Jean Christou writing in the Sunday Mail says it's been a hell of a week in Cyprus politics. After three years of nothing except moaning and griping across the buffer zone, two major stumbling blocks to progress have vanished almost overnight - the decision to get talks started and the opening of Ledra Street. The developments have exposed the previous government of Tassos Papadopoulos as the intransigent party. So when UN Under-Secretary-General Lynn Pascoe arrives on the island today with his team to evaluate whether there is enough good will for the Secretary-General to launch negotiations, he may find himself drowning in it. She quotes a source close to the process as saying "This is the political will the UN has been calling for for so long and now they have it.” She also quotes former Cyprus envoy Alvaro de Soto,who wrote in the International Herald Tribune on Friday: “The history of attempts to overcome the division of Cyprus can be measured out in false dawns.” But this time he said the international community should be excited because no one had to force Christofias to the meeting last Friday and hopes that perhaps Talat and Christofias can persuade their people to think of themselves as Cypriots as opposed to merely Greek or Turkish Cypriots.
Coffeeshop bids farewell to Michael Moller, the ice-cool Dane, who was called back to the UN after a two-year stint in Cyprus. He says rumours suggest that the Turks wanted Moller out because they considered him pro-Greek, and that the new UN Secretary-General had given assurance to Ankara that he would be recalled. Another explanation for his recall, just when the peace process started moving, was that he had proved an ineffectual special representative. He had failed to get the July 8 agreement moving. After 50-plus meetings over a 15-month period, he failed to get the two sides to agree on anything, which was not a great advertisement for his mediation capabilities. The writer suspects that what clinched the UN's decision was the public praise he had received from the Ethnarch. Bearing in mind that the Ethnarch had a bad word to say about all UN special representatives who served in Cyprus over the years, his praise of Moller must have been seen as proof of the Dane’s ineffectiveness, a kiss of death. Coffeeshop also refers to Simerini's columnist Savvas Iacovides who in an article last week claimed that when Ledra Street opens it will be much easier for the Turkish secret service MIT to supply drugs to young people in the free areas so that it would destroy their morale and shatter their resistance, something the paper has been for years warning about.
Former Foreign Minister, Nicos Rolandis in an article talks of a rainbow after the rain. He says five sterile and counterproductive years have elapsed, rife with paranoid objectives. We were isolated and we distanced ourselves from the possibility of a solution to our problem. We abandoned the occupied north, which is now flooded with buildings on Greek properties. The Turkish settlers have reached the figure of 200,000-250,000 and there is no practical way for the majority of them to go. But most importantly we have alienated the average Turkish Cypriot, who was ready to live with us in a united country back in 2004. It appears that since then this wish has evaporated. Even so, the meeting of Christofias and Talat has brought about many smiles. It appears that God and Allah, in a joint gesture, have sent the rainbow of hope to all of us, one that will not be shining for very long. By their handshake, Christofias and Talat have sent the message that they intend to work for a solution of our problem; that for them the glass is half-full, not half-empty.
Loucas Charalambous writing in the both the Mail and Politis sings Chrisofias' praises for opening a new chapter in the political history of this country , a rare occasion when a leader of the Greek Cypriot side dared to go against the current of populism and demagoguery that have blighted the handling of the national problem . What actually happened on March 21 was that our president accepted the proposal made by Talat to Tassos Papadopoulos last September; nothing more and nothing less. At the time, Talat had proposed the establishment of five committees to discuss the basic aspects of the Cyprus problem for two to three months, after which the two leaders would have engaged in an intensive bout of negotiations with the aim of reaching an overall settlement by the end of 2008. Nothing has changed. The only difference is the president. Last September, we had a president who did not want a settlement because he did not want to surrender his power, whereas now we have a president who, at least gives the impression that he wants a settlement. But the most significant contribution made by the new president was his public statement about the culpability of the Greek Cypriot side in relation to the collapse of the Cyprus Republic in 1963. It was the first time that a Cyprus President made such a bold, public admission, at long last dispelling the official myth about the “Turkish mutiny” with which two generations of Greek Cypriots had been brought up. Turkish Cypriots should appreciate this. This column has for 20 years stressed the need of this admission being made by our side – the admission of our responsibility (Makarios’ to be more specific) for the bloody clashes of 1963, and all the ills that followed as a result of our foolish behaviour. This is why I feel obliged to congratulate Christofias for his political boldness.I am certain that if he displays the same boldness when the time comes for the tough decisions for a settlement all his political sins will be forgiven and he will earn an honourable place in history. What else could he want? Politis leads with an interview with former President Glavcos Clerides its headline saying "This may be the last chance". Clerides says that over the years the UN has offered its good services in the effort to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. One after another the proposals were rejected by one side or the other. The question arises does the political will exist for a solution? What we haven't quite realised is that when the UN talks of a solution it means an agreed solution. None of the UN resolutions wants to impose a solution. But they gave us what we wanted - one state, one sovereignty, one nationality, whereas the Turks wanted two states. But they also gave the Turks what they wanted - political equality. We must understand the solution we will find will be a compromise. Asked what he thought Christofias' position was, he said he believes he must realise this is the last chance for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
Makarios Droushiotis reviews Christofias first month in power under the headline "Fresh air in the Cyprus problem". He says internationally Cyprus has emerged from its isolation, foreign officials have started to visit Cyprus, relations with Sweden have been restored and Athens has breathed a sigh of relief at having got out of the deadlocks that the former President had put it in. More importantly at home the T/C side has changed its attitude towards us, suspicion as to our motives has gone and a climate of reconciliation has been created. The meeting between Christofias and Talat has been the most radical of all time because both leaders committed themselves from now to direct talks before the summer. This is what the joint communique says and this is what will happen. The committees will succeed because the political will exists on both sides. Both sides know that this will be their last chance and if they fail partition will set in for good, which they both recognise will be a disaster for Cyprus and they don't want to put their name to it. The did not get stuck on insistence on the Annan plan on the one side or on the 8 July agreement on the other. They just convinced each other they each want a solution and that was the main thing. After that the rest was easy. The committees will prepare the material for the direct talks in 3 months time. What more can they do than resort to the work that the UN did over 35 years of negotiations, pinpoint the areas where they agree and bridge the gaps where their differences are small and negotiate the rest? In short they're going to break up the Annan plan and present it as a common position of all the Cypriots and not a plan from abroad. The meeting also destroyed the myth that Talat can't take decisions without Ankara. Talat took very important decisions without first getting approval from Turkey. Of course Turkey's shadow is evident, both the economic dependence of the north as well as the influence of the military. But under the present Turkish government the climate is completely different from that during the Denktash-Ecevit period. Nevertheless there's fresh air blowing in Cyprus despite the media's continued insistence, out of habit, at finger-pointing and focusing on disagreements. The climate on the level of leaders has never been better. The results speak for themselves.
Pavlos Pavlou refers to the relief evident in Cypriot society at the change of climate, like when a road digger is working outside your house for hours and suddenly stops. Without Tassos' dark mantle we are experiencing a kind of spring both in the workplace, in social gettogethers, in the media. We may be surprised at how quickly the monsters of the last five years have been cast aside, but we must not let ourselves be tricked by this climate because rest assured difficult days lie ahead and the moment a new plan comes before us these people will come out of the woodwork and start brandishing their political swords. This time we must be there first and steadfast and not let them make any headway.
Yiangos Mikellides is also impressed with Christofias. He says he is the first Cypriot politician who tells the people before each meeting exactly what he will do and afterwards what he did. And this is the first time that the Cypriots are actually participating in this effort. His predecessors negotiated the Annan plan behind closed doors without the people being aware of it, and as a result it fell like a lightning bolt in their midst.
Sunday 30 March 2008
Saturday 29 March 2008
Best chance ever
For the first time in decades, there are great possibilities for finding a solution to the Cyprus issue, outgoing UN Special Representative Michael Moller said yesterday at a farewell visit to Christofias.
“From what I have seen in the last few weeks, I don’t think that for four decades you have had a better possibility and a better opportunity to get where you need to go,” he said speaking in Greek.
He said that the two leaders are full of good will, there is a very good atmosphere, as is the desire on the side of both communities for peace and for reunification. "It is a desire that is echoed in the rest of the world and it is time for everybody to get together and find a solution as quickly as possible,” Moller said, adding that he has always stressed that "this is a Cypriot problem that needs a Cypriot solution. This is a theme that President Christofias and Mr Talat both agree with".
“From what I have seen in the last few weeks, I don’t think that for four decades you have had a better possibility and a better opportunity to get where you need to go,” he said speaking in Greek.
He said that the two leaders are full of good will, there is a very good atmosphere, as is the desire on the side of both communities for peace and for reunification. "It is a desire that is echoed in the rest of the world and it is time for everybody to get together and find a solution as quickly as possible,” Moller said, adding that he has always stressed that "this is a Cypriot problem that needs a Cypriot solution. This is a theme that President Christofias and Mr Talat both agree with".
Friday 28 March 2008
It’s official: we mean business
Greek Cypriot daily, Politis, says there are few Turkish Cypriots now who doubt that Christofias and his colleagues want a solution. It gives prominence to statements by Talat to the paper in which he said that he now believes that Christofias wants a solution, is dead against partition becoming permanent and is willing to do his utmost to change the situation. He also praised the good understanding between Iacovou and Nami. Talat’s spokesman Ercakica also told the paper that he welcomed the good atmosphere and the method that has been found to bring up the points on which the two sides agree. He said the opening of Ledra came about as a result of this methodology. “We hope this methodology will lead to a solution”, he said.
The paper contrasts this with statements earlier by Christofias in which he said, differentiating between the T/Cs and Turkey, that he is not yet convinced that Ankara has given the green light for a compromis in Cyprus. He warned expectations were “very high” and counselled cautious optimism. “We shall be flexible and show understanding for the problems the Turkish Cypriot community is facing, in the hope that they will reciprocate and understand our problems too,” he said. He added that “the main goal is to find ways of understanding each other, something which will depend on several factors, mainly on the Turkish leadership.” He said, however, “I do not attribute bad intentions to Talat but the Turkish leadership has not convinced us that indeed it gives the green light for us to proceed. This will become clear in due course”.
The messages from Britain, meanwhile are of support for the reunification of Cyprus, but that the solution has to be found locally. The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaking in the House of Commons conveyed his government’s determination to ensure the resumption of talks for a Cyprus settlement. “The consistent message that we have given to both of them is that we want to do everything possible to support the determination of the new Government in Cyprus to exploit the opening that now exists for a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution in that area”. The Cyprus Mail reports that Miliband speaking elsewhere also highlighted that decisions on solving the Cyprus problem had to be taken locally, by the leadership and the people of Cyprus. “We can support it, but it is going to have to be done locally by leadership”.
The British High Commissioner in Cyprus Peter Millett echoed the same messages in an interview on CyBC tv's lunchtime news programme. Speaking perfect Greek He said that Britain supports the reunification of the island and is willing to do all it can to support the process but that any solution found will be a solution of the Cypriots for the Cypriots.
The paper contrasts this with statements earlier by Christofias in which he said, differentiating between the T/Cs and Turkey, that he is not yet convinced that Ankara has given the green light for a compromis in Cyprus. He warned expectations were “very high” and counselled cautious optimism. “We shall be flexible and show understanding for the problems the Turkish Cypriot community is facing, in the hope that they will reciprocate and understand our problems too,” he said. He added that “the main goal is to find ways of understanding each other, something which will depend on several factors, mainly on the Turkish leadership.” He said, however, “I do not attribute bad intentions to Talat but the Turkish leadership has not convinced us that indeed it gives the green light for us to proceed. This will become clear in due course”.
The messages from Britain, meanwhile are of support for the reunification of Cyprus, but that the solution has to be found locally. The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaking in the House of Commons conveyed his government’s determination to ensure the resumption of talks for a Cyprus settlement. “The consistent message that we have given to both of them is that we want to do everything possible to support the determination of the new Government in Cyprus to exploit the opening that now exists for a bi-zonal, bi-communal solution in that area”. The Cyprus Mail reports that Miliband speaking elsewhere also highlighted that decisions on solving the Cyprus problem had to be taken locally, by the leadership and the people of Cyprus. “We can support it, but it is going to have to be done locally by leadership”.
The British High Commissioner in Cyprus Peter Millett echoed the same messages in an interview on CyBC tv's lunchtime news programme. Speaking perfect Greek He said that Britain supports the reunification of the island and is willing to do all it can to support the process but that any solution found will be a solution of the Cypriots for the Cypriots.
Thursday 27 March 2008
They wouldn't know a posititve statement if it bit them
Most of the Greek Cypriot press and media covered the visit to the north of the head of the Turkish armed forces Yasar Buyukanit saying he had made “provocative” statements. Even Politis’ headline was that he had been ‘provocative’ adding that “the moment Buyukanit set foot on the island he made a point of sending out political messages, saying that the aim of the presence of Turkish troops on the island was to keep the peace.” Phileleftheros’ editorial criticises Christofias ' for being lukewarm and says how dare Buyukanit come to Cyprus at such a delicate time for the island.
Yet the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday echoed earlier statements by, saying that the Turkish army had provided security for the Turkish Cypriot people over the last three decades, and would continue to do so “until a fair and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem has been found”. “We came to Cyprus to make peace, and will remain here keeping the peace until a fair and lasting settlement is found,” Buyukanit had said adding that the Turkish army will withdraw from Cyprus if a solution to the Cyprus problem is found. He said, moreover, that he had full faith in Talat, saying that whatever shape a future settlement took, he was sure Talat would get it right, and furthermore be able to convince the Greek Cypriots of its necessary shape.
Only the Cyprus Mail covered the visit in a positive light, quoting a diplomatic source in Nicosia yesterday as having expressed pleasure at Buyukanit’s inference that the Turkish military would leave the island once Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots felt confident that the Turkish Cypriot community’s security concerns were taken care of. The source added that he could also see no strategic reasons why Turkey would want to maintain a military presence after a solution, saying, “In a modern context, countries can protect their strategic interests without the need to keep troops on the ground.”
Meanwhile Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou and Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami yesterday agreed on the titles for six working groups and seven technical committees that will lay the groundwork for a resumption of Cyprus talks, possibly in three months time. Iacovou said the groups would begin work on 7 April. The Cyprus Mail points out that it took them only two meetings lasting around two hours each to reach agreement.
