North and South Academics Urge For Talks
* The submission of the plan for the solution of the Cyprus Problem by the UN Secretary-General brings Cyprus to a most critical phase in its history. As members of the academic community, conscious of the need for open dialogue, we would like to express our view on the current developments.
* The political conditions in Greece and Turkey, in conjunction with our European aspirations, have never been so favorable for a solution of the Cyprus Problem in the interest of all. It is doubtful whether we will ever have such an opportunity again. At this historic juncture we, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots along with all the communities in Cyprus, are called to decide upon a future that can create the conditions of peace, security and prosperity for all.
* It is clear that the proposed plan does not fully satisfy either of the two sides. But no plan could ever accomplish this. We believe, however, that the plan makes a unique effort to take into consideration the interests of both sides, and can provide the base that could lead to a balanced solution. It is also clear that in adopting this plan, difficult compromises are immediately demanded from both sides. In the long term, however, the proposed plan can work to enhance the lives of all concerned, by creating the preconditions for cohabitation and co-operation. The simultaneous entry into the EU provides an added contribution for the creation of a multicultural and just state of affairs that we aspire towards.
* The proposed polity is based on the principles of political equality and decentralization within a sovereign independent state. Many countries worldwide have adopted this type of polity while others are moving in this direction, as a more equitable form of governance from the traditional model of the unitary "nation-state". Principles of political equality already characterize many European states with deeply established democracies, especially ethnically fragmented states that adopted the principle of "unity within diversity". The idea of decentralization has become one of the fundamental principles of the EU, aiming towards the establishment of fuller autonomy and social justice.
* For any polity to function, especially one that institutionally establishes co-dependency, the demonstration of a mutual desire for co-operation and of mutual trust is vital. The plan's principles cannot by themselves guarantee that future problems will not arise, as no plan ever could. If both sides demonstrate the necessary goodwill, the conditions for co-operation will have every possible chance to emerge that will transform the political landscape of Cyprus. In order to create these conditions we have to overcome a heavy legacy of division and mistrust. This could be the biggest challenge we will be called to face.
48 academics
Athanasia Anagnostopoulou, Ahmet Adalıer, Bekir Azgın, Hülya Akbil, Stelios Georgiou, Dilek Behçeoğulları, Mehmet Çağlar, Hamit Caner, Andreas Demetriou, Omiros Dionysiou, Barış Emin, Ugur Dağlı, Hüseyin Demirel, Fatoş Erozan, Sylvain Gautier-Kizilyurek, Ulaş Gökçe, Ayla Gürel, Fatma Güven Lisaniler, Hasan Hacışevki, Ahmet Hıdıroğlu, Panagiotis Thanasas, Yiannis Ioannou, Joseph Joseph, Altay İstillozlu, Cafer Kızılörs, Niyazi Kizilyurek, Kostas Konstantinou, Leonidas Kiriakides, Ceasar Mavratsas, Mustafa Mehmetçik, Biran Mertan, Berna Numan, Derya Özcan, Yiannis Papadakis, Nikos Papamichael, Timos Papadopoulos, Andreas Papapavlou, Athanasios Raftopoulos, Eleni Stavrou, Cemil Sarıçizmeli, Berna Serener, İbrahim Sezai, Stavros Tombazos, Rasime Uyguroğlu, Hatice Vudalı, Maria Hatzipavlou, Kostas Hristou, Mine Yücel.(NM)