Five Fingers think tank: “Deadlock on a federal partnership is not the end of the world”

The Five Fingers think tank stated that the arrival at a deadlock on a federal partnership is not the end of the world.

In a written statement, the think tank said that, according to the long-held principle that “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”, all positions, proposals, maps and documents submitted by the parties up until today have been nullified.

It continued: “The Greek Cypriot side and Greece have pushed ahead with their vision to assert their dominance over the whole island. This approach fundamentally contradicts the premise of “power sharing/partnership”. As long as they continue with this vision, it is not possible to establish a federal partnership based on political equality in Cyprus. Despite all efforts of the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkey to establish a new partnership, because of this fundamental approach of the other side it has not been possible to reach a positive result in either 2004 Annan Plan negotiations or the Crans Montana conference”.

The think tank emphasised that in order to prove a change of heart, the Greek Cypriots and Greek side must respect the equality of the Turkish Cypriot people and their political institutions, and lift the unjust and inhumane isolations imposed on the North. Unfortunately, despite multiple opportunities, the group concluded that there did not appear to be any inclination from either the Greek Cypriot or the Greek side to change their vision.