chance. We call out to all the politicians that we authorized to represent us to listen to our views. As the civil society, we want and we expect a solution to the Cyprus problem and European Union membership.
We believe that the Turkish Cypriot society deserves a democratic, modern, and accountable government. Whatever our political preferences are, we see our future in the European Union, under acceptable conditions and with the solution of the Cyprus problem.
If the Cyprus problem is not solved by the end of the year 2002 and the Greek Cypriots one-sidedly enter the EU, Turkey-EU and Turkey-Greece relations will deteriorate, Turkey's and TRNC's economies will worsen and the people of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots will become poorer. Changing this pressing situation requires us neither to give up our right of self-governance nor to give up our political equality and co-founder partnership rights provided to us by the Agreements establishing the 1960 Cyprus Republic.
Current suitable external conditions make it highly probable to reach a solution that protects our rights and guaranties our security with the Treaty of Guarantee, which all sides can accept, before the end of this year. During this period, if we do not fulfil our duties and keep on being perceived as the intransigent side, the Greek Cypriots would become a EU member as the"Cyprus Republic" . In this situation, when that inevitable day comes, the Greek Cypriots will have unacceptable demands in Cyprus in order to ratify Turkey's membership to the EU and hence employ their policies to annul Turkish Cypriot's political rights stemming from international agreements.
The Properties of the Partnership State: The new Partnership State should have effective legislative, administrative and judicial structure, sufficient enough to carry out its relationships with the European Union, with single international legal identity.
As a result of a solution and European Union membership, the exercise of sovereignty in a three-layer model, i.e. some sovereignty competences used by European Union's capital Brussels, some used by the Partnership State and the remaining resting in the equal Component States (component state / constituent state), should be applicable.
It should be assured that external relations, relations with the EU, the management of fiscal and monetary policies would be the responsibility of the Partnership State and that the parties will not be asking for two separate and sovereign states. The Belgian model of state can provide an acceptable framework.
The United Nations and the international observers are complaining that direct negotiations aimed at finding a solution to the Cyprus problem are continuing at a slow pace. It has been expressed verbally and in writing by these international observers that; a Partnership State based on political equality and this state becoming an EU member, with shared competences based on common sovereignty, and with a new flag, new anthem, a new name and specified responsibilities, will be formed in a package together with component states (component state / constituent state) of north and south of the island, which will have their own defined sovereignty competences and parliaments whereby the Treaty of Guarantee will be extended to cover each of these states and this type of structure will be accepted by the EU as well.
We hope that the negotiating leaders understand the advantages of reaching this conclusion and the risks of failing to do so.
The conditions to solve the Cyprus problem are more favourable now than ever before. Issues such as land and exchange of property should be discussed as soon as possible. Time is limited. The problems should be solved before the European Union's Copenhagen Summit starting on December 11th, 2002. The Turkish side should show the whole world with its performances and approaches that we are the side that wants a solution. This has not been accomplished until now, even though this is the only way the UN Security Council can be prevented from passing resolutions not in our favour.
The more that the insistent demands for peace come from the Turkish Cypriot people, the stronger our position will be at the negotiating table. We maintain that if all Turkish Cypriots, starting with the President, show to the entire world that we are the side that desire a solution; then foreign countries, politicians or diplomats will no longer be able to call us "intransigent" any longer. Some people are incredibly uncomfortable of the civil society voicing its opinions. They prefer a civil society that takes directives and acts upon instructions. We, as the civil society, will keep on generating ideas according to the needs and benefits of our country and our people; we will keep on talking and acting as a pressure group. In contemporary societies and especially in the European Union, that we aim to be a part of, the civil society is supported and promoted to create ideas and voice their opinions.
As a sign of goodwill, measures should be taken that would facilitate the contacts of the two societies. Opportunities to meet each other should be given to the people that would give life to the agreement, which will be signed. Bi-communal contacts bring benefits not harm.
We call out to the two leaders: It is a must that both leaders play a constructive role in the continuing negotiation period. The two sides should not hesitate in entering in give and take deliberations with self-sacrifices for a solution. A solution that will be reached at the end of the give and take period will bring great benefits to both sides. Thus, this will bring the dynamism of peace, co-operation and partnership to the Eastern Mediterranean.
