Cyprus taboo in Turkey

The Cyprus issue has long been a taboo in Turkey, and Cyprus is still a matter of national interest that is not to be discussed freely. Apart from legal and psychological pressures, this taboo has been created by the nationalism of the left and right. After all, it was the coalition government of Islamist National Salvation Party (MSP) and the social democratic Republican People's Party (CHP), who were the champions of militarily intervention in 1974. 

The leaders of the two parties, Necmettin Erbakan and Bülent Ecevit, respectively, have been regarded as "the conquerors of Cyprus" since then. After the Turkish intervention which resulted with the partition of the island and the establishment of the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), northern Cyprus had to live in legal and political limbo. Nevertheless, since the issue turned into a political taboo, there was no room for discussion on the shortcomings of the de facto partition.

Nobody can deny that it was also Greek nationalism on behalf of Greece and Greek Cypriots which hindered the criticism of Turkey's politics and an open discussion on the matter. Finally, it was Greek Cypriots who voted against the Annan Plan which was the last hope for reconciliation and a political solution in 2004. At the time, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the Turkish Cypriots exerted a genuine effort to support the peace plan, but unfortunately, both sides missed a golden opportunity for reconciliation due to the Greek Cypriot vote, even though Greek Cypriots were rewarded with EU accession after their misdeed.  

The recent presidential elections in northern Cyprus could be a new chance for a political solution in Cyprus, since the left-wing, pro-solution Mustafa Ak...