tagged: Cyprus, Cyprus issue, great britain, Greece, jack straw, negotiations, partition division, UK

Straw proposes Partition of Cyprus – Angers Cypriots & Greeks

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Turkey-GR

British former foreign secretary Jack Straw lit an explosive political  fuse suggesting partition of Cyprus  should the current negotiations fail. In an interview to newspaper  The  Times, Jack Straw called on London to consider the “formal partition of Cyprus” in the case of failed reunification talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Straw went so far to ‘blackmail’ the situation ,appealing at the international community:

“We should pray for success, but the chances of a settlement would be greatly enhanced if the international community broke a taboo, and started publicly to recognise that if political equality cannot be achieved within one state, then it could with two states – north and south”, he said.

Cyprus’ Reaction

As expected Straw’s statement angered the Cypriots, who threatened to evict Great Britain from its two military bases on Cyprus if  London supported the permanent partition of the island. “ Partition is  not an option for us” government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou commented, Cyprus Mail  reports.

The spokesman said Straw’s positions were in conflict with a memorandum of understanding signed by Cyprus and Britain in 2008, which speaks of reunification on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, and not partition.

“If Mr. Straw is promoting partition then he should know that this means – according to the Treaty of Establishment with which the UK acquired two military bases in Cyprus – that she cannot hold on to these bases in Cyprus,” Stefanou said.

Greece’s Reaction

Prompt was the angry answer of Athens to Straw’s proposal as well.  Foreign Ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras dismissed it as “unacceptable and in stark contrast to the decisions of the UN Security Council, the EU and the public sense of justice. ”

“The Cyprus problem will be solved on the basis of Security Council resolutions and in accordance with the requirements of the EU,” said Mr. Delavekouras, rejecting at the same time the kind of  “blackmail dilemma” as raised in Straw’s interview. “We won’t let Straw’s knife on our neck” Delavekouras said, recalling that “the role of the United Kingdom is known”.

United Kingdom is one of the guarantee forces in Cyprus.