This will contribute to the living, not only of the two peoples of Cyprus but also of the peoples of Turkey and Greece, that are bound to live next to each other by history and geography, in a peaceful atmosphere that the 21st century requires. If this opportunity is not grasped, it will not be possible for Cyprus to enter the EU as a new Partnership State.
The land and property problems in Cyprus should be solved in a way that would not create new refugees in large quantities. We believe that the land issue can be solved mainly through exchanges and compensations. Obtaining a one-sided EU membership would not bring happiness to the Greek Cypriot people. The division of the island, as the Greek side always fears, will be permanent. Not only the level of national income measures the quality of life but also with the stability and security of the environment that we live in.
We call out to the parties such as the USA, the UN and the EU that are influential over the Cyprus issue: Treat both parties equally. The solution of-the Cyprus problem would help improve relations between Turkey and Greece, improve Turkey-EU relations and help the enlargement process of the EU to be realized without any problems.
Furthermore, the solution of the Cyprus problem would mean the solution of a global instability problem beyond the region.
We believe that one of the key factors that will help the solution would be for the EU to give Turkey a date to start the accession negotiations as soon as they fulfil the necessary legislative work to satisfy the Copenhagen political criteria. To facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem, we call out to the EU to give a date to Turkey for the start of the accession negotiations, as soon as they fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria.
We hope that, the problems that are naturally faced in democracies can be resolved, in a manner that will brighten Turkey's future. For both the people of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people to create a modern welfare state, that have high living standards, respect for democracy, human rights and rule of law, the solution and the EU membership of Cyprus and the opening of the way of Turkey for EU membership are both needed.
Whatever the internal political developments there may be, we are sure that the common sense will be shown on two issues. The political part of the Copenhagen Criteria should be fulfilled and the Cyprus issue should not be used as a tool for internal politics. All the political parties should contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem by the end of the year, with feelings of responsibility and not with election considerations.
We call out to the Non Governmental Organizations of Turkey (NGOs): The funds provided by the taxes paid by the people of Turkey, who live under at least as worse economic conditions as we are, have not been used for the prosperity of the Turkish Cypriot people and have not been able to stop the economic recession in the TRNC.
We have watched with appreciation that in June, more than two hundred organizations have put forward Turkey's determination for EU membership. We are watching with appreciation, your similar determination and strong-will in fulfilling the Copenhagen Criteria and solving the Cyprus problem on time. In this issue, we want you to know that we are ready for any kind of co-operation and we wish to express our solidarity.
This is not the time to bring out the minor differences among us, but to unite our powers for"Solution in Cyprus and EU membership" . We, as the civil society, want the solution of the Cyprus problem and European Union membership. We expect the negotiations to continue for this goal and to obtain a result before the end of the year.
If the situation arises that the opposite side does not want a solution, it is the duty of the negotiating team in the meetings to have the international observers and the UN to clearly understand this, with no room for doubts. We are very sensitive towards the uninterrupted progress of the direct talks, which will shape our future.
For the contemporary values of democracy, rule of law, human rights, respect for minority rights, transparency, good governance and accountability; there is a need for strong and healthy NGOs that would not be under the influence of politicians. Researches show a direct correlation between the above-mentioned values and the economic prosperity.
We, as the Turkish Cypriots, in order to achieve the contemporary values mentioned above, and to increase rapidly our level of prosperity, wish to express once again that every party involved should do their best to reach a settlement by the end of the year. A settlement reached in good time will benefit every party involved but for the Turkish Cypriots, this will mean a matter of existence or non-existence, and for Turkey, to become a contemporary country is a must.
More than 70% of the people of Turkey see their future in the EU. More than 90% of the Turkish Cypriot people see their future in a"solution and European Union membership". The destiny of the Turkish Cypriot people and the people of Turkey will be determined at the negotiation table.
It is possible to fulfil this vital desire of the great majority of the Turkish Cypriot people and the people of Turkey, by the end of the year 2002. Nobody should doubt that we, as the Turkish Cypriot people, would put all our weight so as not to miss this historical opportunity. We are sure that the civil society in Turkey will show the same sensitivity on this issue.