The six working groups will include governance and power-sharing, EU matters, security and guarantees, territory, property and economy. The technical committees will focus on crime, commerce, cultural heritage, crisis management, humanitarian issues, health and environment. The technical committees are designed to tackle everyday concerns, while the working groups handle substantive issues of the Cyprus question.
An announcement from the UN outlined the exact titles of the groups and committees after the sides worked over the weekend to keep the wording as neutral as possible. “Subject to need, both advisers agreed to establish further working groups and technical committees, as required, in order to ensure that their respective leaders may be able to negotiate as effectively as possible on the full spectrum of issues to be discussed,” a UN statement said.
All that remained, Iacovou said afterwards, was to staff the committees. He said at the weekend that he did not want part-timers that would meet only once a week. The Presidential Commissioner said they did not know yet how many people would be on each committee but that it could be from one to ten members from each side. He said the complex problems for discussion would need specialists with past experience.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail in the north last night, Nami said he was very pleased with what he and Iacovou had achieved so far. “It's a very positive start, and it is taking place in a new spirit. I believe our work will continue in this spirit,” he said. “The meeting took place in a constructive and extremely cordial atmosphere. Mr Iacovou is a highly experienced man, and I have great respect for him.”The two aides are due to meet again tomorrow. It will be their last joint meeting with UN Special Representative Michael Molller who leaves his post from Saturday.
UNFICYP has completed its mine sweep of the Ledra Street buffer zone area, clearing the way for both sides to go in today to start clean-up work ahead of the expected opening of the crossing point.
Yet the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday echoed earlier statements by, saying that the Turkish army had provided security for the Turkish Cypriot people over the last three decades, and would continue to do so “until a fair and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem has been found”. “We came to Cyprus to make peace, and will remain here keeping the peace until a fair and lasting settlement is found,” Buyukanit had said adding that the Turkish army will withdraw from Cyprus if a solution to the Cyprus problem is found. He said, moreover, that he had full faith in Talat, saying that whatever shape a future settlement took, he was sure Talat would get it right, and furthermore be able to convince the Greek Cypriots of its necessary shape.
Only the Cyprus Mail covered the visit in a positive light, quoting a diplomatic source in Nicosia yesterday as having expressed pleasure at Buyukanit’s inference that the Turkish military would leave the island once Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots felt confident that the Turkish Cypriot community’s security concerns were taken care of. The source added that he could also see no strategic reasons why Turkey would want to maintain a military presence after a solution, saying, “In a modern context, countries can protect their strategic interests without the need to keep troops on the ground.”
Meanwhile Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou and Turkish Cypriot negotiator Ozdil Nami yesterday agreed on the titles for six working groups and seven technical committees that will lay the groundwork for a resumption of Cyprus talks, possibly in three months time. Iacovou said the groups would begin work on 7 April. The Cyprus Mail points out that it took them only two meetings lasting around two hours each to reach agreement.
The six working groups will include governance and power-sharing, EU matters, security and guarantees, territory, property and economy. The technical committees will focus on crime, commerce, cultural heritage, crisis management, humanitarian issues, health and environment. The technical committees are designed to tackle everyday concerns, while the working groups handle substantive issues of the Cyprus question.
An announcement from the UN outlined the exact titles of the groups and committees after the sides worked over the weekend to keep the wording as neutral as possible. “Subject to need, both advisers agreed to establish further working groups and technical committees, as required, in order to ensure that their respective leaders may be able to negotiate as effectively as possible on the full spectrum of issues to be discussed,” a UN statement said.
All that remained, Iacovou said afterwards, was to staff the committees. He said at the weekend that he did not want part-timers that would meet only once a week. The Presidential Commissioner said they did not know yet how many people would be on each committee but that it could be from one to ten members from each side. He said the complex problems for discussion would need specialists with past experience.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail in the north last night, Nami said he was very pleased with what he and Iacovou had achieved so far. “It's a very positive start, and it is taking place in a new spirit. I believe our work will continue in this spirit,” he said. “The meeting took place in a constructive and extremely cordial atmosphere. Mr Iacovou is a highly experienced man, and I have great respect for him.”The two aides are due to meet again tomorrow. It will be their last joint meeting with UN Special Representative Michael Molller who leaves his post from Saturday.
UNFICYP has completed its mine sweep of the Ledra Street buffer zone area, clearing the way for both sides to go in today to start clean-up work ahead of the expected opening of the crossing point.
Wednesday 26 March 2008
Yet another over-reaction
Ledra street hitch overcome
UNFICYP teams this morning went into the Ledra Street buffer zone and begun the demining process ahead of the opening of the crossing point there. The Turkish forces had barred them from entering the area yesterday amid reports the army was unhappy at not having been consulted over the deal. Last night, however, an UNFICYP spokesman told the Cyprus Mail that the obstacles to starting the process had been removed. Earlier, President Christofias had refrained from pointing the finger and expressed the hope that whatever had prompted the Turkish army suddenly to stall on opening Ledra Street would be resolved soon. However, House President and Diko President, Marios Karoyan, had no such qualms, saying the Turkish army's apparent move to renege on the agreement to open Ledra Street “proves yet again its intransigent stance”, while Diko's parliamentary spokesman Andreas Angelides claimed the hitch was due to the arrival in the north today of the Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit.
An editorial in Politis says that the Cyprus problem remains unsolved for many reasons one being the blame game. Every time a new procedure begins, the press, analysts and politicians are lying in wait for the first stumble, the first difficulty, the first lie. Then a flood of criticism breaks out against the other side - that it is intransigent, that it doesn't want a solution, that it doesn't implement what was agreed, that it tricked us. This is exactly what happened just now over the Ledra Street opening. The details have not become totally clear. Yet our side as usual over-reacted. "Complications over Ledra Street. Attilla doesn't let us open the road blocks" was the gist of the TV and press coverage. This is not the way to solve the Cyprus problem. We must show some understanding for the problems of the T/Cs. We're not the only ones suffering because of the invasion. Christofias is showing that he does understand. But for him to succeed we must all do so too. And first and foremost the mass media.
UNFICYP teams this morning went into the Ledra Street buffer zone and begun the demining process ahead of the opening of the crossing point there. The Turkish forces had barred them from entering the area yesterday amid reports the army was unhappy at not having been consulted over the deal. Last night, however, an UNFICYP spokesman told the Cyprus Mail that the obstacles to starting the process had been removed. Earlier, President Christofias had refrained from pointing the finger and expressed the hope that whatever had prompted the Turkish army suddenly to stall on opening Ledra Street would be resolved soon. However, House President and Diko President, Marios Karoyan, had no such qualms, saying the Turkish army's apparent move to renege on the agreement to open Ledra Street “proves yet again its intransigent stance”, while Diko's parliamentary spokesman Andreas Angelides claimed the hitch was due to the arrival in the north today of the Turkish Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit.
An editorial in Politis says that the Cyprus problem remains unsolved for many reasons one being the blame game. Every time a new procedure begins, the press, analysts and politicians are lying in wait for the first stumble, the first difficulty, the first lie. Then a flood of criticism breaks out against the other side - that it is intransigent, that it doesn't want a solution, that it doesn't implement what was agreed, that it tricked us. This is exactly what happened just now over the Ledra Street opening. The details have not become totally clear. Yet our side as usual over-reacted. "Complications over Ledra Street. Attilla doesn't let us open the road blocks" was the gist of the TV and press coverage. This is not the way to solve the Cyprus problem. We must show some understanding for the problems of the T/Cs. We're not the only ones suffering because of the invasion. Christofias is showing that he does understand. But for him to succeed we must all do so too. And first and foremost the mass media.
Tuesday 25 March 2008
Ledra street hitch
1. Ledra Street
It has been reported that there's been a hitch in the opening of Ledra Street. Reports talk of "technical problems" that have prevented the UN from entering the area. The Cyprus Mail says the setback was confirmed by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou after his meeting with Ozdil Nami, aide to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. According to CyBC when Nami was asked during the meeting to set up the technical committees, the Turkish Cypriot aide, said he was not in a position to give an answer about what was going on and would report back on Wednesday. Other sources told the Cyprus Mail it was because someone along the way felt they had not been adequately informed. But it was still something that could be overcome, the sources said. Asked if the Turkish side had changed its mind, Iacovou said he could not comment on that. He said all he could say was “they were not yet ready”. Phileleftheros says the Turkish army is not allowing UNFICYP to enter the buffer zone and begin the demining process because they are questioning whether it is no-man's land or land under their control.
Earlier yesterday the two mayors from both sides of Nicosia were still waiting for the green light from UNFICYP to enter the buffer zone to carry out the work needed to open the Ledra Street crossing. They met for lunch at a restaurant in the Green Line near the Ledra Palace crossing. Both mayors have said that once the UN allows them in, they could be ready to open the crossing within five days.As regards the meeting itself, Mr Iacovou said there had been great progress in the work of setting up the committees and that the meetings would continue tomorrow. “We discussed the issues the committees will deal with. We have made great progress towards the right direction and I believe that at our next meeting on Wednesday we will reach an agreed basis,” he said.
2. UN
In New York yesterday UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon congratulated the two leaders on their agreement to start full-fledged negotiations within three months. “The United Nations stands ready to lend its full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement,” Ban’s spokesperson, Michele Montas, said. Ban “warmly” welcomed the leaders’ decisions to set up a number of working groups and technical committees in advance of talks, and said that their agreement on the opening of a crossing at Ledra Street in Nicosia as soon as technically possible “was a positive step forward".. On Sunday Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe will arrive on the island “to help the UN determine how it can be as helpful as possible to the success of the process”, Montas added.
UNFICYP yesterday confirmed that Michael Moller, the Secretary-general’s Special Representative in Cyprus would be replaced by Elizabeth Spehar, the Director of the organisation’s Political Affairs Department responsible for Europe. A spokesman for UNFICYP said Spehar, who is due to arrive in Cyprus on Thursday, would be brought in from New York as an “interim replacement” for Moller, who leaves the island at the end of this month.
3. US
American ambassador Ronald Schlicher also congratulated the two sides yesterday for their renewed efforts to find a Cyprus solution. “We very much hope that the positive spirit continues and that the negotiation process gets up and running and gets to the substance of the issue because we deeply feel that the future of Cyprus is a reunited Cyprus and the sooner we get to that the better,” he said.
4. Politis
Politis' editor Andreas Paraschos in his editorial refers to a comment by Diko spokesman Andreas Angelides on a radio talk show the other day who said that of all five permanent UN Security Council members, Britain is the most ardent supporter of all that has happened since Christofias' election, adding that we must be very vigilant at this joy on the part of the British because for them to be happy means we aren't doing well at all. The writer says that Angelides wasn't the only one to warn about the British. Simerini and Phileleftheros on Sunday both had articles claiming that the British were toying with Christofias but the most virulent attack was in the column of Takis Kounnafis, Phileleftheros' Director, who criticised Christofias for his statement that we look forward to returning to Kyrenia even under T/C rule, saying that he doesn't realise there are some things he just can't say as president now that he is no longer just heading Akel, as they just delight the well-known supporters of British interests. The writer concludes by saying such an attitude is not only insulting for both President Christofias and the people who voted for him but also dangerous because it was precisely these positions that have brought Cyprus to the brink of partition from 1963 up until yesterday when the people sent Tassos Papadopoulos packing. These positions have been tried and tested and brought bloodshed and destruction. So now let's try cooperation, peace and mutual understanding instead.
It has been reported that there's been a hitch in the opening of Ledra Street. Reports talk of "technical problems" that have prevented the UN from entering the area. The Cyprus Mail says the setback was confirmed by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou after his meeting with Ozdil Nami, aide to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat. According to CyBC when Nami was asked during the meeting to set up the technical committees, the Turkish Cypriot aide, said he was not in a position to give an answer about what was going on and would report back on Wednesday. Other sources told the Cyprus Mail it was because someone along the way felt they had not been adequately informed. But it was still something that could be overcome, the sources said. Asked if the Turkish side had changed its mind, Iacovou said he could not comment on that. He said all he could say was “they were not yet ready”. Phileleftheros says the Turkish army is not allowing UNFICYP to enter the buffer zone and begin the demining process because they are questioning whether it is no-man's land or land under their control.
Earlier yesterday the two mayors from both sides of Nicosia were still waiting for the green light from UNFICYP to enter the buffer zone to carry out the work needed to open the Ledra Street crossing. They met for lunch at a restaurant in the Green Line near the Ledra Palace crossing. Both mayors have said that once the UN allows them in, they could be ready to open the crossing within five days.As regards the meeting itself, Mr Iacovou said there had been great progress in the work of setting up the committees and that the meetings would continue tomorrow. “We discussed the issues the committees will deal with. We have made great progress towards the right direction and I believe that at our next meeting on Wednesday we will reach an agreed basis,” he said.
2. UN
In New York yesterday UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon congratulated the two leaders on their agreement to start full-fledged negotiations within three months. “The United Nations stands ready to lend its full support to the Cypriot people in their efforts to reach a settlement,” Ban’s spokesperson, Michele Montas, said. Ban “warmly” welcomed the leaders’ decisions to set up a number of working groups and technical committees in advance of talks, and said that their agreement on the opening of a crossing at Ledra Street in Nicosia as soon as technically possible “was a positive step forward".. On Sunday Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe will arrive on the island “to help the UN determine how it can be as helpful as possible to the success of the process”, Montas added.
UNFICYP yesterday confirmed that Michael Moller, the Secretary-general’s Special Representative in Cyprus would be replaced by Elizabeth Spehar, the Director of the organisation’s Political Affairs Department responsible for Europe. A spokesman for UNFICYP said Spehar, who is due to arrive in Cyprus on Thursday, would be brought in from New York as an “interim replacement” for Moller, who leaves the island at the end of this month.
3. US
American ambassador Ronald Schlicher also congratulated the two sides yesterday for their renewed efforts to find a Cyprus solution. “We very much hope that the positive spirit continues and that the negotiation process gets up and running and gets to the substance of the issue because we deeply feel that the future of Cyprus is a reunited Cyprus and the sooner we get to that the better,” he said.
