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I am a Unionist. It is probably the most important part of my political philosophy.
Unionist versus Republican positions have divided the island of Ireland for over 100 years. However, there was a widespread acceptance and desire that we should put the bitterness and division of the past behind us. Through the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, we have found a tentative, somewhat peaceful solution to what were once seen as insurmountable and irreconcilable differences.
The two-state solution on the island of Ireland is rooted in democratic principles. Northern Ireland’s initial separation from the rest of the island was made possible by the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1920. That separation reflected both the Republican demand for independence from Britain and the equally determined desire of Unionists to to remain in the United States. Kingdom. For nearly a hundred years there were intermittent terrorist campaigns to take Northern Ireland out of Britain. These terrorist campaigns were encouraged by the Irish Republic’s constitutional claim to the territory of Northern Ireland.
If there is room for reintegration in the future, an agreement such as the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement would allow for it
In an effort to find a political solution to the problems of the past, the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was negotiated, which was intended to bring about a peaceful solution to sectarian violence and create a democratic means of solving the territorial problems we faced. The agreement was supported in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It enshrines the democratic principles that maintain peace on the island, important cross-border relationships, and creates shared institutions between Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The principle of consent is the driving force behind these arrangements.
Looking at the recent history of Cyprus, it is easy to draw parallels between the island of Cyprus and the island of Ireland. Both islands have communities that are deeply divided and have suffered intense sectarian violence along religious and political lines.
I am convinced that the lessons learned from the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and ending the problems can be applied to Cyprus and help find a political solution to the ongoing Cyprus problem.
On the one hand, we have the Greek-backed and UN-recognized Cypriot government. On the other hand, we have the Turkish-backed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The division of the island along the UN-maintained ceasefire line is a result of the 1974 coup d’état and subsequent Turkish intervention. So far, all attempts to reach a peaceful solution have failed. The most promising plan, the 2004 UN settlement, was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots.
For me, it’s a cut-and-dry situation. We have two communities that have irreconcilable differences, and the history of one side renouncing their constitutional and legal requirements. The current split arose in 1963 when President Makarios proposed and enacted unilateral constitutional amendments in defiance of Cyprus’ Supreme Constitutional Court, leading to a long chain of events that ultimately divided the island.
In Cyprus, this has clearly led to the Turkish Cypriot community withdrawing the consent of the ‘recognised’ Cypriot government. Instead, we have fully functioning governments, administrations and democratic systems on both sides of the border.
There is no reason, as far as I can see, that the TRNC cannot be accepted by the UN as an independent state; the 2010 decision of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s independence should lend further legitimacy to the TRNC’s request. If there is room for reintegration in the future, an agreement such as the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement would allow for it.
The wise choice would be for a mediating nation to mediate this agreement between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots. I believe that Britain could fulfill this role. Historically, we have been one of the most influential countries in the region, we ruled Cyprus before it gained independence in the 1960s, and we are party to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, which could serve as a model for a future and sustainable peace treaty in the region. Cyprus. Not only are we a guarantor for the island of Cyprus and its communities, we also have an international responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
What is clear is that the ongoing division and the UN-enforced ceasefire cannot continue. It is not a healthy situation for Cyprus or the strategically important Eastern Mediterranean. Peace is always a worthy outcome, and it is something to be pursued.
Sammy Wilson, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP for East Antrim
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