It is our desire as the civil society that; a new Partnership State to be established that will have specified responsibilities and use of sovereignty, based on the political equality of the sides; component states (component state / constituent state) to be established with equal rights, one in the north and one in the south of the island, each with its own specified responsibilities and use of sovereignty; the formation of a solution as a package, whereby the Treaty of Guarantee is preserved; and the new Partnership State should become an EU member.
In the light of the ideas expressed above, we as the undersigned Non Governmental Organizations that cover a great majority of the Turkish Cypriot people, are determined that with a fair and permanent solution, we shall enter the European Union and shall prepare a bright future for our youth on this beautiful island.
We, as the Turkish Cypriot people, have made our decision: "We will solve the Cyprus problem and remove one of the greatest obstacles in front of the people of Turkey on their way to the European Union".
Organizations that Signed the Common Vision
Initiation for Peace and Democracy, Women's Movement for Peace, Press Labourer's Union, Trade Union Municipality Employees, International Transporter's Association, Contemporary Culture Association, Revolutionary General Work Union, Doğancı Producer's Association, Eastern Mediterranean University Academic Personel's Union, Electric Worker's Union, United Public, Cooperative, Agricultural & other Services &Crafts'Workers' Union, Photographers Working Group Association, Young Jurist Association, Youth Centre, Food and Packaging Producer's Association, Kyrenia Folk Art Association, Customs Worker's Union, Amateur Artists Association of Güzelyurt, Association of Improvement and Development of District of Güzelyurt, Association of Tradesman and Craftsman of Lefke and Güzelyurt, Association of Justice and Liberty, Folk Arts Association, Association of Hyper Blood-Pressure, Association of Traders of Construction Materials, Association of Life Support from Woman, Kemal Saraçoğlu Foundation for Children With Leukaemia and Fight Against Cancer, Cyprus Art Association, Confederation of Cyprus Unions, Cyprus Turkish Peace Association, Cyprus Turkish Municipal Labor Union, Association of Cyprus Turkish Dentists, Association of Cyprus Turkish Pharmacists, Cyprus Turkish Education Foundation, Cyprus Turkish Property Owners'Association, Chamber of Cyprus Turkish Craftsmen and Tradsmen, Cyprus Turkish Journalists Union, Association of Cyprus Turkish Shipping Agents, Cyprus Turkish Animal Producer's Association, Cyprus Turkish Physicians Trade Union, Cyprus Turkish Nurses Association, Cyprus Turkish Building Contractors Association, Union of Association of Chambers of Cyprus Turkish Engineers and Architects, Cyprus Turkish Secondary School Teacehers' Trade Union, Northern Cyprus Hoteliers' Association, Turkish Teachers' Union, Cyprus Turkish Advertising Association, Cyprus Turkish Artists and Writers Association, Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry, Association of Cyprus Turkish Doctors, Association of Cyprus Turkish Tekstile and Clothing Industry, Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, Cyprus Turkish, Protection of Consumer's Rights, Turkish Cypriot Association of University Women, Cyprus Turkish Booksellers and Publishers Association, Cyprus Turkish Managers Association, Cypriot Science Education Health and Solidarity Association, TRNC Businessmen Association, TRNC Ladies Hairdressers and Manicurists' Association, TRNC Retired Police Association Cooperative Workers' Trade Union, Cyprus Turkish Public Servants' Trade Union, Kutlu Adalı Foundation, North Cyprus Banks Association, North Cyprus Young Businessmens'Association, Junior Chamber North Cyprus, Association of TRNC Insurance and Reinsuarance Companies, North Cyprus Association of Socially Insured People, Nicosia Taxi Drivers' Association, Famagusta Turkish General Works' Union, Naci Talat Foundation, Famagusta Lorry Drivers' Association (Özkam transport Ltd), Cyprus Turkish Petroleum Trade Union, Association of Private Doctors, Association of Commemoration and Giving Life to Martyrs, Thalasamia Association, Agriculture Union, Cyprus Turkish Telecommunication Employees Union, Union of Tourism Employees, Turkish Workers' Trade Union Federation, Mediation Association, Mediation Association, Union of Veterinerian Physicians, Green Peace movement, Cyprus Turkish Construction, Wood and Public Service Workers'Union, Association of Patriotic Women. (NM)