4. Politis
Politis' editor Andreas Paraschos in his editorial refers to a comment by Diko spokesman Andreas Angelides on a radio talk show the other day who said that of all five permanent UN Security Council members, Britain is the most ardent supporter of all that has happened since Christofias' election, adding that we must be very vigilant at this joy on the part of the British because for them to be happy means we aren't doing well at all. The writer says that Angelides wasn't the only one to warn about the British. Simerini and Phileleftheros on Sunday both had articles claiming that the British were toying with Christofias but the most virulent attack was in the column of Takis Kounnafis, Phileleftheros' Director, who criticised Christofias for his statement that we look forward to returning to Kyrenia even under T/C rule, saying that he doesn't realise there are some things he just can't say as president now that he is no longer just heading Akel, as they just delight the well-known supporters of British interests. The writer concludes by saying such an attitude is not only insulting for both President Christofias and the people who voted for him but also dangerous because it was precisely these positions that have brought Cyprus to the brink of partition from 1963 up until yesterday when the people sent Tassos Papadopoulos packing. These positions have been tried and tested and brought bloodshed and destruction. So now let's try cooperation, peace and mutual understanding instead.
Monday 24 March 2008
Moaners and groaners
1. UNFICYP demining Ledra Street
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) will begin demining Ledra Street to enable the opening of the crossing point. UNFICYP spokesperson Mr Jose Luis Diaz told the Cyprus News Agency yesterday that “we expect to start very soon with the demining team to go in and make sure there are no unexploded ammunitions” and that it would last just one or two days.
2. Disy says stop moaning
Disy President Nikos Anastasiades called on all those "habitual moaners (griniarides)" to get over it and focus on the substance of what is happening in the Cyprus problem. He said all those who are grumbling over whether or not the 8 July procedure was adhered to by the two leaders aren't helping in the common aim. He urged people not to get stuck on semantics and look ahead to the substance. He added that he hoped that all would go well and that the same spirit and goodwill that was shown at the Talat-Christofias meeting will also be shown in the meetings today. He said as long as Disy are kept informed and as long as they agree with the way things are handled, they would continue to support Christofias. He said his forthcoming dinner with Mr Talat on 8 April will not just be a social get together but an opportunity to discuss our common vision. "Not a negotiation, of course", he added, "as others have that responsibility".
3. Diko
House President Mr Karoyian said that at the moment there is no cause for "either excessive optimism or pessimism", and that we must remain calm and steady in order to implement our policies. He said that Diko insists on the implementation of the 8 July agreement because it considers it the only procedure that would prepare the ground properly. "Our aim is that through the negotiations and progress that will be achieved, direct talks between the two leaders can start.
4. Denktash
Hurriyet reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash has warned Talat not to give up sovereignty. “The state to be established must be based on two sovereign states. The TRNC must be kept alive”, Denktash said and added: “Christofias must completely abandon the views of him being the only leader of a known state and member-country of the EU. Otherwise, he cannot negotiate with Talat on an equal footing. During all negotiations Christofias must not have contacts with other countries using this attribute. Otherwise, there is no equality”. Moreover Politis also reports that Denktash warned that the G/C side wants to eradicate the TRNC and get rid of Turkey's guarantor rights in Cyprus and recalls that Christofias has even clearly stated that that the T/Cs must separate from Turkey. He also reminded Talat that he had sworn to protect and promote the TRNC and called on him to remain bound by his oath. "In the event that an agreement is not reached based on the realities in Cyprus, Cyprus will become Greek in ten years time," he said.
5. Turkish press
Semih Idiz writing in Milliyet says that despite the new hope, caution is needed in Cyprus. He says that Christofias used words which gave rise to hope in his statement to the BBC before his meeting with Talat. But the real work starts now. Because the positive atmosphere created during the beginning of this new procedure must continue during the discussions on the truly difficult and complicated issues. At the same time, the Greek Cypriot side is now known to have an extreme allergy to the ‘Annan Plan’. If they do not want the revitalization of the Annan Plan, they must understand that concepts like “bizonality”, “bicommunality” and “political equality” which are included in the basis of this plan, will be components of any kind of solution.
Hurriyet's headlines read “The comrades agreed”, “Ledra Street is opening”, “M. Ali Talat got what he wanted”.
Emine Kart writing in Istanbul's Zaman on Sunday says the meeting between the two leaders gives rise to cautious optimism in Cyprus. The writer says the communique after the meeting left a bitter taste for a senior Turkish Cypriot official who said he believed Talat had walked into what he called "the 8 July ambush." "The mountain gave birth to a mouse. What did Talat agree on? He basically agreed to the July 8 agreement, which was a tool used by Papadopoulos. No substantial groundwork has been laid and there is no need for an oracle to guess whether such ground will emerge after these three months," the same source told the paper. Asked why Talat had caved in to such a position despite all of these facts, the official said there were many reasons, such as loss of focus on the Cyprus issue in Ankara due to its own domestic problems, whereas for Athens, the Cyprus issue remained a top priority. In contrast Associate Professor Mensur Akgun, director of the foreign policy program at the Istanbul based-Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, played down worries and said "The upcoming three-month period will serve as a confidence-building measure not for the Turkish Cypriot side, but for the Greek Cypriot side". Akgun told the paper: "Commitment to ensure that the right atmosphere prevails is necessary for this process to be successful. In connection to this, confidence-building measures are essential, both in terms of improving the atmosphere and improving the life of all Turkish and Greek Cypriots. The so-called 'blame game' must end, as Gambari had said at the time". Moreover, prominent foreign policy analyst Sami Kohen also sounded hopeful concerning the result of the Friday meeting, though he underlined that this was cautious optimism. "A window of opportunity has been opened. Even if it is not big, certain steps have been taken and the actors have changed. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot side seems to be feeling itself obliged to act in a pragmatic manner since they are apparently afraid of a permanent division of the island," Kohen told the paper. "The results were the best possible result; we couldn't have expected anything more than that as a starter," he added.
Turkish Cypriot columnist Hasan Hasturer, writing in Kibris says that the issue of how authorized Talat is during the negotiating procedure should be clarified both in northern Nicosia and Ankara. While the cheque of Christofias can be cashed with one signature only, the cheque of Talat is not yet with one signature.
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) will begin demining Ledra Street to enable the opening of the crossing point. UNFICYP spokesperson Mr Jose Luis Diaz told the Cyprus News Agency yesterday that “we expect to start very soon with the demining team to go in and make sure there are no unexploded ammunitions” and that it would last just one or two days.
2. Disy says stop moaning
Disy President Nikos Anastasiades called on all those "habitual moaners (griniarides)" to get over it and focus on the substance of what is happening in the Cyprus problem. He said all those who are grumbling over whether or not the 8 July procedure was adhered to by the two leaders aren't helping in the common aim. He urged people not to get stuck on semantics and look ahead to the substance. He added that he hoped that all would go well and that the same spirit and goodwill that was shown at the Talat-Christofias meeting will also be shown in the meetings today. He said as long as Disy are kept informed and as long as they agree with the way things are handled, they would continue to support Christofias. He said his forthcoming dinner with Mr Talat on 8 April will not just be a social get together but an opportunity to discuss our common vision. "Not a negotiation, of course", he added, "as others have that responsibility".
3. Diko
House President Mr Karoyian said that at the moment there is no cause for "either excessive optimism or pessimism", and that we must remain calm and steady in order to implement our policies. He said that Diko insists on the implementation of the 8 July agreement because it considers it the only procedure that would prepare the ground properly. "Our aim is that through the negotiations and progress that will be achieved, direct talks between the two leaders can start.
4. Denktash
Hurriyet reports that former Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash has warned Talat not to give up sovereignty. “The state to be established must be based on two sovereign states. The TRNC must be kept alive”, Denktash said and added: “Christofias must completely abandon the views of him being the only leader of a known state and member-country of the EU. Otherwise, he cannot negotiate with Talat on an equal footing. During all negotiations Christofias must not have contacts with other countries using this attribute. Otherwise, there is no equality”. Moreover Politis also reports that Denktash warned that the G/C side wants to eradicate the TRNC and get rid of Turkey's guarantor rights in Cyprus and recalls that Christofias has even clearly stated that that the T/Cs must separate from Turkey. He also reminded Talat that he had sworn to protect and promote the TRNC and called on him to remain bound by his oath. "In the event that an agreement is not reached based on the realities in Cyprus, Cyprus will become Greek in ten years time," he said.
5. Turkish press
Semih Idiz writing in Milliyet says that despite the new hope, caution is needed in Cyprus. He says that Christofias used words which gave rise to hope in his statement to the BBC before his meeting with Talat. But the real work starts now. Because the positive atmosphere created during the beginning of this new procedure must continue during the discussions on the truly difficult and complicated issues. At the same time, the Greek Cypriot side is now known to have an extreme allergy to the ‘Annan Plan’. If they do not want the revitalization of the Annan Plan, they must understand that concepts like “bizonality”, “bicommunality” and “political equality” which are included in the basis of this plan, will be components of any kind of solution.
Hurriyet's headlines read “The comrades agreed”, “Ledra Street is opening”, “M. Ali Talat got what he wanted”.
Emine Kart writing in Istanbul's Zaman on Sunday says the meeting between the two leaders gives rise to cautious optimism in Cyprus. The writer says the communique after the meeting left a bitter taste for a senior Turkish Cypriot official who said he believed Talat had walked into what he called "the 8 July ambush." "The mountain gave birth to a mouse. What did Talat agree on? He basically agreed to the July 8 agreement, which was a tool used by Papadopoulos. No substantial groundwork has been laid and there is no need for an oracle to guess whether such ground will emerge after these three months," the same source told the paper. Asked why Talat had caved in to such a position despite all of these facts, the official said there were many reasons, such as loss of focus on the Cyprus issue in Ankara due to its own domestic problems, whereas for Athens, the Cyprus issue remained a top priority. In contrast Associate Professor Mensur Akgun, director of the foreign policy program at the Istanbul based-Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, played down worries and said "The upcoming three-month period will serve as a confidence-building measure not for the Turkish Cypriot side, but for the Greek Cypriot side". Akgun told the paper: "Commitment to ensure that the right atmosphere prevails is necessary for this process to be successful. In connection to this, confidence-building measures are essential, both in terms of improving the atmosphere and improving the life of all Turkish and Greek Cypriots. The so-called 'blame game' must end, as Gambari had said at the time". Moreover, prominent foreign policy analyst Sami Kohen also sounded hopeful concerning the result of the Friday meeting, though he underlined that this was cautious optimism. "A window of opportunity has been opened. Even if it is not big, certain steps have been taken and the actors have changed. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot side seems to be feeling itself obliged to act in a pragmatic manner since they are apparently afraid of a permanent division of the island," Kohen told the paper. "The results were the best possible result; we couldn't have expected anything more than that as a starter," he added.
Turkish Cypriot columnist Hasan Hasturer, writing in Kibris says that the issue of how authorized Talat is during the negotiating procedure should be clarified both in northern Nicosia and Ankara. While the cheque of Christofias can be cashed with one signature only, the cheque of Talat is not yet with one signature.
Sunday 23 March 2008
It all looks auspicious, but did the British cook it up?
1. Cyprus Mail
The former UN envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto in an interview in the Mail said "remarkable" developments took place on Friday, which "look quite auspicious". He said he was glad to hear that the two leaders had spent 40 minutes talking alone without UN participation. "The UN was called on to play an intrusive role over the years because there was always one side that was reluctant. A third party was needed to make bridging proposals. Now Christofias and Talat are obviously saying to the UN 'we will call you when we need you'. It is rather remarkable." He welcomed the fact that the two leaders did not let the issue of a basis for the future talks stop them moving ahead. "The statement seems to indicate they have set aside potential wrangling on what basis is going to be used for the talks", he said. He said the Annan plan was just a name and a name that had been given to the UN blueprint by journalists. There was no 'official' Annan plan in existence. Most of it was an accumulation of work done by the two sides over the years. "The UN never referred to it that way," he said. "A very large chunk of the plan, the legislation, the 9,000 pages, was actually negotiated. Granted there was a whip being cracked". De Soto described the Cyprus problem as a padlock needing four keys to open it. "There is something now like a set of circumstances that has never occurred before. For the first time we might just have four keys well disposed to open it", the Peruvian diplomat said.
Elsewhere the paper says that Christofias and Talat's aides will meet every day this week to set up working groups and technical committes. George Iacovou told the paper he was working round the clock this weekend to prepare the titles for between five and seven working groups and the same number of technical committees. He said the only day this week he and Nami would be unable to meet would be on Tuesday because the T/C aide had a prior commitment. And even though Tuesday us a public holiday for G/Cs Iacovou said he would be at Nami's disposal if he so wished. The previous attempt to set up working groups and technical committees under the July 8 agreement floundered for 18 months at the stage of naming the committees and groups despite 50 meetings during that time. "It never went beyond the titles", Iacovou said. He said he was trying a new approach which would decontroversialise some of the titles which bedevilled previous efforts, He named certain wordings such as displaced persons, repatriation and return to homes as some things that need careful handling. "If the T/Cs find some things hard to swallow we may have to find new wording or neutral language. But sometimes you have to call a spade a spade", he added."If we cannot agree on these things then it will not be encouraging".
The paper's editorial expresses the belief that Friday's meeting between the two leaders opened the final chapter in the Cyprus problem. Conditions for a successful conclusion have never been more favourable. The leaders of the two communities are pro-solution and pragmatic supporters of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. The governments of Thurkey and Greece have developed sound bilateral relations and would both be fully behind a new peace initiative and help resolve any differences. In a few hours the two agreed to set in motion a procedure that had been stalled for 18 months. The truth is that for Tassos Papadopoulos the 8 July agreement was the tool for preventing any new initiative taking place and blaming the intransigent T/C side for the deadlock he had caused. Nothing demonstrated the ex-president's commitment to maintaining the stalemate and negative climate he had cultivated more than his handling of the opening of Leddra street. For two years his government was setting idiotic conditions it knew the other side would never accept so that the crossing remained closed. Within a couple of weeks of Christofias' election the objections vanished and the opening of the street was announced. The paper says that in order to maintain this positive climate, the two leaders must avoid public statements that might provoke hostile reactions on either side because these will be seized by the opponents of a settlement in both communities and used to poison the climate. Differences that may arise should be resolved behind closed doors and kept off the airwaves because the media, which had often played a destructive part in the past, and anti-solution politicians will be waiting to pounce and scupper the procedure. This must not be allowed to happen.
