Implications of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union for Greek-Turkish and Euro-Turkish relations

Abstract

The formalized European Union (EU) accession of Cyprus was established last 1 May 2004. With EU's help, the human rights of over 800,000 European Cypriots cannot continue being violated and Turkey cannot proceed to accession negotiations while refusing to recognize an EU member state. The EU's support and defense of the Republic of Cyprus's case has been long and solid. Once it is fully appreciated that the Greek-Cypriot rejection of the unfair and unworkable offer was also a celebration of EU principles and values. It will also follow that the EU is obligated to protect its own citizens, Greek Cypriots and native Turkish Cypriots alike. The success in resolving Cyprus' problem will constitute a unique diplomatic triumph for the union and a proof that the principles and values enshrined in its Constitutional Treaty can defeat some narrow self-regarding interests in the Common Foreign and Security Policy. A fair and functional solution will not only entail valuable service to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, it will also serve the EU's best interest by promoting its soft power to the level of a superpower with a moral difference.