Greece's new prime minister should see the reality in Cyprus

What changes can Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras bring to Greece and Greek-Turkish relations?

What might his contribution be to reviving the Cyprus talks abandoned by Greek Cypriots?

Turkish-Greek problems, and unfortunately Cyprus is no exception, in essence are psychological and sociological problems, or some sort of perceptional abnormality, that have successfully managed to hold reason and common sense hostage for so long. Starting from the mid-1980s, Turkish efforts to open up to Greece and, despite its grotesque failures in many areas, the reciprocal, limited and rather shy gestures from the now almost-dead Pan Hellenic Socialist Party, as well as from the New Democracy, helped to improve the climate between the two countries.

On Cyprus, the Mehmet Ali Talat-Demetris Christofias term might have helped the creation of a better atmosphere, but it could not because of the Greek Cypriot leader?s timid approach on one hand, and Talat?s obsession to play it alone on the other. The anticipation, particularly among Turkish Cypriots, that the preceding Annan Plan period or the Talat-Christofias time would bring about a settlement turned into a huge disappointment. The end result, while they still cherish the idea of a federal resolution as a ?utopia,? is most Turkish Cypriots believe Greek Cypriots will never ever agree to a power-sharing deal; the two de facto states on the island should come to a de jure resolution with a peace accord that would include some territorial and other arrangements, perhaps including individual property compensation.

On many trips to Greece and talks with Greek colleagues it has been great observing a perceptional improvement. The ?minority obsession? that the big neighbor might attack and capture...