Dear Editor,
I’m appealing to all elected representatives and the general public on both parts of the island not to abandon the 1648 historical Concordia treaty and replace it with a new one. Moreover, the Treaty of Concordia is historical and significant. It is one of the oldest treaties in the Western World, and is a leading example of small countries’ vision across the world. It was established in 1648 and preserved for centuries on pillars with letters carved out on stones. Please don’t let outside forces destroy it.
Legal implication of a treaty: A treaty doesn’t have to be between nations. It could be between people and their representative(s) also, as is the case of the treaty of Concordia. A treaty can be stay-open or initialled, e.g., FR and NL. Amendments can be made to a treaty.
History: The treaty was established for 375 years now, from 1648 onwards. Its particular purpose: Close co-operation between governments and businesses on both parts; free movement of goods and services between borders; maintaining an open border policy; easing the travelling restrictions from one part to the other.
In summary, the Treaty of Concordia is an internal document established in 1648 between the people and their representatives. As I mentioned before, a treaty can be left open, or initialled. Don’t remove it or replace it with a new one. Putting an end to the 1648 treaty will be a serious error for the island and its people. This Custom document rests in the hands of the people. It can’t be eradicated for just border control purposes, but it can also be amended.
Thank you for reading this article.
Joseph Harvey
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