Geography
is Destiny: Cyprus and the Fate of the Eastern Mediterranean
June 25, 2003
By The Hon. George Iacovou
The accession of
Cyprus to the EU, while of critical importance to the Cypriot people, is
also part of a far larger and constructive dynamic affecting the stability
of the region as whole. EU
enlargement is a cornerstone of a post-Cold War era of peace, security and
cooperation extending to Europe’s eastern and southern flanks.
A united and free Europe, a goal that the U.S. has long supported,
offers the promise of consolidating the values of democracy, individual
rights, free markets and the rule of law in an ever-growing sphere.
It also strengthens the transatlantic relationship characterized by
cooperation rather than antagonism.
Cyprus’s EU
membership is mutually beneficial: clearly, it will provide benefits for
Cyprus; at the same time, it will serve to expand the global reach of the
EU, while enhancing regional stability and integration.
In addition to giving Europe a stronger foothold in the Eastern
Mediterranean region, Cyprus brings to the Union a thriving economy, a
significant international maritime reach, and a strong partner in the
international campaign against terrorism. Harder to quantify, but of
invaluable worth in today’s multicultural world, we bring to the EU a
unique ethnic and cultural mosaic and an understanding of how nations can
find commonality in their diversity.
There is a truism
that, for better or for worse, geography is destiny.
For Cyprus, this has been the case virtually since the beginning of
recorded history. Located at
the crossroads of three continents, Cyprus has historically been a center
of trade and a meeting place for different cultures.
Now, fast-forward to the 21st century: from the Western
perspective, Cyprus is the gateway to the Middle East and the guardian of
the southern and eastern flank of Europe, while, from the viewpoint of
Middle Eastern countries, Cyprus can be a vital link to the West.
The benefits of
this visionary extension of Europe can also advance important U.S. policy
goals in the region. Given
its strong relations with the Middle East, including Israel and North
Africa, Cyprus is now poised to contribute to the political, social and
economic development of the entire region.
For the U.S., Cyprus will continue to be a reliable friend and
partner in its efforts to promote stability and development in this part
of the world – with the enhanced status and clout that EU membership
will afford.
The accession of
Cyprus to the EU can serve as a catalyst not only for the solution of the
Cyprus problem, but also for the role of Cyprus as a European outpost in
the region. Cyprus’s role
in the war against terrorism, its instrumental role in the de-escalation
of the tense situation between the Palestinians and the Israelis at the
Church of Nativity last year, its role as a base for UN inspections in
Iraq and currently its role as a regional coordination center for the UN
humanitarian mission in Iraq provide a partial view of the added value
that Cyprus brings to the regional political map. Cyprus’s role in this
respect will be enhanced and cemented through our active participation in
the organizations and activities of the European Union.
Through the assumption of a leadership position in the framework of
the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, the Republic of Cyprus will actively
seek a prominent position in facilitating peace and political stability in
the region, while using its diverse know-how and multifaceted links with
the countries in the area to contribute to their economic and social
development.
The
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or the Barcelona process as it is also
known, is a crucial factor for the stability and prosperity of the region
it embraces, the region Cyprus finds itself at the very heart of.
This has become more apparent now that the EU is a family of 25 and
the Partnership has 35 participant states, covering an even larger
geographic region and encompassing an even more diverse group of states
with differing backgrounds, cultures and political aspirations.
It is particularly important that the eight new EU members from
Eastern Europe, which did not traditionally focus on the Mediterranean,
are now being incorporated into this network and are becoming stakeholders
in its future stability. The
accession of Cyprus and Malta to the EU, plus the increased involvement of
the other new members, will serve to counterbalance the EU expansion to
the East, thus maintaining intact the important Mediterranean dimension of
the European Union.
We believe the
Partnership is the ideal forum to incorporate a process for fostering an
ongoing dialogue between cultures and civilizations. Cyprus brings unique credentials for this dialogue and is in
a unique position to assist in bridging any existing gaps and creating
momentum for a more integrated approach to the Partnership.
Cyprus’s
integration into the EU can also ultimately continue the trend toward
steady improvement in the relationship between NATO allies Greece and
Turkey. Greece has championed
Turkey’s EU membership. My
friend George Papandreou, the Foreign Minister of Greece, has expressed
the view that Franco-German reconciliation within the EU can serve as a
model for Greece and Turkey. That
may be difficult to imagine now, but just remember how unlikely
rapprochement between France and Germany must have seemed a half-century
ago – and how quickly it took hold.
Of course, the resolution of the Cyprus question figures
prominently in this important Greco-Turkish equation.
The prospect of further economic cooperation and development
between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey, three close neighbors, must not be
underestimated as a source of further political stability and prosperity
for our peoples.
We look forward
to the day when our Turkish Cypriot compatriots will be fully reintegrated
with the rest of Cyprus. We
consider the Republic of Turkey to be an important neighbor with whom we
desire normalized relations - political, economic and cultural.
Indeed, resolution of the Cyprus problem will enhance Turkey’s
own EU prospects. Among the
provisions that the EU has always attached to Turkey’s candidacy is that
Turkey act in good faith to resolve the Cyprus issue.
Given the difficulty of meeting some of the other requirements,
ending the occupation of Cyprus would actually seem to be one of the
easier steps for Turkey to take. It
would clearly generate enormous good will within the EU, and help to
smooth out the process of addressing the other issues.
The U.S. has long
supported Turkey’s EU candidacy. But
at this particular juncture, in a post-Iraq war situation whereby the
US–Turkey relationship has come out severely traumatized, it has become,
objectively, more difficult to promote Turkey’s candidacy.
Helping resolve the Cyprus problem will undoubtedly make Turkey’s
accession path easier and the job of those trying to help her simpler.
We recognize that
any eventual solution will be a compromise, but we firmly believe that the
compromise cannot be such that it will work against the functionality of
the solution. If the solution
is not functional, it cannot be viable, and if it is not viable, it will
not be permanent. It remains our primary objective to celebrate on May 1,
2004 the official accession of a re-united Cyprus with the expectation
that a reunited people will join hands to face the challenges ahead. By taking the bold step of EU membership, with strong
American encouragement, Cyprus proved that, while we are proud of our vast
history, we refused to be trapped by the recent past.
Let us hope that Turkish leaders will show themselves equally
willing to break free of the trap that they have set for themselves.
A united Cyprus
within Europe can only serve as a beacon of stability, security,
prosperity and multi-ethnic, multi-religious harmony, showing the way to
the entire Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The Honorable George Iacovou is Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus (http://www.mfa.gov.cy). This essay is adapted from remarks he gave to the Statesman’s Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.