Searching a Beneficial Way Out from the Impasse: The Cyprus Problem and Turkish Foreign Policy

Abstract

This article examines critically the developments pertaining to the Cyprus issue in 2009. Turkish authorities gave genuine support to the Cyprus negotiations and insisted that a solution should be concluded and voted on in referendums in 2009. They considered it vitally important that the Turkish Cypriot side should stay at the negotiating table and the Turkish side should not be held responsible for the ongoing stalemate. Promising steps were taken regarding confidence-building measures while some progress was achieved in major issues. However, no agreement came out on the election of Turkish representatives by their people; the issue of property remained a Gordian knot and the sides continued to have contrary views on the 1960 treaties and Turkey’s guarantee. The Turkish government did not open its harbors and airports to the Greek Cypriot administration in 2009 since the EU promise of removing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots was not fulfilled. Turkish leaders announced that Turkey would choose Cyprus if it was forced to choose between the EU and Cyprus

Keywords

• Turkey’s Cyprus policy, Cyprus negotiations, Turkey’s EU membership process.

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