Foreign powers have no business criticising Papadopoulos

As a British subject in former government service and living in Cyprus, I am appalled by the report, entitled, “Top Brussels think tank: Tassos obstacle to solution”, attributed to the International Crisis Group (ICG) and published in the Cyprus Mail on August 21.

In the setting of upcoming elections set for Feburary 2008, President Tassos Papadoupoulus is subjected to constant criticism, by various international interest groups who fail to completely grasp key complexities of the Cyprus problem – or who chose simply to overlook selected issues that conflict with a range of external agendas and competing national policies.

As one of the founders of the modern Cypriot Republic, President Papadoupoulus chose not to encourage his constituency to vote in favor of the Annan Agreement, during a referendum slated to decide the fate of that Agreement – a draft memorandum which he inherited upon assuming the Presidency.

If my recollection is accurate, there were 17 major clauses in the agreement to which he took exception, and fortunately the Greek Cypriot citizens followed his guidance. Yet, having cast a few tears during a very emotional speech on the subject, he was heavily criticised for his stance.

However, had he not shown the leadership that he did, and if not repudiated in the referendum – the Annan plan would have been irreversibly enforced overnight, and as such the Cypriot Republic would have ceased to exist. For all intents and purposes, President Papadoupoulus saved us from the Annan plan!

Divided Cyrus has been compared, incorrectly, to British Hong Kong vs. China, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as East and West Berlin – the latter in the sense that we have not after 33 years forgiven or forgotten.

Let’s set the record straight – no comparison can be drawn. The basic fundamental issues here are not territorial claims, historically-set religious boundaries, or geopolitical flash points. Rather, the issue is the transition zone between occident and orient, between European Greece and the Anatolian gateway to Asia – and the upset in the regional balance that Turkey’s geopolitical influence in Cyprus poses as a threat to stability.

The President is correct in maintaining that, “dealing with the leader of the Cypriot Turkish minority – Talat – is analogous to reaching an agreement with Turkey.” Cyprus is a small country with powerful enemies who have partitioned it.

Imagine having to deal with these complexities on a daily basis as President. Regardless of what anyone says, secular or not, Turkey is a Muslim state with borders on the ex-Soviet Union and Northern Iraq’s rich oil fields! Just in case the rest of the world hasn’t noticed, the Greek majority in Cyprus is Christian Orthodox, church bells ring and we go to a church, and not to a mosque. Its Turkish minority on the northern side of the island does the opposite.

Thus, this critical balance between West and East, Occident and Orient needs to be preserved.President Papadopoulos has been repeatedly unfairly characterised as a hardliner or someone living in the past – simply for his efforts in protecting this balance by protecting the integrity of the Cypriot Republic from those who would destroy the stability which it imparts to a region that may best be described as a tinderbox.

Perhaps, if one would search for real prejudice against a Turkish minority, one should look north to the very Europe which is levelling these accusations against our President. In Germany, Turkish citizens (originally designated as Gastarbeiter) and other foreign immigrants are treated as second class citizens. Until recently, nationals of these countries could not gain citizenship, nor even could their children or grandchildren born in Germany, because citizenship remained determined by blood (ethnic origin) rather than soil (place of residence or birth).

Therefore, before our Northern European neighbours cast blame in our direction, perhaps they should clean up their own back yard and assist President Papadouplous in his quest to find a reasonable and accept solution for Cyprus instead of constantly critising him.