'Something good' may be announced tomorrow

Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou discussed the current developments on the Cyprus problem with the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Mr Lynn Pascoe in New York where he stopped on his way to Washington to attend the annual conference of Greeks of the diaspora (PSEKA).

Stefanou told a gathering of foreign correspondents that progress in the working groups was very important in laying the groundwork for new talks. “Unfortunately on these core issues we do not speak the same language, something we must do if we are to bridge the differences and move on to the next phase of this process,” he said. Stefanou said Turkey had to change its position and allow the Turkish Cypriot side to make its own decisions. “We don’t want Turkey to feel that the solution will be a defeat for her, instead we want the solution of the Cyprus problem to be a win-win situation for everybody, and especially the people of Cyprus,” he said.According to press reports, Mr Stefanou conveyed the G/C doubts but was urged to proceed to direct talks in June irrespective of the progress made at the working groups and committees. The UN official is relying more on the face to face talks between the two leaders and does not believe there needs to be 'sufficient progress', as the G/C side says, for them to start but is also waiting to see what will emerge from tomorrow's meeting between the two. Politis says that Christofias wants Friday's meeting to be a political success and speculates that they may announce 'something good' regarding the opening of Limnitis.


Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that the T/C foreign minister, Turgay Avci, accused President Christofias of being “two-faced”. He said that Christofias' statements abroad show he is trying to usurp the rights of the Turkish Cypriots. He further asserted that Christofias' real objective is not to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, but to exploit the positive atmosphere created by his election in order to block the negotiation process. He claimed that the President is not sincere in his demand to find a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Kibris also reports that the chairman of the National Unity Party (UBP), Tahsin Ertugruloglu, evaluating the latest developments in the Cyprus problem declared that “spring has ended and strong winds have started blowing”. He urged the Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to be very careful on vital issues in the Cyprus problem and before taking any steps that could cause irreparable damages to consult with them and take into consideration their views and their concerns. Moreover, the chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the National Struggle Foundation (UMV) and General Coordinator of the National People’s Movement (UHH), Taner Etkin, has declared that the “TRNC” should last forever. “It is out of the question to give up the absolute equality in sovereignty, Turkey’s effective and actual guarantorship, the Turkish people’s rights and interests in Cyprus and in the East Mediterranean and the existence of the TRNC.” The ultimate objective of the Greek Cypriots and Greece is to own the whole of Cyprus, he warned.

Daily Volkan publishes an announcement by the Turkish Cypriot National Existence Council (MVK) under the banner headlines “We will not recognize the fait accomplish”. “Bi-zonal, bi-communal federation is not the Turkish Cypriot people’s vision. Our people’s vision as shown in all the polls is for an independent, sovereign TRNC… which will live forever and if an agreement is going to be signed with the Greek Cypriots this should include the provision of the right to secession based on a confederation of two states.
Volkan also publishes an opinion poll which gives the parties in the north the following percentages:
UBP (National Unity Party): 42.95 %
CTP (Republican Turkish Party): 28.79%
DP (Democrat Party): 12.21%
OP (Freedom and Reform Party): 8.8%
TDP (Social Democrat Party): 4.79%
HIS (Politics for the People Party): 1.39%
BKP (United Cyprus Party): 0.77%
HP (Peoples’ Party): 0.30%