THE EU MEMBERSHIP OF A LOOSELY CENTRALISED 'FEDERAL' CYPRUS: A STRATEGY OF COOPERATION AND CONFLICT-MITIGATION

Year 2002, Issue: 33, 209 - 230, 01.05.2002

H.tarık Oğuzlu

https://doi.org/10.1501/Intrel_0000000059

Abstract

THE EU MEMBERSHIP OF A LOOSELY CENTRALISED 'FEDERAL' CYPRUS: A STRATEGY OF COOPERATION AND CONFLICT-MITIGATION

Abstract

As the time approaches for the European Union to decide on themembership of the Island, the current ambiguous approach of the EU doesnot seem to offer to parties credible incentives to come to settlement.Instead, performances of the all interested parties so far have demonstratedthat the 'cooperation-promoting, conflict-mitigating' character of the EU'saccession process has not yielded the expected result. This paper argues thatif the EU's current Cyprus policy leads to an early membership of the GreekCypriot part of the Island as representing the whole Island, the risks tosecurity and stability in the region would escalate. It further suggests thatthe EU needs to reconsider its current approach and needs to advocate theEU membership of a loosely centralised federal Cyprus

Keywords

Cyprus, European, Union, Cyprus Problem, Federalizm.