Stephen: “The best way to solve the Cyprus problem is the two-state model”

British politician and lawyer Michael Stephen stated at the 5+1 conference on Cyprus, held in Geneva, organised under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) with the participation of the Cypriot parties and the guarantor countries, that “The TRNC and Turkey have no one to rely on and the best option to solve the Cyprus problem is a two-state solution.”

Former MP from the British Conservative Party, Stephen, made evaluations regarding the Cyprus problem at an online meeting organised by the British Turkish Cypriot Association (BTCA).

Stephen said that he had been working with the “Turkish Cypriot Community” when he was a member of parliament when the international community saw the Greek Cypriots as “victims” at that time, but he discovered that the Turkish Cypriots were subjected to “genocide”.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot politicians in the 1960s pursued the policy of “establishing Greek Cypriot domination in Cyprus” or “uniting Cyprus with Greece” and that today’s Greek Cypriot politicians also have the same dreams, Stephen said: “Until they get this idea out of their minds, it is not possible to reach a solution acceptable for both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.

Stephen said that international actors are part of the Cyprus problem, and that the UN and the European Union (EU) recognise and legitimise the Greek Cypriots as the sovereign government of the island.

He also pointed out that the EU had acted unlawfully by allowing the Greek Cypriot side to join the bloc as a single unit without the consent and approval of Turkey or the Turkish Cypriots.

The former British MP noted that the UK could not take a decision towards recognising the TRNC so as not to endanger its sovereign bases on the island which are also being used by the US.

He added that Britain was trying to maintain the status quo, to dissuade the Turkish Cypriot side from a two-state solution and convince the two sides to accept a solution plan similar to the Annan Plan.

“Britain is ready to sacrifice its human rights and legal obligations to protect its bases on the island and instead focus on its strategic value” Stephen said.

Stating that “a powerful country like China can recognise the TRNC”, Stephen said that Bangladesh had previously recognised the TRNC but withdrew this decision due to pressures, and that the problem could change with the recognition of the TRNC by a few Muslim-majority countries, Turkey should use its military and regional power to exert pressure over these countries for the recognition of the TRNC.