As often it is said “size does not matter;” indeed the name of the governance system does not matter either. What matters is the name of the governance system of a country or functionality, accountability, effectiveness of governance in that country. Ever since Turkey moved to civilian governance after the 1980 coup that devastated the political culture and enabled wild opportunism to crawl in, the country has been discussing a possible presidential system.
“When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,” an ancient proverb of the Kikuyu people, a tribal group in Kenya, says in underscoring the bitter part of life. What is the fight in Cyprus? Are Cypriots the fighting elephants of the grass that has been so badly suffering from the consequences of the plans, designs and wild dreams of others for ages?
A British colleague, who has been following the Cyprus problem right from the start in 1963, once said the Cyprus talks were very much like a plane that smoothly takes off every 10 years before making a crash landing each time.
The latest round of Cyprus talks collapsed once again due to what Turkish Cypriots claimed were the “maximalist demands” of the Greek Cypriot side, and Greek Cypriots lamented the uncompromising position of the Turks. Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı has most probably earned the title of being “the saddest Cypriot.”
Is there significance in asking “If Turkey has lost its hope of becoming a member of the European Union, why should it compromise so much on Cyprus?”
Although Cypriots have gradually lost their matriarchal culture due to centuries of patriarchal impositions, mothers and wives remain sacrosanct on the island. In reality,
An awkward question, but can Turkey abandon the European Union? An even more awkward question: Shall Europe put an end to Turkey’s accession process?
The Mont Pelerin rendezvous of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders was slated to be an “end game” but it turned out to be an almost “game over.” Upon request of the Greek Cypriot leaders, the deadlocked talks were suspended for one week and are scheduled to resume, this time in Geneva, on Nov. 20.
What’s left in Turkey to make Turks with a democratic mindset believe that growing authoritarianism in the country is a seasonal phenomenon and that tomorrow will be a bright day for Turkish democracy? Unfortunately, not much.
