The positive momentum between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots may be coming to a screeching halt (background: click here).

The Turks are angry over a recent memorandum of understanding between the UK and the Republic of Cyprus. The memorandum purportedly supports the Greek point of view in the conflict.

Furthermore, the Greek Cypriots have decided to conduct military exercises in the Mediterranean, with — you guessed it — France. The Greeks would have been hard pressed to find a military partner more irritating to Ankara.

On the other hand, the Greeks are angry at Turkish Cypriot moves toward establishing relations with foreign countries. TRNC Foreign Minister Turgut Avci recently attended a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Ughanda. Greek Cypriots view Northern Cyprus as illegally occupied territory, and thus view Turkish Cypriot efforts to conduct foreign affairs as a breach of Cypriot sovereignty.

Turkey must confront a number of challenges during its path to accession. The Cyprus problem is one of the most difficult and probably the most critical of these challenges. On the one hand, Turks are extremely reluctant to cede any ground — both literally and figuratively — on the Cyprus issue. Turkish soldiers died during the Cyprus invasion. Giving up Cyprus would be seen as a betrayal of those Şehit’s (the term used to describe Turkish soldiers killed in battle. Its literal translation is “martyr”). On the other hand, it will be absolutely impossible for Turkey to join Europe if the Cyprus situation is not solved to the satisfaction of all parties.