The Cyprus problem and perceptions on how the EU would affect it, as well as Cyprus’ treatment by the EU during the 2013 financial crisis, were the focus of a discussion on Thursday evening organised by the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs and the Cyprus Forum at the University of Nicosia, during which a paper by Professor Andreas Theophanous “An Assessment of Relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the EU: The Rhetoric Vs the Record” was presented and discussed.

Presenting his paper, Professor Theophanous, who is head of the Department of Politics and Governance at the University of Nicosia and President of the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs, gave a historical background of the relationship between Cyprus and the EU since the 1970s and outlined its EU accession course. He noted that at the time of the country’s accession “perceptions and expectations were very high” especially in relation to the Cyprus problem.

“When it comes to economics, when we entered the EU there were high expectations there as well, but I think at the time especially when we entered the eurozone, the political circles and the economic elites did not understand the implications of joining the eurozone and the characteristics of the eurozone which included a faulty architecture as it was admitted subsequently after the crisis by European leaders,” he said.

In Cyprus, Professor Theophanous noted, “there was also complacency and we found ourselves in the crisis of 2012 – 2013.”

“The complaint of Cyprus is that its treatment was harsh,” he said.

“I think that Cyprus could have been treated much better than it was treated. I still think that the crisis was serious, but the treatment given was not fair,” he noted. Theophanous expressed the view that “Cyprus recovered despite the Troika programme.”

Referring to the war in Ukraine, he noted that the impact in Cyprus “is quite heavy”, adding that “Cyprus has to restructure its model.”

He also noted that “the EU has double standards in relation to the Turkish actions in Cyprus and Russian actions in Ukraine”. “An occupation is an occupation. The same yardstick should be used,” he said. In Cyprus Britain has conventional obligations as a guarantor power and that didn’t happen.

Referring to the Annan plan, which was rejected by the large majority of Greek Cypriots at the April 24, 2004 referendum, he said that Cyprus was very much criticised for its “No”. “It lost the moral high-ground.”

Professor Theophanous expressed the view that “the mistake of Cyprus was not to produce the appropriate narrative. It said ‘No’ correctly, but it should have put forward what it wanted.” That, he said, “didn’t happen.”

At the same time, “new efforts did not again lead anywhere. We had the collapse in Crans-Montana.” “The majority of political forces in Cyprus did not think that it was an opportunity. I share that opinion,” he said.

On his part, Hubert Faustmann, Professor of History and Political Science at the Department of Politics and Governance, University of Nicosia, said that the paper elaborates quite credibly on the grievances, the mistakes and the hypocrisy of the EU. “What it lacks is a critical reflection of the role of Cyprus as a member state of the EU, which I would add is also marked by misperceptions, miscalculations and hypocrisy,” he added.

He said that the core motive of Cyprus’ EU accession “was not economic, it was political”. “They were trying to gain security and hopefully leverage in the confrontation with Turkey,” he noted.

Professor Faustmann further said that there was an idealistic view by Cypriots that once Cyprus had become a member state of the EU, the Union would not tolerate the occupation of the northern part of the island by Turkey. “I think this was a complete misconception and miscalculation of what the EU thought.”

According to him, many of the key member states for strategic reasons “will not take on Turkey and have no interest to take on Turkey. And that is true today.” “I don’t think anybody was ready to pay a high political price to undo the facts created in 1974,” he pointed out.

Faustmann also spoke of a misconception in the EU about the Cyprus problem and of the huge disappointment in the EU when the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan plan in 2004. However, he said he believes that “the fact that Cyprus entered and then tried to use the EU as a tool against Turkey partially paid off and caused problems for Turkey’s EU accession.”

Referring to Ukraine and the double standards of the EU on Ukraine and Cyprus, he said he agrees this is right. He pointed out that Cyprus in 1974 was not an EU member to which professor Theophanous replied that “Ukraine is not either.” “Yes, I am with you on hypocrisy and double standards, but I don’t think it is the same,” Professor Faustmann said.

Professor Faustmann also said that the perception in the EU is that Cyprus proved to be a difficult member; a one-policy state, which wants money, does very little else and causes problems with Turkey.

He spoke of Cyprus’ own track record of pursuing its own interests and gave as an example Crimea, with Cyprus being the first country to propose that sanctions are lifted. According to him, “the low point was when Cyprus threatened to veto sanctions on Belarus after the elections. It did massive damage.” When Cyprus joined the West in the sanctions against Russia it “regained credibility and has done so at significant sacrifice,” he noted.

Referring to the economy and the 2013 crisis he said that he was very critical about the treatment of Cyprus, adding however that it was treated this way “because they were sending a message to Italy.”

On his part, Giorgos Kentas, Associate Professor of International Politics and Governance at the Department of Politics and Governance, University of Nicosia, praised the paper and recalled that Professor Theophanous was from the outset “a fervent supporter of the EU in an era where we had very deep domestic clashes.”

When things come down to problems one must raise the flag and say “we have a problem here,” he pointed out. Andreas, he said referring to Professor Theophanous “is a critic of a number of pitfalls, a number of limitations of the EU and his work must be read carefully from that standpoint.”

Referring to what happened before Cyprus’ EU accession in 2004, he said that there is very little knowledge of the truth, meaning we don’t have that many archives revealed. He spoke of a telephone conversation in 2004 between then President Tassos Papadopoulos and EU Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen, which was declassified and during which he said that that the EU would never accept any permanent derogations from the acquis Communautaire.

Associate Professor Kentas also expressed the view that Cyprus EU membership “is not Cyprus problem related, it is much more than that.”

“I would say that it is only 2% of Cyprus’ actual participation in the EU,” he added and he also recalled that Cyprus hosted a very successful presidency in the EU. “It is a very constructive EU member state,” he noted.

On his part the Founder and Head of the Steering Committee of the Cyprus Forum Nicholas Kyriakides said that in his view Cyprus’ accession is arguably the largest political success since our independence. He added that after 2004 Cyprus failed to take advantage of even the minimum EU opportunities.

According to Kyriakides, in key areas like transparency and justice, our scoring in the last decade has been very bad. If we are not a respectful country it is very difficult to go to Brussels and claim our rights.

Yes, Cyprus is small, he said, but there are other small countries which have achieved much more within the Union.

“We must be a part of this Union, there is no question, and we need to claim our rights every day with actions, not with words,” he noted.

Cyprus became an EU member on May 1, 2004.

The country has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and occupied the island`s northern third. Numerous rounds of talks under UN aegis to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.

Source: Parikiaki.com