Coffeeshop says that red ties were all the rage at Friday's feelgood meeting between Christofias and Talat. The two leaders managed to undo in a few hours the years of hard work against any form of progress by our former Ethnarch. It was really quite easy. They just chucked the 90-plus chapters he had submitted for discussion into the bin, agreed to set up a few committees and working groups to discuss issues of little consequence and brought forward the completion date, from the 20 years comrade Tassos had been angling for, to three months. And after that full speed ahead with direct talks for a settlement. Talat showed that he is not the hardline, intransigent, baby-eating monster controlled by Ankara that the pro-Tassos media would have us believe. He proved quite a reasonable chap and immediately hit it off with comrade presidente. They agreed to the opening of Ledra Street in a matter of minutes, comrade Christofias putting aside all the pathetically daft conditions - the depth of the buffer zone and how many centimetres away the postions of the soldiers should be - set by his predecessor as an excuse for keeping it closed. The atmosphere seems cleaner now. All the poison released into our air on a daily basis for the previous five years by the fallen Ethnach's henchmen, disciples and cheerleaders appears to be clearing despite heroic efforts to keep it circulating. In the run-up to Friday's meeting Edek, Euroko and Diko politicians went on radio shows telling us that they had very low expectations because of Talat's intransigence and his refusal to accept the 8 July agreement . The championing of this agreement by all politicians opposed to a settlement in this century says it all.
2. Politis
The paper leads with a cartoon on its front page of Christofias and Talat lounging on a beach sipping cocktails with the former asking: "How do you find the climate, Mehmet?" and the latter replying: "Excellent!"
Makarios Drousiotis writing in the paper says that the EU considers the letter that the Turkish PM Erdogan sent to the 26 member states to be a green light to a solution. In fact European diplomats believe conditions for a solution have never been better. The writer says he has copies of all three letters sent by Erdogan, Talat and Christofias and says that what the media had said about them did not correspond with reality. First of all the media had said that the Talat and Erdogan letters were very similar and that the former had written it on Ankara's instructions. In reality they letters are completely different both in content and in length, the former being three pages long. While the media said Erdogan mentions two states, parthenogenesis and the 8 July agreement, there are no such references in the letter. What's moreTalat has apparently told Michael Moller that two colleagues of his wrote the letter on his own initiative and even admitted that he had made a mistake in sending it so soon after Papadopoulos' defeat. European diplomats were also surprised at Christofias' letter in which he calls on EU leaders to urge Turkey to abandon its campaign to demolish the 8 July agreement made obvious by the recent letter sent by Erdogan, whereas Erdogan makes no mention to 8 July in his letter. "I believe Cypriots must re-read some of the letters sent by Denktash or Ecevit in order to understand the great leaps that the present-day Turkish government has made", an EU diplomat said. "If Erdogan did not want a solution he would never have sent such a letter. He would have accepted 8 July as T. Papadopoulos understood it, he would open a port in 2009 and would let the talks drag on for years, while on the ground partition would solidify. Erdogan does want a solution because he believes that it will help his entry to Europe". The writer cites Erdogan's call in his letter for the EU to facilitate a solution as being indicative. This would never have happened before.
Columnist Yiangos' Mikellides this week says, while he finds it difficult after five years of writing articles against Tassos to suddenly change his tune, nevertheless he is cautiously optimistic. He says Cyprus' adventures started at the beginning of the century when the priests tried to unite us with Greece totally ignoring the 20% T/Cs. Things got worse with Digeni, Makarios and EOKA and even worse with Denktash who started talking of partition. Makarios and Denktash must be considered as the prime people responsible for the situation we have today. Akel meanwhile kept a more neutral stance, hence the great disappointment when Christofias decided to promote Tassos to power, someone who the writer considers the apogee of nationalism and forces of darkness, a person who destroyed this country. But it seems Christofias is now consciously choosing to change tack. The Left was more ready to accept the T/Cs as partners with the G/C in the Cypriot state. It was more mature and able to recognise that we had a Cypriot identity and accept Cyprus' multiculturalism which the G/C nationalists, racists and priests tried to distort. Cyprus is a bilingual island, culturally independent, Greek speaking, with a history that is parallel but completely different to that of Greece. Christofias' job is difficult. His predecessors failed miserably. Although he takes on a Cyprus in a worse state then ever, hopefully he will succeed better. At least it seems he's trying.
3. Alithia
Pambos Charalambous says that Christofias and Talat are on the road leading to a solution. In this effort Christifias will have Disy not in opposition but in support. The enthusiasm that G/C public opinion greeted the outcome of the meeting increase expectations. On his part Talat should be delighted with the reaction both of the T/C as well as Turkey. While the international community is willing to proceed with practical measure to encourage the interlocutors to see it through to the end. There are ideas being hatched which will soon see the light of day.
The paper says that according to information the two sides didn't actually agree as to where the buffer zone should be around the Ledra Palace so gave it over to UNFICYP. However, the two leaders agreed at their meeting that if they each remained entrenched in their positions the Cyprus problem would never be solved. So they decided to go ahead anyway and trust that everything would be sorted out with a final solution. Apparently Talat tried to explain to Christofias that he has the good will but that he must understand the difficulties in which the T/C side is in. Christofias assured him that he has the understanding of the G/C but that he must also help himself and proceed with practical actions of good will. He told him to have the courage to make brave steps forward and that he would stand by him like a rock and would do all in his power both within Cyprus and abroad to support him.
4. Haravghi
The paper says the scenes that unfolded before the meeting of the two leaders were very touching as a number of G/C and T/C women lined the streets holding banners urging the two men to proceed for a solution and to end the division of the island.
5. Phileleftheros
The paper says that a flood of mediators is coming to the island starting with the UN's UnderSecretary General Lyn Pascoe who is arriving on Sunday followed by US officials. The British will act as master of ceremonies, the paper says.
6. Simerini
We're heading for an express solution, says the paper. Christofias and Talat responded to the expectations of the international community. The question, it adds, is whether at the end of the day they will also respond to the expectations for a just, viable and democratic solution as well. But what if the outcome of the technical committees is not good? Then what? Will they sweep their differences under the carpet as they did on Friday and still go ahead with direct talks? In general there were some shadows hanging over Friday's agreement which hopefully will be dissoved. It would be naive to think that the meeting did not go ahead without behind-the-scenes work. The British High Commissioner was surprisingly optimistic when everyone was still reserved. He said that the gap between the two wasn't so big that it couldn't be bridged. Prophetic, it seems he knows what he's saying. And since there are no prophets in politics one wonders whether the coffee the two drank was truly metrio, and who cooked it? Was it Cypriot, or imported? And if it was Cypriot, did it have a British aroma?
Savvas Iacovides argues that anyone who thinks the British left the island in 1960 are naive and unaware of political realities. The British are still here on the ground, with their bases and the mentality of a number of people who think like them. They are the biggest, strongest, most effective and most long term player in the Cyprus problem. They proved it with the way they cooked up Friday's meeting. It followed a British formula which would weaken the 8 July agreement, would avert a possible deadlock, would set the basis for a speedy negotiation with the aim of reaching a resolution by 2009 and allowing Turkey to appear with a good record before the EU. It seems it worked. No mention was made of 8 July and they set tight timeframes for the various working groups and committees. No mention of the EU playing a supportive role. Instead they said they wanted to underline what they had agreed on not what they had disagreed on. So they disagreed? On what issues? How serious were the disagreements? When will we know about them? It seems this truly is a new era for Cyprus and we will know soon enough whether the coffee they drank will turn into sketto or glyki.
The former UN envoy for Cyprus Alvaro de Soto in an interview in the Mail said "remarkable" developments took place on Friday, which "look quite auspicious". He said he was glad to hear that the two leaders had spent 40 minutes talking alone without UN participation. "The UN was called on to play an intrusive role over the years because there was always one side that was reluctant. A third party was needed to make bridging proposals. Now Christofias and Talat are obviously saying to the UN 'we will call you when we need you'. It is rather remarkable." He welcomed the fact that the two leaders did not let the issue of a basis for the future talks stop them moving ahead. "The statement seems to indicate they have set aside potential wrangling on what basis is going to be used for the talks", he said. He said the Annan plan was just a name and a name that had been given to the UN blueprint by journalists. There was no 'official' Annan plan in existence. Most of it was an accumulation of work done by the two sides over the years. "The UN never referred to it that way," he said. "A very large chunk of the plan, the legislation, the 9,000 pages, was actually negotiated. Granted there was a whip being cracked". De Soto described the Cyprus problem as a padlock needing four keys to open it. "There is something now like a set of circumstances that has never occurred before. For the first time we might just have four keys well disposed to open it", the Peruvian diplomat said.
Elsewhere the paper says that Christofias and Talat's aides will meet every day this week to set up working groups and technical committes. George Iacovou told the paper he was working round the clock this weekend to prepare the titles for between five and seven working groups and the same number of technical committees. He said the only day this week he and Nami would be unable to meet would be on Tuesday because the T/C aide had a prior commitment. And even though Tuesday us a public holiday for G/Cs Iacovou said he would be at Nami's disposal if he so wished. The previous attempt to set up working groups and technical committees under the July 8 agreement floundered for 18 months at the stage of naming the committees and groups despite 50 meetings during that time. "It never went beyond the titles", Iacovou said. He said he was trying a new approach which would decontroversialise some of the titles which bedevilled previous efforts, He named certain wordings such as displaced persons, repatriation and return to homes as some things that need careful handling. "If the T/Cs find some things hard to swallow we may have to find new wording or neutral language. But sometimes you have to call a spade a spade", he added."If we cannot agree on these things then it will not be encouraging".
The paper's editorial expresses the belief that Friday's meeting between the two leaders opened the final chapter in the Cyprus problem. Conditions for a successful conclusion have never been more favourable. The leaders of the two communities are pro-solution and pragmatic supporters of a bizonal, bicommunal federation. The governments of Thurkey and Greece have developed sound bilateral relations and would both be fully behind a new peace initiative and help resolve any differences. In a few hours the two agreed to set in motion a procedure that had been stalled for 18 months. The truth is that for Tassos Papadopoulos the 8 July agreement was the tool for preventing any new initiative taking place and blaming the intransigent T/C side for the deadlock he had caused. Nothing demonstrated the ex-president's commitment to maintaining the stalemate and negative climate he had cultivated more than his handling of the opening of Leddra street. For two years his government was setting idiotic conditions it knew the other side would never accept so that the crossing remained closed. Within a couple of weeks of Christofias' election the objections vanished and the opening of the street was announced. The paper says that in order to maintain this positive climate, the two leaders must avoid public statements that might provoke hostile reactions on either side because these will be seized by the opponents of a settlement in both communities and used to poison the climate. Differences that may arise should be resolved behind closed doors and kept off the airwaves because the media, which had often played a destructive part in the past, and anti-solution politicians will be waiting to pounce and scupper the procedure. This must not be allowed to happen.
Coffeeshop says that red ties were all the rage at Friday's feelgood meeting between Christofias and Talat. The two leaders managed to undo in a few hours the years of hard work against any form of progress by our former Ethnarch. It was really quite easy. They just chucked the 90-plus chapters he had submitted for discussion into the bin, agreed to set up a few committees and working groups to discuss issues of little consequence and brought forward the completion date, from the 20 years comrade Tassos had been angling for, to three months. And after that full speed ahead with direct talks for a settlement. Talat showed that he is not the hardline, intransigent, baby-eating monster controlled by Ankara that the pro-Tassos media would have us believe. He proved quite a reasonable chap and immediately hit it off with comrade presidente. They agreed to the opening of Ledra Street in a matter of minutes, comrade Christofias putting aside all the pathetically daft conditions - the depth of the buffer zone and how many centimetres away the postions of the soldiers should be - set by his predecessor as an excuse for keeping it closed. The atmosphere seems cleaner now. All the poison released into our air on a daily basis for the previous five years by the fallen Ethnach's henchmen, disciples and cheerleaders appears to be clearing despite heroic efforts to keep it circulating. In the run-up to Friday's meeting Edek, Euroko and Diko politicians went on radio shows telling us that they had very low expectations because of Talat's intransigence and his refusal to accept the 8 July agreement . The championing of this agreement by all politicians opposed to a settlement in this century says it all.
2. Politis
The paper leads with a cartoon on its front page of Christofias and Talat lounging on a beach sipping cocktails with the former asking: "How do you find the climate, Mehmet?" and the latter replying: "Excellent!"
Makarios Drousiotis writing in the paper says that the EU considers the letter that the Turkish PM Erdogan sent to the 26 member states to be a green light to a solution. In fact European diplomats believe conditions for a solution have never been better. The writer says he has copies of all three letters sent by Erdogan, Talat and Christofias and says that what the media had said about them did not correspond with reality. First of all the media had said that the Talat and Erdogan letters were very similar and that the former had written it on Ankara's instructions. In reality they letters are completely different both in content and in length, the former being three pages long. While the media said Erdogan mentions two states, parthenogenesis and the 8 July agreement, there are no such references in the letter. What's moreTalat has apparently told Michael Moller that two colleagues of his wrote the letter on his own initiative and even admitted that he had made a mistake in sending it so soon after Papadopoulos' defeat. European diplomats were also surprised at Christofias' letter in which he calls on EU leaders to urge Turkey to abandon its campaign to demolish the 8 July agreement made obvious by the recent letter sent by Erdogan, whereas Erdogan makes no mention to 8 July in his letter. "I believe Cypriots must re-read some of the letters sent by Denktash or Ecevit in order to understand the great leaps that the present-day Turkish government has made", an EU diplomat said. "If Erdogan did not want a solution he would never have sent such a letter. He would have accepted 8 July as T. Papadopoulos understood it, he would open a port in 2009 and would let the talks drag on for years, while on the ground partition would solidify. Erdogan does want a solution because he believes that it will help his entry to Europe". The writer cites Erdogan's call in his letter for the EU to facilitate a solution as being indicative. This would never have happened before.
Columnist Yiangos' Mikellides this week says, while he finds it difficult after five years of writing articles against Tassos to suddenly change his tune, nevertheless he is cautiously optimistic. He says Cyprus' adventures started at the beginning of the century when the priests tried to unite us with Greece totally ignoring the 20% T/Cs. Things got worse with Digeni, Makarios and EOKA and even worse with Denktash who started talking of partition. Makarios and Denktash must be considered as the prime people responsible for the situation we have today. Akel meanwhile kept a more neutral stance, hence the great disappointment when Christofias decided to promote Tassos to power, someone who the writer considers the apogee of nationalism and forces of darkness, a person who destroyed this country. But it seems Christofias is now consciously choosing to change tack. The Left was more ready to accept the T/Cs as partners with the G/C in the Cypriot state. It was more mature and able to recognise that we had a Cypriot identity and accept Cyprus' multiculturalism which the G/C nationalists, racists and priests tried to distort. Cyprus is a bilingual island, culturally independent, Greek speaking, with a history that is parallel but completely different to that of Greece. Christofias' job is difficult. His predecessors failed miserably. Although he takes on a Cyprus in a worse state then ever, hopefully he will succeed better. At least it seems he's trying.
