GC's: Why it's time to end the 'Turkey shoot'

A strategy is normally judged by its end result. A successful strategy can be built upon while an ineffective one may be abandoned altogether. Thrashing Turkey with a stick diplomatically seems to be a strategy many British Greek Cypriot organisations have long favoured when dealing with Turkey. Terms such as ‘slamming, lambasting or even blasting Turkey’ are extremely but frighteningly common in written and spoken material issued by many Greek Cypriot organisations. But does this approach in dealing with Turkey work? Has it ever been rewarding? In truth is it really an approach at all?

TURKEY BASHING

For years I have observed the more nationalistic Greek Cypriot tabloids in London ‘blast’ Turkey on their pages while Greek Cypriot organisations have repeated the same line to the British government: “to act decisively to press Turkey to withdraw its occupying army.” ‘Pressuring’ as well as black mailing Turkey over its EU aspirations has been the core demand of Greek Cypriot mono-communal lobbying. But what has it produced?  When visiting the Foreign Office in London, one British diplomat informed me that there was no way Britain could ‘pressure’ Turkey – such diplomatic ‘sticks’ did not exist. Greece long abandoned such an approach and although it has not changed its position, it now engages with Turkey.

Yet only this week, Lobby for Cyprus, who conduct much of Greek Cypriot lobbying announced that it was calling a discussion in parliament about a new book: 'The Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish and Greek Cypriot Genocides and the Politics of Denialism' by Desmond Fernandes. The choice of discussion worried me….

If one’s aim is to antagonise Turkey then this action certainly fulfils that plan. As well as being an unrelated issue, the Armenian and Assyrian genocide issues, are fervently denied by Turkey and a major source of friction between Turkey and Armenia, and Turkey and the Assyrian Diaspora. Why would anybody transfer fuel intended for another fire and add it to this fire?

Like anger rushed out in a palpable wave; the suggestion of a Greek, Greek Cypriot and Kurdish ‘genocide’ too is nothing more than an unashamed attempt at both distorting history for one’s own political ends and engaging in Turkey bashing. What Greek Cypriot genocide was the organisers thinking of? Yes, the Cyprus issue is a shared injustice caused by multiple actors including Cypriots themselves but was there ever a genocide in Cyprus? According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, in total, some 133 Greek Cypriots and 191 Turkish Cypriots are known to have been killed in 1963 and 1964. The total number of Greek and Turkish Cypriot casualties in 1974 was near 6000, of which 2000 were reported as missing and the rest as killed. Can this combined figure which covers losses from paramilitary executions, inter-communal conflict, a coup d’etat and an invasion / intervention really be defined as genocide or casualties of war? Is the term genocide being used perhaps too liberally? Greeks, Turks and Cypriots have worn out the term ‘genocide’ I fear…

COUNTER ATTACK

Lobby for Cyprus’ strategy for dealing with Turkey does not appear to be one of dialogue at all but the concept of “your enemy is my friend.” But here’s the catch. Such acts nearly always produce counter attacks and accusation. When some Greek Cypriots adopt this strategy automatically some equally angry and bitter Turks and Turkish Cypriots react in their own way, making their own accusations. Like a vicious circle it never ends with both main Cypriot communities at each other’s throat. It serves no purpose at all except preserving ethnic hatred and offending a lot of people.

WHAT ABOUT PROGRESSIVE TURKS?

Such an approach itself is a crime against the peace process. Only this week Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for reunification of Cyprus as a federation of two communities. In a joint statement with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "A solution to the Cyprus problem, devised under the auspices of the United Nations, will be based on the realities on the island." It (talks) will lead to the creation of a new partnership (bi-communal, bi-zonal federation) based on two equal peoples and two founder states (constituent states). "We are hoping a date emerges from the July 25 talks for start to fully fledged negotiations," said Erdogan.

Any progressive Turkish Cypriot who has witnessed previous Turkish Prime Ministerial visits to Cyprus on the anniversary of 1974 will tell you that Mr. Erdogan’s speech was far from ordinary. Mr. Erdogan effectively gave the green light to the Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Talat’s efforts to carry on and negotiate a Cyprus solution with the backing of the Turkish government. This is a very significant development considering the political turmoil in Turkey, the boycott by opposition Turkish nationalists in the north of Cyprus and their attacks on the Turkish Cypriot leader who they claim has ‘sold Cyprus.’ Foreign media were quick to pick up on this development, yet media in the Republic of Cyprus did not.

NEW TURKEY STRATEGY NEEDED

Sadly, all too often, Turkish progressives are dismissed or worse ignored by Greek Cypriots. This originates from the past, some are so angry they feel the need to always attack Turkey as a whole. Others unaware of Turkish politics need updating. In the past, Greek Cypriots who faced Mr. Denktash often found that the Turkish government stood right behind him.

But times have clearly changed so strategies too must accommodate these changes. Turkey has developed politically and now has a progressive, pro-European government which has signalled on many occasions its support for a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation in Cyprus much to the demise of the deep state.

Were it not for the current Turkish government Mehmet Ali Talat would not have been the Turkish Cypriot leader. To win an election in the north of Cyprus is not enough, Turkey must endorse the winners before they can form an administration; the process is not automatic. Second, without a Turkish government that supports the peace process in Cyprus there would have been no re-opening of the Green Line, no technical committees or working groups, no joint statement and no peace process. Greek Cypriots would have found no Turkish Cypriot hand to shake were it not for Turkey’s progressive politicians.  Or would you rather deal with Denktash in power?

Dealing with Turkey requires as much diplomacy as skill in lobbying or languages. Emotions, personal grief, suffering and history aside, there are many good and decent Turks who want to see Cyprus and its people reunited. It is after all in the interests of Turkey too not to have Cyprus as an obstacle on her path to EU accession. With Erdogan backing a Cyprus solution, now there is an opportunity for progressive Greek Cypriots to engage with progressive Turkey. The benefits, economic, military and political for all parties are colossal. But one thing you can be sure of is that Turkey bashing serves no purpose other than pushing away natural allies of Cyprus in Turkey while creating a barrier between progressive Greek and Turkish Cypriots.