Winds of change

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Lynn Pascoe had constructive meetings on the Cyprus issue in Athens, on Monday with the Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyiannis and other senior ministry officials.

“We had very fruitful talks with Ms Bakoyannis about Cyprus. We both agreed that there is a very good chance to proceed and we must find a way to help. We will work together in order for procedures to be accelerated. We will co-operate firmly with Greece, Turkey and all the people in Cyprus to reach a solution,” Pascoe told reporters.He said the UN’s role was to see how it could help. A spokesman for the Greek Foreign Ministry said Bakoyiannis had reiterated Greece’s position favouring well-prepared negotiating procedures.

Pascoe then flew to Ankara for meetings with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and other officials before joining the Secretary-General’s delegation in Moscow on Wednesday. Pascoe’s meetings in Greece and Turkey are a continuation of his consultations that began last week on how the UN can best assist reunification efforts in Cyprus. Moreover, according to Greek TV, US State Department Under- Secretary responsible for European Affairs, Mr Matthew Braiza is expected in Athens on Thursday and will be discussing the Cyprus problem.

Meanwhile the papers report that thousands of people have gone through the Ledra Street crossing over the weekend, mostly Greek Cypriots. The Cyprus Mail puts the figure at close to 20,000 adding that although Ledra Street is the fifth crossing point to open since the Turkish Cypriot side lifted restrictions in 2003, it is the only opening that has engendered such an amount of movement. Numerous reports also that many Greek Cypriots who had not crossed to the north before were doing so now.The Mail says quotes former Nicosia Mayor Lellos Demetriades, as saying it was not only the convenience and the sentimentality that was making people cross over for the first time ever. “A change has happened,” he said, referring to the recent elections when the Cypriot people “told someone and his entourage” to “go away”. “Suddenly overnight, there were smiles all over the place,” Demetriades said. “So this changed the whole atmosphere and we also got a President who is acting responsibly. People realise there is a change in the climate.”

A delegation from Disy also crossed to the north this morning for talks with the RTP led by party leader, Nicos Anastasiades. Politis reports, however, that Talat asked to postpone the dinner he was due to have at Anastasiades’ house and it was set for some time in May. The paper says Disy returns to the National Council tomorrow after an absence of more than two years, even though its conditions haven’t yet been met but in view of Christofias’ willingness to discuss things. It adds that Disy and Movement of Free Citizens led by Takis Efthymiou have decided to merge. Moreover, according to rumours, Disy is eagerly awaiting to see the names of people making up the various committees and working groups on the Cyprus problem. It seems that parties were asked to submit names, even though Disy’s mouthpiece, Alithia denies this on a front page article. The party was annoyed that Akel did not support the candidacy of Christos Pourgourides to the vice-presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, promoting their man Andros Kyprianou instead. Their feeling is that Disy’s support is not carte blanche but they should give something in return.

An editorial in Simerini says the paper says it is not amongst those who swallowed all Christofias, Talat and the Turkish army’s PR tricks who are constantly trying to persuade us how strong the new wind of change blowing in Cyprus is. We are filled with sadness and concern whenever we see all the ironic things happening, from the happiness on the faces at the new trick that the Turks are planning for us, the warm friendship between the mayor of Nicosia with the pseudo-mayor, the celebrations of the naïve that the wall has fallen (forgetting that the occupation is still there and looking forward to all the shopping), to the delighted shopkeepers at doing a roaring trade. It says there are difficult times ahead like those in 2004 where the survival of Hellenism in Cyprus depended on the outcome of the referendum. The trick didn’t work then but the solution plan aimed at destroying the Republic of Cyprus and the setting up of a “constitutional guinea-pig” hasn’t left us. Our leaders still insist on the disastrous bizonal, bicommunal federation as a solution which would legalise the invasion and have the audacity to present compromise and concessions as being patriotic. We would prefer if the new wind hadn’t blown Christofias to power and that a more realistic president was in power, one who firmly adhered to principles based on the liberation of Cyprus not ‘reunification’. This new wind will confirm internationally that there are two entities in Cyprus that must be helped to reunite through the opening of other crossing points without getting rid of the Turkish occupation.