3. Alithia
Pambos Charalambous says that Christofias and Talat are on the road leading to a solution. In this effort Christifias will have Disy not in opposition but in support. The enthusiasm that G/C public opinion greeted the outcome of the meeting increase expectations. On his part Talat should be delighted with the reaction both of the T/C as well as Turkey. While the international community is willing to proceed with practical measure to encourage the interlocutors to see it through to the end. There are ideas being hatched which will soon see the light of day.
The paper says that according to information the two sides didn't actually agree as to where the buffer zone should be around the Ledra Palace so gave it over to UNFICYP. However, the two leaders agreed at their meeting that if they each remained entrenched in their positions the Cyprus problem would never be solved. So they decided to go ahead anyway and trust that everything would be sorted out with a final solution. Apparently Talat tried to explain to Christofias that he has the good will but that he must understand the difficulties in which the T/C side is in. Christofias assured him that he has the understanding of the G/C but that he must also help himself and proceed with practical actions of good will. He told him to have the courage to make brave steps forward and that he would stand by him like a rock and would do all in his power both within Cyprus and abroad to support him.
4. Haravghi
The paper says the scenes that unfolded before the meeting of the two leaders were very touching as a number of G/C and T/C women lined the streets holding banners urging the two men to proceed for a solution and to end the division of the island.
5. Phileleftheros
The paper says that a flood of mediators is coming to the island starting with the UN's UnderSecretary General Lyn Pascoe who is arriving on Sunday followed by US officials. The British will act as master of ceremonies, the paper says.
6. Simerini
We're heading for an express solution, says the paper. Christofias and Talat responded to the expectations of the international community. The question, it adds, is whether at the end of the day they will also respond to the expectations for a just, viable and democratic solution as well. But what if the outcome of the technical committees is not good? Then what? Will they sweep their differences under the carpet as they did on Friday and still go ahead with direct talks? In general there were some shadows hanging over Friday's agreement which hopefully will be dissoved. It would be naive to think that the meeting did not go ahead without behind-the-scenes work. The British High Commissioner was surprisingly optimistic when everyone was still reserved. He said that the gap between the two wasn't so big that it couldn't be bridged. Prophetic, it seems he knows what he's saying. And since there are no prophets in politics one wonders whether the coffee the two drank was truly metrio, and who cooked it? Was it Cypriot, or imported? And if it was Cypriot, did it have a British aroma?
Savvas Iacovides argues that anyone who thinks the British left the island in 1960 are naive and unaware of political realities. The British are still here on the ground, with their bases and the mentality of a number of people who think like them. They are the biggest, strongest, most effective and most long term player in the Cyprus problem. They proved it with the way they cooked up Friday's meeting. It followed a British formula which would weaken the 8 July agreement, would avert a possible deadlock, would set the basis for a speedy negotiation with the aim of reaching a resolution by 2009 and allowing Turkey to appear with a good record before the EU. It seems it worked. No mention was made of 8 July and they set tight timeframes for the various working groups and committees. No mention of the EU playing a supportive role. Instead they said they wanted to underline what they had agreed on not what they had disagreed on. So they disagreed? On what issues? How serious were the disagreements? When will we know about them? It seems this truly is a new era for Cyprus and we will know soon enough whether the coffee they drank will turn into sketto or glyki.
Saturday 22 March 2008
Saturday 22 March 2008
1. Government spokesman
Cyprus' Government Spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou, yesterday said he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting between Christofias and Talat. He also said that work would start straight away with a meeting between the two leaders' aides, Iacovou and Nami, on Monday. Asked why no mention is made of the 8 July agreement in the joint communiqué issued by the two leaders, since from the moment he was elected Mr Christofias has been saying that it would have to be the starting point of any new initiative, the Spokesman said: “I believe it is sufficient for anyone to compare the agreement with the outcome of the meeting". He recalled that the 8 July agreement provides for the setting up of technical committees and working groups to discuss day-to-day issues and confidence-building measures as well as substantive issues. "You can draw your own conclusions”, he said.
2. Reactions to the meeting
The Cyprus Mail reports that the international community welcomed the outcome of the Christofias-Talat meeting. “We are genuinely pleased,” one diplomat told the paper. “It is hard to see what more could have been done,” he added.A second diplomat close to the process said there had been genuine good will. “The meeting started off like that and continued throughout,” he said. “There was some back and forth but the good will has to be sustained, and from all the indications this will be possible,” he added.
Fearing too much of a negative climate in the run-up to the meeting, ambassadors from the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, Britain, France, Russia, China and the US, held meetings with both leaders in an attempt to tone down the rhetoric. In the end, both appeared to be satisfied and neither could be accused of “backing down” on their positions.The first diplomat said his impression that behind Talat’s demand for timetables was his concern that the July 8 process could be used for stalling, as it had been during the term of Tassos Papadopoulos. Talat may now believe that with a meeting already scheduled in three months’ time, and with the commitment to implement the July 8 agreement without stalling for another 18 months, timetables are no longer necessary for that extra push. “If they continue to work at it he is happy,” said the diplomat. “Maybe Christofias convinced him that if both leaders want a solution they don’t need to be obsessed with timetables.”
British High Commissioner Peter Millett said yesterday’s meeting was an important first step towards negotiations, “which we hope, will lead to the reunification of the island”. “It is a clear sign that the two leaders have the political will to tackle the issues and work for a solution,” he added. The British foreign secretary, David Miliband, said: "Today has brought good news from Cyprus. The meeting is a step towards real progress in the region and demonstrates the sort of leadership needed to reunite Cyprus. I hope both leaders will continue to show courage and determination, and that both sides work hard to see this through to a comprehensive settlement." EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the European Union welcomed the successful meeting between the two leaders “and their agreement to take full responsibility for the future conduct of the negotiations” he said, adding that the EU was ready to support the negotiations. He also congratulated the leaders "on the important symbolic decision to open the Ledra Street crossing. "I look forward to walking across the green line at Ledra Street myself in the near future."The US also welcomed the outcome of the meeting saying that the developments yesterday were very promising.On the domestic front, most political parties welcomed yesterday’s outcome as a first step in the right direction. Only the parties that had supported Papadopoulos’ policies on the Cyprus issue appeared somewhat muted in their response. Critics pointed out that the July 8 agreement had not been mentioned at all, deeming it a bad omen for the Greek Cypriot side’s position. DIKO said “neither excessive optimism nor excessive pessimism” were justified. It said the start of the working groups and technical committees would reveal how much the Turkish side “had abandoned its intransigent positions” and whether or not it would collaborate for a solution. AKEL, the United Democrats and DISY all issued statements of support for the process.
3. Greek Cypriot press
Giorgos Kaskanis writing in Politis says that in the various supporters of the recently rejected policy on Cyprus and of the person who expressed it, have already appeared on TV to express their doubts on the present developments. These people who would have been delighted if yesterday's meeting had led to failure, sat quirming in their chairs with long faces down to the ground, and began to express their doubts before the two leaders had hardly left the Moller residence. "Yes, but, they didn't mention 8 July"; "Let's see if the chapters they will discuss are the same ones the previous president had set", "they will soon lead us to direct talks"...The supporters of a dead and failed policy are in a difficult position. Up until yesterday hey were sure that Talat's intransigence would block everything, so now they can't welcome a tangible result. Up until yesterday they were swearing at Millett for saying that the differences between the two sides can be bridged, can't figure out how the Englishman could have been right. Having learned to live with deadlock can't understand how Christofias would want to stress where they had agreed and not where they had disagreed. If they want to be miserable, let them. But they have no right to deprive a nation of its right to hope. If Talat is truly intransigent, if Turkey truly wants partition, and if the foreigners want our obliteration, then what, pray, do these supporters of the ex-president propose? If this isn't the most defeatist attitude to the Cyprus problem, then i don't know what is.
Simerini says Talat, the occupier did not make any concessions. So why did Christofias?This is what we have to wonder after yesterday's meeting. It is clear from the joint communique that his endless declarations against tight deadlines and non-interference of foreigners, has gone up in smoke. It is clear that the 8 July agreement has been sidelined.No reference was made as to the basis of talks, or the parameters of a solution, they just agreed on the procedure. But Talat did set tight deadlines. He said that while the Turkish side wanted a solution by the end of 2008, now he wants one as soon as possible. So does Christofias although he was declaring different things previously. It seems these were just for the naive who believed that the new President would stick to his pre-election promises. He obviously didn't reckon on the crafty Brits. As Simerini revealed yesterday, the five permament members of the UN Security Council, obviously led by the British, put three issues before the two leaders: a) matters on which they agreed b) matters which needed to be re-examined c)matters on which they disagreed. A reader between the lines of the communique will clearly see that 8 July has disappeared and the British formula appeared in its place.
4. Turkish press
Politis says that the Turkish media were all talking about "a new era for Cyprus". NTV inverviewed a Turkish academician, Gengiz Aktar, who suggested that Turkey should make a goodwill gesture by withdrawing 500 troops. Talat's spokesman Hasan Ercakica was also guest of the programme who said Talat was pleased with the meeting and ready to participate in this new procedure. Hurriyet's headline was "They agreed to start talks" while Millyet's "Ledra opens". Cyprus was a secondary news item in Turkey yesterday as most media were preoccupied with events there.
5. Foreign Press
Michael Theodoulou in the London Times says that barricades that have split Nicosia's most famous shopping street for nearly half a century and form the most potent symbol of Cyprus’s division, will be dismantled as a first goodwill gesture towards the island's reunification.
Helena Smith in the Guardian says Cyprus came a step closer to healing the wounds of division yesterday after the leaders of its Greek and Turkish communities pledged to rid the island of one of its most enduring symbols of partition and relaunch long-stalled reunification talks. What could be a decisive moment in resolving one of the world's most complex diplomatic tangles follows five fruitless years under the nationalist, no-compromise Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. The election of Christofias, whose more flexible approach is overwhelmingly supported by the political opposition, has highlighted the renewed desire of Greek Cypriots for a solution ahead of a crucial visit to the island by a UN team that will assess the feasibility of talks later this month.
Cyprus' Government Spokesman, Stefanos Stefanou, yesterday said he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting between Christofias and Talat. He also said that work would start straight away with a meeting between the two leaders' aides, Iacovou and Nami, on Monday. Asked why no mention is made of the 8 July agreement in the joint communiqué issued by the two leaders, since from the moment he was elected Mr Christofias has been saying that it would have to be the starting point of any new initiative, the Spokesman said: “I believe it is sufficient for anyone to compare the agreement with the outcome of the meeting". He recalled that the 8 July agreement provides for the setting up of technical committees and working groups to discuss day-to-day issues and confidence-building measures as well as substantive issues. "You can draw your own conclusions”, he said.
2. Reactions to the meeting
The Cyprus Mail reports that the international community welcomed the outcome of the Christofias-Talat meeting. “We are genuinely pleased,” one diplomat told the paper. “It is hard to see what more could have been done,” he added.A second diplomat close to the process said there had been genuine good will. “The meeting started off like that and continued throughout,” he said. “There was some back and forth but the good will has to be sustained, and from all the indications this will be possible,” he added.
Fearing too much of a negative climate in the run-up to the meeting, ambassadors from the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, Britain, France, Russia, China and the US, held meetings with both leaders in an attempt to tone down the rhetoric. In the end, both appeared to be satisfied and neither could be accused of “backing down” on their positions.The first diplomat said his impression that behind Talat’s demand for timetables was his concern that the July 8 process could be used for stalling, as it had been during the term of Tassos Papadopoulos. Talat may now believe that with a meeting already scheduled in three months’ time, and with the commitment to implement the July 8 agreement without stalling for another 18 months, timetables are no longer necessary for that extra push. “If they continue to work at it he is happy,” said the diplomat. “Maybe Christofias convinced him that if both leaders want a solution they don’t need to be obsessed with timetables.”
British High Commissioner Peter Millett said yesterday’s meeting was an important first step towards negotiations, “which we hope, will lead to the reunification of the island”. “It is a clear sign that the two leaders have the political will to tackle the issues and work for a solution,” he added. The British foreign secretary, David Miliband, said: "Today has brought good news from Cyprus. The meeting is a step towards real progress in the region and demonstrates the sort of leadership needed to reunite Cyprus. I hope both leaders will continue to show courage and determination, and that both sides work hard to see this through to a comprehensive settlement." EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the European Union welcomed the successful meeting between the two leaders “and their agreement to take full responsibility for the future conduct of the negotiations” he said, adding that the EU was ready to support the negotiations. He also congratulated the leaders "on the important symbolic decision to open the Ledra Street crossing. "I look forward to walking across the green line at Ledra Street myself in the near future."The US also welcomed the outcome of the meeting saying that the developments yesterday were very promising.On the domestic front, most political parties welcomed yesterday’s outcome as a first step in the right direction. Only the parties that had supported Papadopoulos’ policies on the Cyprus issue appeared somewhat muted in their response. Critics pointed out that the July 8 agreement had not been mentioned at all, deeming it a bad omen for the Greek Cypriot side’s position. DIKO said “neither excessive optimism nor excessive pessimism” were justified. It said the start of the working groups and technical committees would reveal how much the Turkish side “had abandoned its intransigent positions” and whether or not it would collaborate for a solution. AKEL, the United Democrats and DISY all issued statements of support for the process.
3. Greek Cypriot press
Giorgos Kaskanis writing in Politis says that in the various supporters of the recently rejected policy on Cyprus and of the person who expressed it, have already appeared on TV to express their doubts on the present developments. These people who would have been delighted if yesterday's meeting had led to failure, sat quirming in their chairs with long faces down to the ground, and began to express their doubts before the two leaders had hardly left the Moller residence. "Yes, but, they didn't mention 8 July"; "Let's see if the chapters they will discuss are the same ones the previous president had set", "they will soon lead us to direct talks"...The supporters of a dead and failed policy are in a difficult position. Up until yesterday hey were sure that Talat's intransigence would block everything, so now they can't welcome a tangible result. Up until yesterday they were swearing at Millett for saying that the differences between the two sides can be bridged, can't figure out how the Englishman could have been right. Having learned to live with deadlock can't understand how Christofias would want to stress where they had agreed and not where they had disagreed. If they want to be miserable, let them. But they have no right to deprive a nation of its right to hope. If Talat is truly intransigent, if Turkey truly wants partition, and if the foreigners want our obliteration, then what, pray, do these supporters of the ex-president propose? If this isn't the most defeatist attitude to the Cyprus problem, then i don't know what is.
