Some people are wondering why anti-Western feelings and nationalism are on the rise in Turkey and why support for European Union is falling sharply and anti-Americanism is peaking. Many commentators explain this as a purely Turkish phenomenon and find no motive to discuss European and American policies, whereas the recent shifts in these policies may be considered as the main factor. It is easy to consider the inconsistencies and paradoxes, disrespect of law and even lack of moralities in these policies as normal political practices based on self interest. I would like to demonstrate these ungainly features in one specific case of dispute, namely Cyprus,  We all recall that when in 1950s UK was abandoning Cyprus which it had acquired from Turkey in 1914, the fate of the Greek and Turkish inhabitants of the Island became a disputed issue. Greeks wanted to annex the Island to Greece and the Turks resisted. The wisdom of the then leaders of Turkey and Greece found a solution accepted and supported by the two communities of Cyprus and guaranteed by Turkey, Greece and UK. Solemn treaties were signed to create a united Cyprus Republic which would be shared by both Turkish and Greek communities using their sovereign rights and participating in the Government through a constitution prepared on the basis of the treaties signed in Zurich and London in 1959 and 1960. But Greek Cypriots determined to unite Cyprus with Greece grabbed in 1964 the state power, conducted a massacre of Turks and forced them out of the Government and Parliament to live in ghettos for fear of their lives.

Under the Treaty of Guarantee, Turkey and United Kingdom should have intervened to ‘restore the former state of affairs’. Britain was aloof and worried only about the status of its military bases in the Island. Turkey wanted to intervene but was prevented by the US President Lyndon Johnson who wrote to the then Turkish Prime Minister that if Turkey intervened in the Island and Russia attacked Turkey, NATO would not come to Turkey’s assistance. This blackmail worked and Turkey could not intervene. While there was a coup d’etats and the Turks were the victims of  massacre and Greeks usurped the power, there was not a single word of rebuke from any European or American source and even worse, the UN Security Council considered what in fact was a solitary Greek Government as the Republic of Cyprus  with which it could deal with, while at the same time recognizing Turkish and Greek Communities in the Island as equal partners for negotiating a solution. It was an infuriating paradox for the Turks. How could negotiations continue on an equal footing while one of the equal communities was the Republic of Cyprus and the other one was just a community?  Turks continued to suffer and nobody except Turkey was interested in their well being.  Greeks rejected all attempts and plans to find a peaceful solution, this state of affairs that was in sheer contradiction with the agreed treaties continued until 1974 when Greek Government sponsored a coup against the Greek Government in Cyprus and declared Union of Cyprus with Greece. This was too much and Turkey using its  legal right intervened in the Island and created a safe haven for the Turks of Cyprus, and with the consent of the Greek Cypriot administration, there was in effect an exchange of population to consolidate bi-zonality. Again years of futile negotiations. The provisional administration in the North went unrecognized and finally in 1983 Turks in Cyprus, in order to manage themselves, set up their own state and the UN called for non-recognition of that state. The Greek Cypriot administration was so encouraged by the support it received in the West that again in violation of  the treaties it applied for membership in the European Union. In 1995 when EU and Turkey were establishing customs union, membership negotiations began with Greek Cypriots in the name of Republic of Cyprus. By then Northern Cyprus was left in isolation and was subjected to sanctions for external contacts and embargoes as if they were the guilty party in the dispute. The European Union wanted to have Cypriot Greeks as members but had to find an excuse. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan prepared a plan by consulting all parties, namely Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Greece, Turkey, UN and the European Union. UN Security Council endorsed the plan. Every one hoped that the plan which called for a united Cyprus composed of Turkish and Greek states which would be approved at a referendum in both parts of Cyprus. At the referendum Turks accepted the Plan and the Greeks rejected it. One would assume that under these conditions Greek Cypriot membership would be delayed until there was a solution. But no. EU accepted the Greek Cypriots as a member of EU leaving the entire EU policies with regard to Turkey and Cyprus in the hands of Greece and Greek Cypriots. This policy went so far as partially suspending negotiations with Turkey because Turkey could not open its ports and airports to the vessels Greek Cypriot as it could not recognize Greek Cypriots who had usurped power in  Cyprus as the Government of Cyprus. Greek Cypriots also prevented EU from lifting trade embargoes on Northern Cyprus subjecting them to isolation until they accepted a minority status inside in their own State of Cyprus. The submissive attitude of its European allies in the face of the Greek Cypriot blackmail infuriates the Turks and lessens their confidence in the impartiality of the West.

Mr. Kofi Annan prepared a report to the Security Council after the rejecting of its plan and  recommended the Council that it should end the isolation of Northern Cyprus. The report was presented in 2004, and although three years have elapsed since, the Council has not yet discussed the Report. The punishment of the Turkish Cypriots should continue because they would not accept a minority status in their own land! How can Turkey and the Turks interpret this callous attitude of the West as anything but hostile and prejudicial.

Thanks to the assistance of Turkey and their hard working trait,  the Turkish Cypriots have increased their economic standards, they have a per capita income of  11.000 dollars. Even though they do not any longer suffer economically, they have a psychological emptiness and feeling of victimization and usurpation of their political rights. They have up to now failed to obtain their rights from Western politicians, governments and international organizations and now they are determined to test European Judicial System. First of all they intend to seek the restoration of the political rights they had under the 1960 treaties under which they were part of the state. As their demand has been rejected by the distorted Supreme Court of Cyprus, they will seek remedy in the European Court of Human Rights. They may also test the Court in Luxembourg for repudiation  of a Protocol EU signed with Greek Cypriots isolating the Turkish Cypriots from EU. This legal battle has begun. That is the only remedy that Cypriot Turks find available to them and they will persevere in their legal struggle until they convince the world of the rightness of the cause to obtain their legitimate place as an equal part for the state of Cyprus.