To forgive and to compromise

Commenting about George Vassiliou, the late Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktaş said he was no different than other Greek Cypriot leaders; the only difference might have been his ability to make the nastiest remarks with a smiling face. “He is a smiling devil… No different than the others,” he said. He was wrong.

Vassiliou’s difference from all other previous Greek Cypriot leaders was that he was a leftist, never involved in communal crime or a part of the EOKA terror gang. He was pragmatic and saw the benefits of a resolution with the approach of a businessman. Indeed, he really wanted a compromise, yet he was so weak politically that he could not deliver a solution. Was the Turkish side willing at the time to accept a compromise deal? Unfortunately no.

Because of some dirty American and British backstage conspiracies at the time, not only did Asil Nadir collapse, but Denktaş was also compelled to play defense. In any case, Denktaş never trusted Vassiliou, and a golden opportunity was missed.

Talking last week at the 25th book fair hosted by the famous Işık Bookstore - which is more than just a bookstore, but also a meeting place in Nicosia’s old quarter for Turkish Cypriot intellectuals, particularly on Saturdays —Vassiliou said a Cyprus settlement must be built on two cornerstones: Forgiveness and compromise!

Easier said than done, particularly on an island with such a traumatic past and where the larger community refuses to acknowledge, even after more than half a decade, its horrendous crimes. Vassiliou was right to stress that had Greek Cypriots not struggled to achieve a union with Greece, “Enosis,” it would have been much easier to resolve the Cyprus problem. Yet he was wrong. Because if the Enosis...