Simerini says Talat, the occupier did not make any concessions. So why did Christofias?This is what we have to wonder after yesterday's meeting. It is clear from the joint communique that his endless declarations against tight deadlines and non-interference of foreigners, has gone up in smoke. It is clear that the 8 July agreement has been sidelined.No reference was made as to the basis of talks, or the parameters of a solution, they just agreed on the procedure. But Talat did set tight deadlines. He said that while the Turkish side wanted a solution by the end of 2008, now he wants one as soon as possible. So does Christofias although he was declaring different things previously. It seems these were just for the naive who believed that the new President would stick to his pre-election promises. He obviously didn't reckon on the crafty Brits. As Simerini revealed yesterday, the five permament members of the UN Security Council, obviously led by the British, put three issues before the two leaders: a) matters on which they agreed b) matters which needed to be re-examined c)matters on which they disagreed. A reader between the lines of the communique will clearly see that 8 July has disappeared and the British formula appeared in its place.
4. Turkish press
Politis says that the Turkish media were all talking about "a new era for Cyprus". NTV inverviewed a Turkish academician, Gengiz Aktar, who suggested that Turkey should make a goodwill gesture by withdrawing 500 troops. Talat's spokesman Hasan Ercakica was also guest of the programme who said Talat was pleased with the meeting and ready to participate in this new procedure. Hurriyet's headline was "They agreed to start talks" while Millyet's "Ledra opens". Cyprus was a secondary news item in Turkey yesterday as most media were preoccupied with events there.
5. Foreign Press
Michael Theodoulou in the London Times says that barricades that have split Nicosia's most famous shopping street for nearly half a century and form the most potent symbol of Cyprus’s division, will be dismantled as a first goodwill gesture towards the island's reunification.
Helena Smith in the Guardian says Cyprus came a step closer to healing the wounds of division yesterday after the leaders of its Greek and Turkish communities pledged to rid the island of one of its most enduring symbols of partition and relaunch long-stalled reunification talks. What could be a decisive moment in resolving one of the world's most complex diplomatic tangles follows five fruitless years under the nationalist, no-compromise Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. The election of Christofias, whose more flexible approach is overwhelmingly supported by the political opposition, has highlighted the renewed desire of Greek Cypriots for a solution ahead of a crucial visit to the island by a UN team that will assess the feasibility of talks later this month.
Friday 21 March 2008
1. Christofias - Talat meeting
Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat today agreed to resume talks on the Cyprus problem and to open Ledra Street.
Michael Moller, the UN SG's Special Representative in Cyprus said he was pleased to announce that "the leaders met today in a very positive and cordial atmosphere and exchanged views on a number of issues, achieving a great degree of convergence".
Reading out a prepared statement, he said that the two leaders had "decided to ask their respective advisers to meet this coming week in order to set up a number of working groups and technical committees, establish their agendas, and to do so in the most expeditious way possible".
The statement went on: "In taking full responsibility for the conduct of future negotiations, the leaders have also agreed to meet three months from now to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, and using their results, to start full-fledged negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The leaders have also agreed to meet as and when needed prior to the commencement of their formal negotiations".
They agreed that Ledra Street will, as soon as technically possible, open and function in accordance with the established practices at other crossings. "The issue of the opening of the Limnitis crossing and other crossings is also on the agenda for the coming meetings of their advisers”, the statement adds.
The meeting, which was held at Mr Moller's house, lasted in all about 3 hours and included a private meeting between the two men followed by a broader meeting in the presence of Mr Moller and the two sides' advisors.
Asked by a Turkish Cypriot journalist afterwards what kind of coffee they had, Mr Christofias replied it was Cypriot coffee. When pressed to say if it was sweet or not, he said metrio.
Replying to questions Mr Talat said that that a new era had begun for Cyprus and their aim was to start working towards finding a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem. Talat said the T/C position is well known, that they would like a solution to be reached by the end of 2008. Asked what points they had disagreed on, Talat said they had not touched upon the parameters of the Cyprus problem but had mainly concentrated on procedural issues. Mr Christofias stressed that he wanted to underline what they had agreed on, not what they had disagreed on. He added that they were friends and would not become enemies.
The BBC's correspondent in Cyprus, Tabitha Morgan, reported that the body language of the two leaders when they emerged from their meeting was positive. She said there was a warmth between them that didn't exist between Mr Talat and Christofias' predecessor, Mr Papadopoulos.
2. British High Commissioner
The British High Commissioner to Cyprus, Peter Millett said yesterday that he believes the gap between the two communities in Cyprus is not too great. "The views and approaches of the two communities are a little different, the climate is a little different, but the gap between the two is not so large that bridges cannot be built towards an agreement for a new procedure", he said. Mr Millett, who was speaking after a meeting with Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades said Britain wanted to play a positive role and support a new procedure for a solution. But he stressed that the international community does not want to impose a solution. The solution should come from the two communities, he said.
3. Talat - Anastasiades
Alithia reports that Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades announced yesterday that he has invited Mr Talat to dinner at his house on 8 April in return for a similar invitation he had received from Mr Talat a while ago. Stressing the importance of contacts between the two communities on both a political and a social level were very important, he said that on the same day meetings had also been arranged between Disy and the Republican Turkish party.
Dimitris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat today agreed to resume talks on the Cyprus problem and to open Ledra Street.
Michael Moller, the UN SG's Special Representative in Cyprus said he was pleased to announce that "the leaders met today in a very positive and cordial atmosphere and exchanged views on a number of issues, achieving a great degree of convergence".
Reading out a prepared statement, he said that the two leaders had "decided to ask their respective advisers to meet this coming week in order to set up a number of working groups and technical committees, establish their agendas, and to do so in the most expeditious way possible".
The statement went on: "In taking full responsibility for the conduct of future negotiations, the leaders have also agreed to meet three months from now to review the work of the working groups and technical committees, and using their results, to start full-fledged negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The leaders have also agreed to meet as and when needed prior to the commencement of their formal negotiations".
They agreed that Ledra Street will, as soon as technically possible, open and function in accordance with the established practices at other crossings. "The issue of the opening of the Limnitis crossing and other crossings is also on the agenda for the coming meetings of their advisers”, the statement adds.
The meeting, which was held at Mr Moller's house, lasted in all about 3 hours and included a private meeting between the two men followed by a broader meeting in the presence of Mr Moller and the two sides' advisors.
Asked by a Turkish Cypriot journalist afterwards what kind of coffee they had, Mr Christofias replied it was Cypriot coffee. When pressed to say if it was sweet or not, he said metrio.
Replying to questions Mr Talat said that that a new era had begun for Cyprus and their aim was to start working towards finding a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem. Talat said the T/C position is well known, that they would like a solution to be reached by the end of 2008. Asked what points they had disagreed on, Talat said they had not touched upon the parameters of the Cyprus problem but had mainly concentrated on procedural issues. Mr Christofias stressed that he wanted to underline what they had agreed on, not what they had disagreed on. He added that they were friends and would not become enemies.
The BBC's correspondent in Cyprus, Tabitha Morgan, reported that the body language of the two leaders when they emerged from their meeting was positive. She said there was a warmth between them that didn't exist between Mr Talat and Christofias' predecessor, Mr Papadopoulos.
2. British High Commissioner
The British High Commissioner to Cyprus, Peter Millett said yesterday that he believes the gap between the two communities in Cyprus is not too great. "The views and approaches of the two communities are a little different, the climate is a little different, but the gap between the two is not so large that bridges cannot be built towards an agreement for a new procedure", he said. Mr Millett, who was speaking after a meeting with Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades said Britain wanted to play a positive role and support a new procedure for a solution. But he stressed that the international community does not want to impose a solution. The solution should come from the two communities, he said.
3. Talat - Anastasiades
Alithia reports that Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades announced yesterday that he has invited Mr Talat to dinner at his house on 8 April in return for a similar invitation he had received from Mr Talat a while ago. Stressing the importance of contacts between the two communities on both a political and a social level were very important, he said that on the same day meetings had also been arranged between Disy and the Republican Turkish party.
Wednesday 19 March 2008
1. Christofias meets UN Security Council five
President Christofias yesterday briefed the Ambassadors of all five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, the US, the UK, Russia, China, and France.British High Commissioner Peter Millet told the press afterwards that the meeting had been very useful. “We listened, with great interest, to the President’s expectations and explanations prior to his important meeting with Mr Talat on 21 March and onwards". He added that the five had reiterated their commitment to supporting UN efforts to achieve a settlement and their support for the implementation 8 July agreement. "We look forward to seeing progress in this area and to a momentum being created on Friday and onwards, and we look forward to further meetings of this kind with the President in the future.”
2. UN statement
The UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon announced yesterday that he has decided to send to Cyprus the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe as leader of an assessment team, to engage in dialogue with all the involved parties, aimed at achieving a breakthrough in the longstanding Cyprus problem. Speaking to the press in New York after an informal luncheon meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, he said the Cyprus problem was among the issues discussed.He said the international community should seize the momentum and window of opportunity, created by the election of Mr Demetris Christofias as the new Cyprus President and his expressed commitment to resolve the political issue. He added that Mr Talat had also conveyed his willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue to him during their meeting in Dakar, Senegal.
3. Christofias on Kyrenia
President Christofias said he is looking forward to returning to Kyrenia, a free Kyrenia, even if under Turkish Cypriot rule. Addressing the visiting Patriarch of Alexandria and All of Africa, Theodoros II, Christofias added that he had committed himself to that and for the Kyrenians to have the right of return. Asked to comment on this after the meeting, the Patriarch said "we have already agreed to a federation. When one is created there will be a part that will be governed by Turks. But when we talk of federation we mean one with a strong central government and two regions that will govern perfunctorily".
4.Turkish Cypriot statement
Talat's spokesperson, Hasan Ercakica, has said that during the Friday meeting between the Turkish two leaders they want to find out whether there is a need for the 8 July process and whether Christofias is willing to sit at negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side for a comprehensive solution.He said that the 8 July agreement was an initiative undertaken in order to overcome Papadopoulos' negative stance to negotiations and they were waiting to see if Christofias interprets the agreement in the same way. "If so then it means that we have a problem”, he said. He added that the 8 July agreement has been turned into a way of blocking the negotiations between the leaders and that this is also mentioned in the reports of the UN Secretary-General.
5. Property issue in the north
The Turkish Cypriot press reports that T/C banks are refusing to give loans with property with T/C title deeds as collateral. The papers also report that there is a slowdown in new buildings and a reduction in the number of foreigners investing in real estate in the north, while prices have dropped by 40%.
President Christofias yesterday briefed the Ambassadors of all five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, the US, the UK, Russia, China, and France.British High Commissioner Peter Millet told the press afterwards that the meeting had been very useful. “We listened, with great interest, to the President’s expectations and explanations prior to his important meeting with Mr Talat on 21 March and onwards". He added that the five had reiterated their commitment to supporting UN efforts to achieve a settlement and their support for the implementation 8 July agreement. "We look forward to seeing progress in this area and to a momentum being created on Friday and onwards, and we look forward to further meetings of this kind with the President in the future.”
2. UN statement
The UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon announced yesterday that he has decided to send to Cyprus the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe as leader of an assessment team, to engage in dialogue with all the involved parties, aimed at achieving a breakthrough in the longstanding Cyprus problem. Speaking to the press in New York after an informal luncheon meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, he said the Cyprus problem was among the issues discussed.He said the international community should seize the momentum and window of opportunity, created by the election of Mr Demetris Christofias as the new Cyprus President and his expressed commitment to resolve the political issue. He added that Mr Talat had also conveyed his willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue to him during their meeting in Dakar, Senegal.
3. Christofias on Kyrenia
President Christofias said he is looking forward to returning to Kyrenia, a free Kyrenia, even if under Turkish Cypriot rule. Addressing the visiting Patriarch of Alexandria and All of Africa, Theodoros II, Christofias added that he had committed himself to that and for the Kyrenians to have the right of return. Asked to comment on this after the meeting, the Patriarch said "we have already agreed to a federation. When one is created there will be a part that will be governed by Turks. But when we talk of federation we mean one with a strong central government and two regions that will govern perfunctorily".
4.Turkish Cypriot statement
Talat's spokesperson, Hasan Ercakica, has said that during the Friday meeting between the Turkish two leaders they want to find out whether there is a need for the 8 July process and whether Christofias is willing to sit at negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot side for a comprehensive solution.He said that the 8 July agreement was an initiative undertaken in order to overcome Papadopoulos' negative stance to negotiations and they were waiting to see if Christofias interprets the agreement in the same way. "If so then it means that we have a problem”, he said. He added that the 8 July agreement has been turned into a way of blocking the negotiations between the leaders and that this is also mentioned in the reports of the UN Secretary-General.
5. Property issue in the north
The Turkish Cypriot press reports that T/C banks are refusing to give loans with property with T/C title deeds as collateral. The papers also report that there is a slowdown in new buildings and a reduction in the number of foreigners investing in real estate in the north, while prices have dropped by 40%.
Monday 17 March 2008
1. Talat
The Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, on Friday called on President Christofias to relaunch negotiations within the plan prepared by the United Nations in order to establish two equal states based on two communities in Cyprus. He told participants of the 11th Islamic Conference of Organization in Dakar that he hoped a solution could be found in 2008.In its final communiqué the OIC reaffirmed its support for the Turkish Cypriots and called for an end to their isolation asking the international community to remove the sanctions as a first step.
2. Foreign Minister
Cyprus' Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou in an interview with CyBC said the EU's stand towards Cyprus is very positive and is willing to contribute to efforts to finding a solution by putting pressure on Turkey. He added that the EU was acknowledges the good will of the G/C side to start talks with the aim of finding a solution and at the same time is somewhat annoyed at the letter the Turkish PM sent to EU leaders which was basically ignored.
3. Greens
The Cyprus problem cannot be reduced to simply a question of opening of roadblocks and the opening of Ledra Street cannot be considered as a step towards progress, Giorgos Perdikis, the head of the Cyprus Green party said.
The Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, on Friday called on President Christofias to relaunch negotiations within the plan prepared by the United Nations in order to establish two equal states based on two communities in Cyprus. He told participants of the 11th Islamic Conference of Organization in Dakar that he hoped a solution could be found in 2008.In its final communiqué the OIC reaffirmed its support for the Turkish Cypriots and called for an end to their isolation asking the international community to remove the sanctions as a first step.
2. Foreign Minister
Cyprus' Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou in an interview with CyBC said the EU's stand towards Cyprus is very positive and is willing to contribute to efforts to finding a solution by putting pressure on Turkey. He added that the EU was acknowledges the good will of the G/C side to start talks with the aim of finding a solution and at the same time is somewhat annoyed at the letter the Turkish PM sent to EU leaders which was basically ignored.
3. Greens
The Cyprus problem cannot be reduced to simply a question of opening of roadblocks and the opening of Ledra Street cannot be considered as a step towards progress, Giorgos Perdikis, the head of the Cyprus Green party said.
Sunday 16 March 2008
1. Campaign costs
Research by Gnora Consultants into the money the various candidates spent on their election campaigns revealed that all three spent a total of €4.4 million. The Papadopoulos camp spent the most, despite the fact that his campaign lasted a week less than that of his opponents. He was the only candidate who reserved advertising space in newspapers for the Monday after the first election Sunday.
2. What the Sunday papers say
Loucas Charalambous writing in the Mail and Politis explains that the bickering over the pharase ‘virgin birth’ is whether, in the event of a settlement, the new federal state would evolve from the Cyprus Republic or come into being as something completely new. He says it was all because of Christofias' rhetoric that the Annan plan was dead, that the only way forward was the July 8 agreement, that he would never accept Turkish guarantees, etc. that made Talat bring it up. The Turkish Cypriot position is that all these matters had been resolved by the Annan plan, and only through negotiations based on that plan could any changes be discussed. So every time our leadership utters the familiar slogans, the Turkish Cypriot leadership repeats its own and we will never finish.What is annoying is the hypocrisy of AKEL. Christofias has no right to be beating his breast today over the proposed virgin birth and at the same time hypocritically curse Glafcos Clerides for rejecting the Set of Ideas which suggested the virgin birth in the first place. What's more, on a range of serious issues, such as guarantees and the presence of troops, the provisions of the Set of Ideas were much worse than the ‘cursed’ Annan plan which Christofias detests so much and was lambasting Clerides and Kasoulides for contributing to its conception (not immaculately, it must be said).
Coffeeshop in the Sunday Mail raves about the warm welcome and red carpet treatment Christofias got in Brussels. EU leaders treated our Comrade Presidente with the sort of fawning respect and deference usually reserved for personalities with the world stature of Nelson Mandela. Not that he has really done anything to deserve it. Alright, Comrade Christofias did cause the overthrow of a petty tyrant, albeit by democratic means, but he did not rid humanity of a Ceausescu or Saddam. Our deposed Ethnarch may have had a mean streak but he was a cuddly pussycat compared to those two. And our European comrades should not forget that the man they were giving the Mandela welcome to on Thursday and Friday for toppling the benign tyrant, was guilty of making him Ethnarch five years ago. But do they care? Of course not, because the view in Brussels, since the referendum, was that anyone would be better to deal with than Tassos – even an unrepentant communist of the Soviet school, who remains a big fan of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, detests the West and abhors the capitalist values of the EU, which he believes is run by multi-national corporations hell-bent on exploiting workers and imposing the new world order.
As for the romance developing between our government and the UK this raised a few eyebrows, considering it was comrade presidente who had referred to Britain, not so long ago as “our bad demon”. The only plausible explanation is that he has renounced Greek Orthodoxy and taken up Satan-worship since being elected. Brown even went to our man’s hotel suite for a meeting. The duplicitous, conniving, back-stabbing ‘bad demon’ is clearly up to something, because this shameless buttering up of our presidente cannot be attributed, exclusively, to his assurances that he would not raise the issue of the bases. The million dollar question is why is he responding so positively to the ‘bad demon’s’ flirtation? The embracing of Satan worship is the only explanation.Andreas Theophanous, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Nicosia and Director of the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs writing in the Sunday Mail and Politis refers to an article by J. Muller in a recent issue of the prestigious American journal Foreign Affairs relating it to the Cyprus problem. He says according to Muller there are two major approaches on which collective/national identities are based. First, the liberal approach which emphasises a common value system and includes all citizens in a state irrespective of their ethnic or racial background, language and/or religion (eg as in America). Second, ethnonationalism, based on common heritage, ethnic identity, language, history and usually religion, which promotes the cohesion of states but at the same time may lead to conflictual in bi-ethnic and multi-ethnic states (most common across the world, including Europe). Muller says that the vicious circle of ethnonationalistic conflicts within states is not over and predicts that the 21st century will be characterised by such conflicts. Given such circumstances, opting for partition may be the least painful solution. On the other hand, the author points out that the promotion of a liberal approach and of civic nationalism may prevent or contain conflict and, in the long run, provide added stability. Theophanous says most of the ideas and settlement blueprints that have been proposed over the years for Cyprus are based on ethnonationalistic criteria and have generated strong reactions. Suffice to say that the Ghali Set of Ideas and the 2004 UN Plan were considered, at least by most Greek Cypriots, worse than the 1960 Constitution, which collapsed leading to inter-ethnic violence and subsequently to today’s status quo. If, therefore, these constitutional arrangements are to be implemented in Cyprus, they would, most likely, lead to more problems than those they seek to resolve. He says federal models which are founded exclusively on the premise of ethnonationalism have a higher probability of failure than success. On the other hand, federal models that respect ethnic communities as well as individual rights, while revolving around the concept of civic nationalism and a common core value system, have greater chances of success. If these arguments are correct, we need to be very critical of any plan for Cyprus formulated exclusively on the premises of ethnonationalism, since it will lead to a failure with unpredictable consequences. While the political leadership has the best intensions in promoting the reunification of the island, it is also important to take into consideration the different philosophical approaches as well as relevant experiences from elsewhere. Indeed, it is paramount to understand the dilemmas faced by bi-ethnic and multi-ethnic societies since good intentions alone do not constitute a sufficient enough precondition for the success of any political action.In conclusion, the re-establishment of the unity of the economy, society, territory and of the state in Cyprus can only be promoted through an integrationalist federal model, which, while it would respect bi-communality, would not exclusively depend on it. Whatever has been proposed so far creates those conditions for the kind of conflicts that J. Muller predicts will consume global politics for generations to come.
Giorgos Kaskanis writing in Politis predicts that a new version version of the 8 July agreement and confidence building measures will emerge from the Christofias-Talat meeting. Quoting diplomatic circles, he says that the international community has a two-pronged strategy. The first is a new version of the 8 July agreement and are positive towards Christofias position to set up committees but would like them to have a specific time frame of about 3 months. After that the procedure should enter a more substantive phase with direct negotiations between the two leaders. The second revolves around the discussion and implementation of confidence-building measures between the two sides that will not just restrict themselves to the opening of the road blocks but would extend to areas that would make the two communities feel there really was a desire for a solution.
Makarios Droushiotis in Politis says the EU is impressed with Christofias and is eager to take advantage of the new climate and push for a solution to the Cyprus problem. With Erdogan at the helm in Turkey and despite letters and statements as to the kind of solution Turkey envisages, it seems the Turkish government is willing to solve the Cyprus problem irrespective of its EU entry course. However, a dampener has been put on proceedings he says by a political crisis developing in Turkey which, while on the surface seem to be unconnected to the Cyprus problem, may ultimately hamper efforts towards a solution, if it results in the fall of the most moderate Turkish government to date and will set the country many years back. He says today Cyprus is a thorn in the EU's side in four areas.
1. The EU's relations with Nato, especially as regards peace-keeping missions eg Turkey blocked Nato's policing of Kosovo because of the participation of Cyprus
2. Turkey's entry course and the hampering of the work of the Enlargement Committee, which spends most of its time to solving complications arising from the Cyprus problem, in that anything that has to do with Turkey's entry comes up against Cyprus. The committee moreover was furious with the suits filed by Tassos more so because he didn't consult with Brussels in advance as regulations provide. Already Marcos Kyprianou at his meeting with Ollie Rehn has agreed to withdraw them and for the Committee ot introduce certain corrective measures.
3. The Green Line is an open wound for the EU especially as regards illegal immigrants, although for the time being this only affects the island. Cyprus is the only country of the ten that were admitted in 2004 where the Treaty of Schengen is not applied but this cannot go on for ever.
4. The status of the Buffer Zone which risks bringing Turkey into conflict with the EU.
To subscribe send an email to info@omphalostisgis.com with New Subscriber in the subject box.
Research by Gnora Consultants into the money the various candidates spent on their election campaigns revealed that all three spent a total of €4.4 million. The Papadopoulos camp spent the most, despite the fact that his campaign lasted a week less than that of his opponents. He was the only candidate who reserved advertising space in newspapers for the Monday after the first election Sunday.
2. What the Sunday papers say
Loucas Charalambous writing in the Mail and Politis explains that the bickering over the pharase ‘virgin birth’ is whether, in the event of a settlement, the new federal state would evolve from the Cyprus Republic or come into being as something completely new. He says it was all because of Christofias' rhetoric that the Annan plan was dead, that the only way forward was the July 8 agreement, that he would never accept Turkish guarantees, etc. that made Talat bring it up. The Turkish Cypriot position is that all these matters had been resolved by the Annan plan, and only through negotiations based on that plan could any changes be discussed. So every time our leadership utters the familiar slogans, the Turkish Cypriot leadership repeats its own and we will never finish.What is annoying is the hypocrisy of AKEL. Christofias has no right to be beating his breast today over the proposed virgin birth and at the same time hypocritically curse Glafcos Clerides for rejecting the Set of Ideas which suggested the virgin birth in the first place. What's more, on a range of serious issues, such as guarantees and the presence of troops, the provisions of the Set of Ideas were much worse than the ‘cursed’ Annan plan which Christofias detests so much and was lambasting Clerides and Kasoulides for contributing to its conception (not immaculately, it must be said).
Coffeeshop in the Sunday Mail raves about the warm welcome and red carpet treatment Christofias got in Brussels. EU leaders treated our Comrade Presidente with the sort of fawning respect and deference usually reserved for personalities with the world stature of Nelson Mandela. Not that he has really done anything to deserve it. Alright, Comrade Christofias did cause the overthrow of a petty tyrant, albeit by democratic means, but he did not rid humanity of a Ceausescu or Saddam. Our deposed Ethnarch may have had a mean streak but he was a cuddly pussycat compared to those two. And our European comrades should not forget that the man they were giving the Mandela welcome to on Thursday and Friday for toppling the benign tyrant, was guilty of making him Ethnarch five years ago. But do they care? Of course not, because the view in Brussels, since the referendum, was that anyone would be better to deal with than Tassos – even an unrepentant communist of the Soviet school, who remains a big fan of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, detests the West and abhors the capitalist values of the EU, which he believes is run by multi-national corporations hell-bent on exploiting workers and imposing the new world order.
As for the romance developing between our government and the UK this raised a few eyebrows, considering it was comrade presidente who had referred to Britain, not so long ago as “our bad demon”. The only plausible explanation is that he has renounced Greek Orthodoxy and taken up Satan-worship since being elected. Brown even went to our man’s hotel suite for a meeting. The duplicitous, conniving, back-stabbing ‘bad demon’ is clearly up to something, because this shameless buttering up of our presidente cannot be attributed, exclusively, to his assurances that he would not raise the issue of the bases. The million dollar question is why is he responding so positively to the ‘bad demon’s’ flirtation? The embracing of Satan worship is the only explanation.Andreas Theophanous, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Nicosia and Director of the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs writing in the Sunday Mail and Politis refers to an article by J. Muller in a recent issue of the prestigious American journal Foreign Affairs relating it to the Cyprus problem. He says according to Muller there are two major approaches on which collective/national identities are based. First, the liberal approach which emphasises a common value system and includes all citizens in a state irrespective of their ethnic or racial background, language and/or religion (eg as in America). Second, ethnonationalism, based on common heritage, ethnic identity, language, history and usually religion, which promotes the cohesion of states but at the same time may lead to conflictual in bi-ethnic and multi-ethnic states (most common across the world, including Europe). Muller says that the vicious circle of ethnonationalistic conflicts within states is not over and predicts that the 21st century will be characterised by such conflicts. Given such circumstances, opting for partition may be the least painful solution. On the other hand, the author points out that the promotion of a liberal approach and of civic nationalism may prevent or contain conflict and, in the long run, provide added stability. Theophanous says most of the ideas and settlement blueprints that have been proposed over the years for Cyprus are based on ethnonationalistic criteria and have generated strong reactions. Suffice to say that the Ghali Set of Ideas and the 2004 UN Plan were considered, at least by most Greek Cypriots, worse than the 1960 Constitution, which collapsed leading to inter-ethnic violence and subsequently to today’s status quo. If, therefore, these constitutional arrangements are to be implemented in Cyprus, they would, most likely, lead to more problems than those they seek to resolve. He says federal models which are founded exclusively on the premise of ethnonationalism have a higher probability of failure than success. On the other hand, federal models that respect ethnic communities as well as individual rights, while revolving around the concept of civic nationalism and a common core value system, have greater chances of success. If these arguments are correct, we need to be very critical of any plan for Cyprus formulated exclusively on the premises of ethnonationalism, since it will lead to a failure with unpredictable consequences. While the political leadership has the best intensions in promoting the reunification of the island, it is also important to take into consideration the different philosophical approaches as well as relevant experiences from elsewhere. Indeed, it is paramount to understand the dilemmas faced by bi-ethnic and multi-ethnic societies since good intentions alone do not constitute a sufficient enough precondition for the success of any political action.In conclusion, the re-establishment of the unity of the economy, society, territory and of the state in Cyprus can only be promoted through an integrationalist federal model, which, while it would respect bi-communality, would not exclusively depend on it. Whatever has been proposed so far creates those conditions for the kind of conflicts that J. Muller predicts will consume global politics for generations to come.
