A people’s peace in Cyprus
A people’s peace in Cyprus

Testing public opinion on the options for a comprehensive settlement

Author(s): Aleksandros Lordos, Erol Kaymak, Natalie Tocci
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies
Keywords: People's peace in Cyprus; Public opinion; comprehensive settlement; Governments; Security; Greek and Turkish Cypriot;
Summary/Abstract: The year 2009 is decisive for the protracted Cyprus conflict. Incentives for a settlement might be higher and above all more evenly distributed among all parties than in 2004, when the Annan Plan failed due to an overwhelming Greek Cypriot rejection of the proposed blueprint despite Turkish Cypriot acceptance of the plan. Yet while strategic assessments and elite incentives bode cautiously well for a Cyprus settlement, ultimately an agreement will have to be approved by the two Cypriot communities in referendums and above all it will have to be implemented by the Cypriots on the ground. In other words, ordinary Cypriots lie at the crux of the conflict settlement as well as the drawn-out conflict resolution process, determining the ultimate success or failure of any blueprint signed by their leaders.

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