Making an impression is part of the political game. But this becomes dangerous when it comes to the Cyprus issue because, to say the least, it undermines even the last glimmers of hope that remain for this people
When the government was creating the impression that we were in for a “hot summer” regarding the Cyprus issue, we noted that creating such impressions and the way our national issue was handled in the media not only failed to help but actually caused more problems. In fact, we pointed out that serious political issues such as the Cyprus problem are not resolved in a “vacuum,” as nothing in the political environment pointed toward substantive progress. Some interpreted this position as pessimism and, possibly, as a questioning of the opportunities that might arise from Guterres’s visit to Cyprus. Let us, however, view the situation with a level head and a genuine—rather than merely public relations-driven—attitude toward a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Since May, the President of the Republic has been working to create an atmosphere of rapid, imminent developments. In his interview with “Alpha” and Emilia Kenevezou, he did not rule out the possibility that the United Nations might present a comprehensive plan for a solution to the Cyprus problem. The announcement of Guterres’s visit to Cyprus seemed to confirm the President’s predictions and raise even stronger expectations regarding the possibility of significant developments. At that point, Nikos Christodoulides, seeking to raise the bar even higher and present himself as the politician who had brought about a real breakthrough in the impasse, stated that he himself would not be going on vacation and called on the political leaders to do much the same, because the days and weeks ahead would be particularly critical.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
And so we arrived at Guterres’s visit on July 27. It yielded no substantial results, resulting only in a vague announcement of a new five-party dialogue and a series of conditions that the government now disputes. And what’s next? The two leaders, who agreed to work hard in the little time we have left (and not to go on vacation), have managed to set their next meeting for August 26! That is, one month from now, essentially at the end of the official summer season. With the negotiators’ talks yielding no results and both sides essentially engaging in a premature blame game—realizing they’ll have nothing to show the UN Secretary-General in the near future.
President Christodoulides announced early on that he would not be taking a vacation so he could focus on the Cyprus issue. Such a statement gave the impression that he would be holding regular meetings with the Turkish Cypriot leader so that they could present some kind of result. The only outcome during this entire period has been the scheduling of a single meeting between them at the end of the summer.
We haven’t noticed that he himself attempted this and stumbled upon Erhurman’s refusal. Nor have we seen the anxiety in the President’s eyes as the hourglass runs out. We’re witnessing a general indifference on both sides to carrying out the summer assignment given to them by António Guterres.
It’s a shame about the vacation, Mr. President. After all, everyone is entitled to a few days of rest and relaxation. Why would you want to make a grand pledge that you won’t take a vacation this year because you’ll be dealing with the Cyprus issue every day? As we’ve said, making a splash is part of the political game. But this becomes dangerous when it comes to the Cyprus issue because, at the very least, it undermines the last glimmers of hope that remain for this people. Not to mention that you may have ruined the vacations of the political leaders you called on to be on standby to assist with the… grand effort of a single meeting with Erhurman at the end of the summer!
