Give mediated Bilateralism a chance to create a solution

Sir,
My first stay in Cyprus was before the invasion in 1973; I know the whole country from West to East and South to North. In those days on Cyprus Greek Cypriots with Greek roots and Turkish Cypriots with Turkish roots, each group with its own religion, churches and culture, were living in coexistence till 1974.

Neither Greek Cypriots nor Turkish Cypriots had provoked the invasion, but hidden international American and British driven interests. Even the Annan Plan was not constructed by Cyprus, but by international powers again. For me as a Swiss citizen, who learned a lot about democracy and federalism during 20 years’ of parliament work, the Annan Plan was unacceptable. Why?

1. The Cypriot citizens had to decide about a plan of several thousand pages within
only three weeks; no Swiss would accept such short voting time.

2. Foreign troops (in the North and in the South) on the territory of a sovereign
state and continuation of the British bases (which by the way owe Cyprus a lot of money)

3. No freedom to settle within the whole country for the population, though Cyprus
is a member of the EC, where this is one of the population’s main rights.
4. No clear solution in property aspects.

5. No answer about 1974 disappeared people.

I am convinced that only the bilateral way between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots (excluding the illegitimate settlers brought to the north) will bring Cyprus a solution in full sovereignty, freedom and peace. Let’s start active exchanges in economy, culture and sport. The population of Eastern Germany showed us how to do it. The “Bürgenstock” talks should go on; the Swiss governement is invited to get involved again and to act as Mediator.

Hans-Jacob Heitz-Stavrou
Swiss Attorney at Law, Limassol and Männedorf (Switzerland)

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.