Giorgos Kaskanis writing in Politis predicts that a new version version of the 8 July agreement and confidence building measures will emerge from the Christofias-Talat meeting. Quoting diplomatic circles, he says that the international community has a two-pronged strategy. The first is a new version of the 8 July agreement and are positive towards Christofias position to set up committees but would like them to have a specific time frame of about 3 months. After that the procedure should enter a more substantive phase with direct negotiations between the two leaders. The second revolves around the discussion and implementation of confidence-building measures between the two sides that will not just restrict themselves to the opening of the road blocks but would extend to areas that would make the two communities feel there really was a desire for a solution.
Makarios Droushiotis in Politis says the EU is impressed with Christofias and is eager to take advantage of the new climate and push for a solution to the Cyprus problem. With Erdogan at the helm in Turkey and despite letters and statements as to the kind of solution Turkey envisages, it seems the Turkish government is willing to solve the Cyprus problem irrespective of its EU entry course. However, a dampener has been put on proceedings he says by a political crisis developing in Turkey which, while on the surface seem to be unconnected to the Cyprus problem, may ultimately hamper efforts towards a solution, if it results in the fall of the most moderate Turkish government to date and will set the country many years back. He says today Cyprus is a thorn in the EU's side in four areas.
1. The EU's relations with Nato, especially as regards peace-keeping missions eg Turkey blocked Nato's policing of Kosovo because of the participation of Cyprus
2. Turkey's entry course and the hampering of the work of the Enlargement Committee, which spends most of its time to solving complications arising from the Cyprus problem, in that anything that has to do with Turkey's entry comes up against Cyprus. The committee moreover was furious with the suits filed by Tassos more so because he didn't consult with Brussels in advance as regulations provide. Already Marcos Kyprianou at his meeting with Ollie Rehn has agreed to withdraw them and for the Committee ot introduce certain corrective measures.
3. The Green Line is an open wound for the EU especially as regards illegal immigrants, although for the time being this only affects the island. Cyprus is the only country of the ten that were admitted in 2004 where the Treaty of Schengen is not applied but this cannot go on for ever.
4. The status of the Buffer Zone which risks bringing Turkey into conflict with the EU.
To subscribe send an email to info@omphalostisgis.com with New Subscriber in the subject box.
Saturday 15 March 2008
1. Christofias in Brussels
The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, yesterday asked to meet with President Christofias and they had an impromptu meeting at the Brussels Hilton lasting 15 minutes. Commenting on the meeting he had with the British PM, Phileleftheros says that according to EU sources, Mr Brown urged him to show "courage" and proceed with solving the Cyprus problem. Earlier yesterday Christofias met the President of the Party of European Socialists Poul Rasmussen and Russia's Permanent Representative at the EU Vladimir Chizhov. He was also due to meet , President of the European Parliament Hans Gert Poettering and President of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Martin Schultz. Later today he will be meeting with the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. Christofias also gave a press conference in Brussels to Cypriot, Greek and foreign media representatives. In his opening statement he said "We are ready to move forward towards implementing the 8 July agreement in a creative manner and with good will in order to achieve a solution on the basis of UN resolutions, the High Level Agreements and international as well as EU law". He added that "if Turkey really wants to follow a creative stance that will provide us the possibility to turn hopes into actions, then we will truly have what we are all looking forward to - breaking of the deadlock and promotion of substantive discussions for the solution of the various aspects of the Cyprus problem."Replying to questions he said that if Talat could "unhook himself from Turkey's strong embrace" so that we can all manage to function as Cypriots, then he was optimistic that the deadlock could be broken. He added, however, that the recent statements from the Turkish side were not promising but hoped they were just tactical statements.
He said he would be taking part in the meeting with Talat full of good will and stressed that the main purpose of his standing for president was to solve the Cyprus problem. He stressed he had no hatred towards the Turkish Cypriots and on the contrary fought for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus and for the rapprochement between the two communities. "I accept and honour the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, according to which the unitary state would be transformed to a bizonal, bicommunal federal state". "The problem has to be solved. Time is passing. New fait accomplis are created and are becoming deeper and this is against the fate and destiny of all Cypriots. This is my promise, this is my position and I hope that the hand I give to Mr Talat will be accepted".Asked if he felt a bit lonely in Europe, as a head of state of a communist party, Christofias replied "I am the head of state of the Republic of Cyprus, not of a communist party. The communist party is there and I am proud of my party, I am proud of its history and contribution, for decades, to the liberation of the country and to the independence of the Republic of Cyprus and, of course, to win rights for the ordinary people. We have achieved this and I am proud of it. I must say that I feel equal with the other leaders of the EU member states and I am happy our proposal to strengthen the social aspect of the Lisbon Strategy has been accepted ".
2. Talat meets with UN SG
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met yesterday with UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon in Dakar, the capital of Senegal on the sidelines of the Islamic Conference. Mr. Talat said he had underlined the urgency of a solution and told him that achieving one by the end of 2008 is an attainable target. “The Secretary-General stated that the UN would take a position after it makes the necessary assessment", Talat said after the 40-minute meeting. “I have the impression that he will undertake an initiative”. He added that Mr. Ban Ki-moon told him that he will be sending Mr. Lynn Pascoe, UN Under-Secretary-General responsible for Political Affairs, to Cyprus .
Meanwhile with a week to go until he meets with Christofias, Talat yesterday continued to plug the failed Annan plan. He was quoted as saying yesterday that even former President Tassos Papadopoulos, “who had demonised the Annan Plan” accepted that “there is no escape from it”. “Given that even Papadopoulos knew this, it is not possible for any other Greek Cypriot leader not to know it,” said Talat. Talat stated he had put no preconditions for the start of negotiations and that he only pointed out that it would be more correct to start from the Annan Plan. Talat said: “When the 8 July procedure was still being discussed, Papadopoulos himself had said to me: ‘When we sit at the table you will bring the Annan Plan and we will evaluate it. Either we will oppose or we will try to change it.’” Talat said the July 8 was not an agreement but a procedure as to how things were to be discussed and could not be an alternative. “Even if we do not put the plan onto the table and discuss it officially, the Annan Plan is a text that we could take as reference on every issue and this will come about by itself, it is inevitable,” Talat added.“If, however, the Greek Cypriot side says ‘let us put the Annan Plan onto the table and discuss it officially’, the solution will be easier and faster. The Annan Plan is not perfect and without deficiencies…it will be be taken as reference.”
3. Erdogan letter
According to Phileleftheros, the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has sent a letter to the leaders of the 26 EU member-states (except Christofias), asking them to put pressure on Nicosia. The paper says that the letter is similar to the one sent by Talat to the UN SG and repeats the position that negotiations should be held on the basis of the Annan plan, on parthenogenesis and on the equality of the two states and peoples and requests the removal of the isolation of the T/Cs.
4. Papers comments
Politis says that the UN SG will decide whether to undertake a new initiative on the Cyprus problem after the visit to the island of the UN Undersecretary General.The paper says he is expected on the island on 30 March and quotes him as having told reporters at the UN that he is 'very optimistic'. It adds that he is coming without an agenda and will just listen to what the two sides have to say as to how they would like him to proceed and sets special emphasis on meetings he is expected to have with NGOs from both sides. Meanwhile the paper says London is getting ready for action and quotes the assistant Foreign Secretary Jim Murphy as telling UK cypriots that the Cyprus problem will be his most important task in the next few months. He expressed his delight at the election of Mr Christofias saying that this opportunity must not be missed.
Pambos Charalambous writing in Alithia refers to Talat's latest comments about the Annan plan that even Tassos Papadopoulos had accepted that there was no getting away from it and wonders is it possible that TP may have told Talat that the Annan plan cannot be buried? And if he did so, why does Talat saying that make our hairs stand on end even if he mentions it as a point of reference for a possible solution? Actually, it's not just once that TP said what Talat claims he has said, he did so innumerable times and even said it must be brought back to the negotiating table and improved. The writer says he has ten thousand words of statements by TP to this effect and proceeds to quote some of them eg when he said "such plans are always on the table. They never disappear, they never die. So we cannot say that the Annan plan will be forgotten or won't be renegotiated". Or "By necessity any solution shall have to be within the parameters and philosophy of the Annan plan. We insist on the functionality of the final solution, that's why we seek to make changes to the Annan plan. Changes that will not affect its general philosophy". Or more recently: "The Annan plan remains the basis for negotiations. Our policy hasn't changed". And: "We have quietly and responsibly already prepared and given to the UN specific changes to the Annan plan that would make it more functional and viable".
The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, yesterday asked to meet with President Christofias and they had an impromptu meeting at the Brussels Hilton lasting 15 minutes. Commenting on the meeting he had with the British PM, Phileleftheros says that according to EU sources, Mr Brown urged him to show "courage" and proceed with solving the Cyprus problem. Earlier yesterday Christofias met the President of the Party of European Socialists Poul Rasmussen and Russia's Permanent Representative at the EU Vladimir Chizhov. He was also due to meet , President of the European Parliament Hans Gert Poettering and President of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament Martin Schultz. Later today he will be meeting with the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. Christofias also gave a press conference in Brussels to Cypriot, Greek and foreign media representatives. In his opening statement he said "We are ready to move forward towards implementing the 8 July agreement in a creative manner and with good will in order to achieve a solution on the basis of UN resolutions, the High Level Agreements and international as well as EU law". He added that "if Turkey really wants to follow a creative stance that will provide us the possibility to turn hopes into actions, then we will truly have what we are all looking forward to - breaking of the deadlock and promotion of substantive discussions for the solution of the various aspects of the Cyprus problem."Replying to questions he said that if Talat could "unhook himself from Turkey's strong embrace" so that we can all manage to function as Cypriots, then he was optimistic that the deadlock could be broken. He added, however, that the recent statements from the Turkish side were not promising but hoped they were just tactical statements.
He said he would be taking part in the meeting with Talat full of good will and stressed that the main purpose of his standing for president was to solve the Cyprus problem. He stressed he had no hatred towards the Turkish Cypriots and on the contrary fought for the rights of the Turkish Cypriots as citizens of the Republic of Cyprus and for the rapprochement between the two communities. "I accept and honour the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979, according to which the unitary state would be transformed to a bizonal, bicommunal federal state". "The problem has to be solved. Time is passing. New fait accomplis are created and are becoming deeper and this is against the fate and destiny of all Cypriots. This is my promise, this is my position and I hope that the hand I give to Mr Talat will be accepted".Asked if he felt a bit lonely in Europe, as a head of state of a communist party, Christofias replied "I am the head of state of the Republic of Cyprus, not of a communist party. The communist party is there and I am proud of my party, I am proud of its history and contribution, for decades, to the liberation of the country and to the independence of the Republic of Cyprus and, of course, to win rights for the ordinary people. We have achieved this and I am proud of it. I must say that I feel equal with the other leaders of the EU member states and I am happy our proposal to strengthen the social aspect of the Lisbon Strategy has been accepted ".
2. Talat meets with UN SG
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met yesterday with UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon in Dakar, the capital of Senegal on the sidelines of the Islamic Conference. Mr. Talat said he had underlined the urgency of a solution and told him that achieving one by the end of 2008 is an attainable target. “The Secretary-General stated that the UN would take a position after it makes the necessary assessment", Talat said after the 40-minute meeting. “I have the impression that he will undertake an initiative”. He added that Mr. Ban Ki-moon told him that he will be sending Mr. Lynn Pascoe, UN Under-Secretary-General responsible for Political Affairs, to Cyprus .
Meanwhile with a week to go until he meets with Christofias, Talat yesterday continued to plug the failed Annan plan. He was quoted as saying yesterday that even former President Tassos Papadopoulos, “who had demonised the Annan Plan” accepted that “there is no escape from it”. “Given that even Papadopoulos knew this, it is not possible for any other Greek Cypriot leader not to know it,” said Talat. Talat stated he had put no preconditions for the start of negotiations and that he only pointed out that it would be more correct to start from the Annan Plan. Talat said: “When the 8 July procedure was still being discussed, Papadopoulos himself had said to me: ‘When we sit at the table you will bring the Annan Plan and we will evaluate it. Either we will oppose or we will try to change it.’” Talat said the July 8 was not an agreement but a procedure as to how things were to be discussed and could not be an alternative. “Even if we do not put the plan onto the table and discuss it officially, the Annan Plan is a text that we could take as reference on every issue and this will come about by itself, it is inevitable,” Talat added.“If, however, the Greek Cypriot side says ‘let us put the Annan Plan onto the table and discuss it officially’, the solution will be easier and faster. The Annan Plan is not perfect and without deficiencies…it will be be taken as reference.”
3. Erdogan letter
According to Phileleftheros, the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has sent a letter to the leaders of the 26 EU member-states (except Christofias), asking them to put pressure on Nicosia. The paper says that the letter is similar to the one sent by Talat to the UN SG and repeats the position that negotiations should be held on the basis of the Annan plan, on parthenogenesis and on the equality of the two states and peoples and requests the removal of the isolation of the T/Cs.
4. Papers comments
Politis says that the UN SG will decide whether to undertake a new initiative on the Cyprus problem after the visit to the island of the UN Undersecretary General.The paper says he is expected on the island on 30 March and quotes him as having told reporters at the UN that he is 'very optimistic'. It adds that he is coming without an agenda and will just listen to what the two sides have to say as to how they would like him to proceed and sets special emphasis on meetings he is expected to have with NGOs from both sides. Meanwhile the paper says London is getting ready for action and quotes the assistant Foreign Secretary Jim Murphy as telling UK cypriots that the Cyprus problem will be his most important task in the next few months. He expressed his delight at the election of Mr Christofias saying that this opportunity must not be missed.
Pambos Charalambous writing in Alithia refers to Talat's latest comments about the Annan plan that even Tassos Papadopoulos had accepted that there was no getting away from it and wonders is it possible that TP may have told Talat that the Annan plan cannot be buried? And if he did so, why does Talat saying that make our hairs stand on end even if he mentions it as a point of reference for a possible solution? Actually, it's not just once that TP said what Talat claims he has said, he did so innumerable times and even said it must be brought back to the negotiating table and improved. The writer says he has ten thousand words of statements by TP to this effect and proceeds to quote some of them eg when he said "such plans are always on the table. They never disappear, they never die. So we cannot say that the Annan plan will be forgotten or won't be renegotiated". Or "By necessity any solution shall have to be within the parameters and philosophy of the Annan plan. We insist on the functionality of the final solution, that's why we seek to make changes to the Annan plan. Changes that will not affect its general philosophy". Or more recently: "The Annan plan remains the basis for negotiations. Our policy hasn't changed". And: "We have quietly and responsibly already prepared and given to the UN specific changes to the Annan plan that would make it more functional and viable".
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