Cyprus Mail columnist proposes model for settling Cyprus issue
In Cyprus, a Cyprus Mail column author proposed an approach to settling the Cyprus issue. It provides for a rotating presidency, a mechanism requiring at least one positive vote from each community, and the deployment of a European Army on the island. According to the author, such steps should take into account the needs of Turkish Cypriots without creating problems for Greek Cypriots.
The column states that Cyprus has been in an anomalous political situation since 1963 and that, since 1974, one-third of the island has been under Turkish occupation, according to the author. The author also refers to the convergence of positions achieved during the talks in Crans-Montana.
Rotating presidency
The author believes that rotating presidents should be elected on the basis of a related political platform with shared goals and policies. At the same time, he proposes counting weighted votes across the entire island. In his view, this could give a comparative advantage to moderate candidates and remove extremist forces from the political processes of a federal bicommunal bizonal state.
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The author describes the mechanism requiring at least one positive vote from each community as a safeguard against decisions that could harm the other side, particularly in the economy or environmental sphere. He notes that approximately 75% of Cyprus's legislation as an EU member state originates in Brussels. The remaining rules, in his view, could be secondary legislation within the framework of primary law and be shaped by presidential decrees in each constituent state.
Security and confidence-building measures
To guarantee the security of all Cypriots, the author proposes deploying a European Army at the Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos bases, currently used by the United Kingdom and which, in his view, could be permanently transferred to the European Union. He proposes including in such a contingent military personnel permanently serving in the National Guard, a corresponding number of Turkish Cypriot military personnel, 950 Greek military personnel, 650 Turkish military personnel under a special arrangement, and British soldiers.
The author opposes the demilitarization of the island and the slogan of zero troops and guarantees. Among possible confidence-building measures after a comprehensive agreement is reached, he named the restoration of 1960 place names, as well as the reintroduction of Greek, Turkish, and English as Cyprus's official languages.
