The reunification of Cyprus still appears an impossible dream

TODAY is the 22nd anniversary of the coup by the Athens military junta against Archbishop Makarios, then president of Cyprus, and the Turkish invasion that took place five days later. However, 22 years on, agreement between the island's two communities and their reunification under a single federal authority still appear impossible.

Turkey, which maintains a force of 35,000 troops in the northern third of the island, has not, since 1974, displayed any willingness to relinquish its grip on the Turkish Cypriot area.

The present crisis ridden, Islamist dominated coalition in Ankara is even less likely than previous secular governments to agree to concessions which would be unpopular with the army and the public. And the international community will not be prepared to put pressure on a fragile Turkish government.

Thus, in the hope that the Turkish Cypriots may join them in the EU, the Greek Cypriots have focused on securing membership which, according to the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, seems to be assured.

In preparation for accession talks the Irish presidency has appointed Mr Kester Heaslip, a retired diplomat who served as ambassador to Bonn and The Hague, to act as its channel for contacts with the two communities. Mr Heaslip's appointment should be formally approved today. Cyprus has requested that the appointment should be permanent rather than depend on the rotating presidency.

Nevertheless Cyprus has suddenly become the destination for diplomats who hope to effect a settlement between the two communities before mid 1997 when EU accession negotiations begin.

The first was the former South Korean foreign minister, Mr Han Sung Joo, recently appointed by the UN secretary general as his personal representative to Cyprus. Late last month, Mr Han tried in vain to narrow the gap between the sides.

The second of the visitors - now referred to as "diplomatic tourists" in the local press - was Britain's special envoy, Sir David Hannay, who was on the island last week. He was a controversial choice, initially rejected by Athens for "pro Turkish bias" while he was Britain's permanent representative at UN.

Last week, the Greek Cypriot press attacked him for trying to get the UN to adopt a formulation on the prickly issue of "sovereignty" promoted by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash.

Before leaving the island for a meeting in London with Mr Han, Sir David said serious differences remained on security, sovereignty and constitutional arrangements.

The third mission was a "package tour" involving the US permanent representative at the UN, Ms Madeleine Albright, the US presidential envoy, Mr Richard Beattie, officials from the US State Department and experts from the Pentagon. They visit Athens tomorrow, Nicosia on Wednesday and Ankara on Thursday and Friday to examine the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping, to look into the security situation and to explore opportunities to resolve the dispute.

The Cypriot press has accused President Clinton of "using the Cyprus issue to promote his election prospects with Greek Americans", while being unwilling to exert pressure on Turkey to achieve a solution.

Turkey's recent military pact with Israel, Washington's "strategic ally" in the region, would seem to have removed the possibility of putting pressure on Ankara.

Turkey's commitment to the status quo on Cyprus - deemed "unacceptable" by the UN, UK and US - has been bolstered by right wing Turkish Cypriot members of the cabinet, the instigator being Mr Denktash's son, Serdar. The present coalition is expected to adopt a hard line in negotiations.

Last Tuesday tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots used the funeral of the respected columnist for the opposition daily, Yeniduzen, Kutlu Adali, shot dead outside his home on July 6th, as an occasion for demonstrating their anger over the "political assassination" and their refusal to "be silenced" by "state terrorism".

In recent weeks tension along the "Green Line" has risen because of the shooting of a Greek Cypriot guardsman in the UN buffer zone by Turkish soldiers, and incidents of stone throwing by Turkish troops at Greek Cypriots living in a sensitive area adjacent to the line in Nicosia.

These incidents are seen as attempts to pre empt potential peacemakers by disturbing the peace.