Confidence building measures are portrayed as the starting point for a possible solution to the Cyprus issue. Whenever there is a renewed attempt to solve the Cyprus issue, confidence building measures are tabled first. It is an important aspect of reconciliation and a fostering of trust; but they have constantly been overshadowed by the status-quo promoters. Confidence building measures are a necessary pillar to the building of a viable solution. The failure for succinct confidence building measures overshadows the prospects of any solution attempts from succeeding. The main reason for the failure of these measures boils down to the lack of trust between the two communities.
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The initial idea and function of confidence building measures presumes that there is a willingness in both communities to trust one another. The communities will begin to reap the benefits of such measures when trust increases. The isolation generated primarily by Turkey’s heavy and direct interference on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot community has fostered the re-occurring notion of the zero-sum game. This notion has also been adopted by a group I like to call “peace spoilers”. Pockets of peace spoilers can be located within the political echelons of both communities, who benefit from the status-quo and who will undoubtedly be rendered inadequate if a solution is achieved.
The combination of these two factors hinders the willingness to trust. The common culture of diverting attention from the root causes of an issue will always be used as a scape-goat for the lack of political will to address the issue which may come at political cost.
However, the recent election of progressive Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci has fostered a new air of hope, driven by political motivation from both sides.
It is well understood that willingness to trust is missing between the two communities. Confidence building measures are required, but can only be realized if a suitable framework is constructed. This framework needs to combine the political and private stake holders from both communities aiming at achieving equity through cooperation and management of social and economic issues that transcend communal boundaries.
The aim should be to create a framework that is impermeable to peace spoilers. This can only be achieved if the average Cypriot citizen is taken into consideration and included within this process. At the end of the day the island is in dire need of proper socialization, fostering the notion of succinct governance and compromise.
Governance in contrast to government explains the phenomenon of societal problems appearing to be too interlinked, too complex, but also too overwhelming for a state to deal with them on its own. Therefore, in order to achieve an equitable and viable solution to the Cyprus Issue there needs to be an implementation of multi-level governance which can be achieved through a cooperation and management framework, like the one mentioned above. This will be achieved by the marriage of public and private efforts.
There is a need for a large scale confidence building measure where the two communities will come together and create something through direct interaction. The creation or re-creation of Famagusta is the perfect example of a cooperation and management framework that will cut through the pre-existing status-quo of ethnic barriers. The interaction of the private sectors between the two communities, in re-developing Famagusta, will bridge the gap of mistrust and hate, sending the message of cooperation for the creation of a unified Cyprus. Famagusta can serve as the small scale unification of the two communities helping us identify key issues and solutions to the fine details that fan the flames of distrust before we attempt this on a larger scale.
This will lead to the construction of a framework that is driven by succinct multi-governance aiming at achieving an equitable solution and isolating the peace spoilers. When the above is achieved, Cypriot society will begin to experience the benefits that trust between the two communities can bring.
*The views expressed in this article are of the author and do not represent those of The Political Analysis.
The combination of these two factors hinders the willingness to trust. The common culture of diverting attention from the root causes of an issue will always be used as a scape-goat for the lack of political will to address the issue which may come at political cost.
However, the recent election of progressive Turkish Cypriot Leader Mustafa Akinci has fostered a new air of hope, driven by political motivation from both sides.
It is well understood that willingness to trust is missing between the two communities. Confidence building measures are required, but can only be realized if a suitable framework is constructed. This framework needs to combine the political and private stake holders from both communities aiming at achieving equity through cooperation and management of social and economic issues that transcend communal boundaries.
The aim should be to create a framework that is impermeable to peace spoilers. This can only be achieved if the average Cypriot citizen is taken into consideration and included within this process. At the end of the day the island is in dire need of proper socialization, fostering the notion of succinct governance and compromise.
Governance in contrast to government explains the phenomenon of societal problems appearing to be too interlinked, too complex, but also too overwhelming for a state to deal with them on its own. Therefore, in order to achieve an equitable and viable solution to the Cyprus Issue there needs to be an implementation of multi-level governance which can be achieved through a cooperation and management framework, like the one mentioned above. This will be achieved by the marriage of public and private efforts.
There is a need for a large scale confidence building measure where the two communities will come together and create something through direct interaction. The creation or re-creation of Famagusta is the perfect example of a cooperation and management framework that will cut through the pre-existing status-quo of ethnic barriers. The interaction of the private sectors between the two communities, in re-developing Famagusta, will bridge the gap of mistrust and hate, sending the message of cooperation for the creation of a unified Cyprus. Famagusta can serve as the small scale unification of the two communities helping us identify key issues and solutions to the fine details that fan the flames of distrust before we attempt this on a larger scale.
This will lead to the construction of a framework that is driven by succinct multi-governance aiming at achieving an equitable solution and isolating the peace spoilers. When the above is achieved, Cypriot society will begin to experience the benefits that trust between the two communities can bring.
*The views expressed in this article are of the author and do not represent those of The Political Analysis.
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