I will be brief. While formal discussions continue based on the 77-79 high-level agreements we need to offer an alternative channel to tCypriots, those tCypriots who feel that their "official" political will has recently been hijacked by Turkey via the illegal settlers, just as it was hijacked by extreme nationalists in the 50s and 60s. An alternative channel to express their ideas for going forward as well as to share with them how we ideally see our joint future. Turkey's recent grand posturing presents the perfect alibi, if at all such a need exists, for the Republic of Cyprus to initiate a parallel "informal" discussion with a different agenda, an alternative to allow for the expression of the minds and hearts of thinking-Cypriot-first tCypriots, of all Cypriots.
The new agenda must steer away from the BBF which perpetuates the ill-thought 1960 "equality" as well as the illegal and heinous consequences of 1974. It must concentrate instead on an agreement on the basis of a unitary state with elements of local and communal self administration on issues of low level politics. It's second pillar must be how to undo, with as much sensitivity as possible and as fast as possible, the awful repercussions of the invasion and the division. Such a bold initiative can yield amazing results by liberating healthy forces in the society regardless of ethnic origin.
Besides, it is just the international aspect of the problem that must be dealt solely under UN auspices. Cyprus can lead any initiative she sees appropriate in order to solve an internal issue, just as Turkey takes her own initiatives to address her own ethnic minority problem. Not taking the initiative is a sign of weakness, a shameful admission of "limited sovereignty". This is unacceptable when four out of five UNSC permanent members went out of their way to proclaim the Cyprus Republic's sovereignty in the recent right "to drill or not to drill" debate.
Sincerely,
Antifon
