Yesterday, I followed the press conferences held by both CTP-BG and DPUG. The press conferences gave me the opportunity to learn why the negotiations between the two parties had ended negatively and how they had proceeded.
Before going into the details of my article, I should point out that the comparison I am going to make is not about the parties’ political stances! It is about how the parties perceive their own balance of power.
CTP-BG’s assertion of its strength by pointing to the election results, and DPUG’s thesis of equal effectiveness, brought the Cyprus negotiations to mind.
In the ongoing Cyprus talks to establish a federal structure, the Greek Cypriot side is trying to pull the federal structure toward a “unitary” one and grant the Turkish side minority rights, while the Turkish side is resisting this and trying to pull the federal structure toward a “confederal” one to secure its rights. It is like a tug-of-war… As a result, the negotiations go on and on.
It seems that, just as in the Cyprus negotiations, the coalition talks are proceeding on the basis of partnership. But according to DPUG, CTP-BG is keeping all the power in its hands and says it will not accept minority rights being granted to them. CTP-BG, meanwhile, says that sharing power in proportion to each party’s strength would be fair, and that DPUG is making demands beyond its strength. Does this rhetoric remind you of anything?
Just as in the Cyprus negotiations, it is impossible for parties in these positions to make progress and form a partnership. The parties can reach an outcome only by taking reciprocal steps back. We have not seen this in the Cyprus problem. But it is certainly possible in the coalition talks. The parties will decide…
Whatever happens, the country needs both a solution and a government. I think the parties can at least resolve the government side of things by taking steps back. Could this way of reaching a solution set an example for the Cyprus problem? Perhaps it is utopian, but at least it could offer an idea of what needs to be done in the negotiations.
Cyprus History Museum
Those who follow my columns know that I do not usually write about institutions. However, during a conversation with Serhat Akpınar at GAÜ the other day, an exciting project came up, and I cannot help but mention it.
GAÜ will soon be bringing to life a project of great importance to our country and our history. The project is a museum that will have a large area devoted to the history of Cyprus. When it is completed, our country will have gained a splendid museum featuring traces of the Turkish presence in Cyprus since 1571. Mr. Akpınar and I had the opportunity to tour the construction site, which is nearly complete, and my excitement grew even more. I congratulate GAÜ and its administrators for their dedication.