The Importance of the Cyprus Issue in terms of the Accomplishment of the ESDP

Authors Avatar

METU

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

IRS 3140558 The Making of European Security

Prof.Dr.Mustafa TÜRKEŞ

‘CYPRUS-TURKEY-EU TRIANGLE’

The Importance of the Cyprus Issue in terms of the Accomplishment of the ESDP

BURCU SEÇKİNER       1458595

April 2006


Abstract…………………………………………………………………………… 3

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….. 4

EU- TURKEY- CYPRUS TRIANGLE…………………………………………... 5

  1. History of the Conflict and the EU’s Intervention
  • Living in Disharmony
  1. Cold War Times………………………………………………………. 7
  • NATO vs. WEU
  1. Post-Cold War and the EU……………………………………………. 8
  • The transformation process of EU’s stance……………………….. 9
  • Helsinki Summit………………………………………………….. 11
  1. Positions of the Related Countries with regard to the Security Perspective of Turkey’s Candidacy and the EU’s Enlargement…………………… 12
  • Turkey’s Position
  • Greece’s Position………………………………………………….. 13
  • The European Union’s Position…………………………………… 14

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 15

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………. 16

                                ABSTRACT

The Cyprus issue is a matter of intense dispute between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots. It is also a major matter of dissension between Turkey and Greece, standing alongside other matters at stake between the two states in the Aegean, where disputed ownership of some craggy isle, or more substantially, bitter disagreements over territorial waters or oil prospecting rights, crop up from time to time, in what is an unresolved situation.

One of the reasons, perhaps the principal reason, for the Cyprus dispute is each side’s intense historical memory and conviction that history has done it an injustice. Cyprus, both directly and indirectly, has been of central significance in the development of a common European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Since ESDP acquired institutional shape at Cologne in June 1999 and assumed military ambitions at Helsinki in December 1999, one of the most serious problems has been that of associating with the project the non-EU members of NATO. These countries had previously been fully involved in European security and defence cooperation through the flexible structures and processes of the Western European Union (WEU). The de facto demise of WEU and the transfer of security competence to the EU effectively closed the door in the face of several key allies, notably Turkey. This paper aims to highlight the roles played by the main actors involved in the current debate in terms of the establishment of a peaceful settlement in the island as well as the accomplishment of the European Security and Defence Policy.


INTRODUCTION

With the end of the Cold War, the European Union (EU) started to play an active role in the evolution of the Cyprus problem. Though the United Nations has remained as the main international platform for the parties to proceed with the inter-communal negotiation process, the EU has unavoidably entered into the picture as the main international body whose attitudes have significantly affected the negotiation positions of the parties. This engagement of EU with the Cyprus conflict has various reasons  among which the security aspect carries the leading role with regard to the establishment of ESDP.

The resolution of the Cyprus dispute seems to have offered the EU a good chance to repair its tarnished image in the area of international security; as for the EU to become an international actor, a strong capability in the common foreign, defence and security policy is required, therefore, Cyprus has appeared as a good platform to perform this role. By this way, the EU could provide itself legitimacy for its course of actions, and, justification for its projection of its own security understanding to its peripheries.

Although the EU has always stood with the claim that it would accomodate any sort of settlement the parties reach without making any preference for the sake of any of the parties, the way it has acted has the potential of complicating the issue further. Firstly, the recognition of the Greek Cypriots as the sole sovereign authority being legitimate to carry out the accession talks with EU, and secondly its policy that the continuation of the conflict would not constitute a barrier before the membership of the Greek Cypriots had done nothing but to blur the water even more.

However, such an attitude may not be able to bring an everlasting solution to the problem as the Greek Cypriots may not feel the necessity to sit on the table for negotiation given that it has the ability to reach its aims on the grounds of the EU. It may also damage the motivation of the Turks and make them believe that the EU is not impartial on this issue, and this would eventually have its reflections both on Turkey’s aspirations for becoming an EU member and also the Turkish Cypriots’ encouragement for settlement of the dispute. In fact, the existence of the Cyprus dispute stands as one of the fundamental obstacles before the membership of Turkey and to overcome this dispute is of significant importance for Turkey not only politically but also economically.

Today, the position of Turkey upon the issue is that, while following the necessary path of accession negotiations, it keeps its NATO membership as the ultimate key to both open the doors and lock them for the unwanted entries; however, it is not as easy as it seems. Turkey’s being out of the the club inevitably costs her to make more concessions than the other party, and now it is far too late to expect the UN to prevent the EU from interfering into the dispute, which is normally under the jurisdiction of the UN.

The EU – Turkey – Cyprus Triangle

The European Union has the opportunity to play a constructive role in the resolution of the Cyprus conflict. On 4 July 1990, the government of the Republic of Cyprus applied for membership in the European Union. Since then, substantial legislative and economic reforms have been undertaken in Southern Cyprus to conform more closely to the requirements of the Union. The government of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has harshly criticized the EU candidacy and the prospect of accession because the application was filed and has been negotiated in its entirety, by the government of Southern Cyprus. However, the prospect of EU membership is attractive also to some Turkish Cypriot groups, with the idea behind that within the Union the human rights of the Turkish Cypriots will be better protected than before, and that the economic benefits from accession will ofset any losses resulting from a resolution. If the Union were able to reinforce these views and strengthen the position of those groups that sustain it, a resolution to the conflict in the near future would be more likely.        

Join now!

  1. History of the Conflict and the EU’s intervention

  • Living in Disharmony

The present Cyprus conflict began in 1963. It has passed through many phases, but always defying solution. Essentially the Greek Cypriot majority believes it has a right to a major voice in the government of the island. In their return, the Turkish Cypriots demand the right to govern themselves, or join with the Greek Cypriots in an equal partnership state. Each community, or people, has a long established stake in the island, though many Greek Cypriots have considered the island to be an essential part ...

This is a preview of the whole essay