Direct talks launched

Direct talks on the Cyprus problem will officially start on 11 September the UNSG's special advisor in Cyprus, Alexander Downer announced today at the end of a largely ceremonial meeting between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus at which the process was launched.

Speaking during the opening ceremony Downer said there were several reasons for optimism. He cited the longstanding ties and commitment of the two leaders to a solution and to forge a common vision, which is an essential element to any peace process. He added that their joint statements at recent meetings have gone much further than before to define the framework of a solution. Furthermore, he said there is an enormous amount of work to draw upon and said that the structure and pace of the process has been encouraging to date. "Your broad agreement to have a rolling start to the talks will allow the working groups, under your guidance, to continue to underpin your efforts and further develop options for your consideration". Moreover he said the measures they have already agreed upon will show Cypriots in practical ways that the communities can live together and will also help give you the political space to move forward.
"You own this process and, as a result, your continuing leadership is the critical element to make it succeed. In that regard, bringing Cypriots to the conviction that reunification of the island will work for the greater happiness and prosperity of all Cypriots will, ultimately, be paramount", he concluded.

On his part Mr Christofias said "the time has come to put an end to the longstanding Cyprus problem and to give the Cyprus people the better future that they deserve". He reiterated the need to adhere to the agreed common basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined by the relevant Security Council Resolutions, with a single sovereignty, citizenship and international personality. He also said that the solution must respect and implement the principles upon which the European Union is founded. "I wholeheartedly hope that the two Cypriot communities will put aside the conflicts of the past, will endorse a cooperative spirit and will take joint action to decide their future for a reunified homeland. I will do my utmost for the realization of this vision", he said.

In additional comments he referred to the issues that the two sides were unable to agree upon during the preparatory process namely the issues of settlers, property and territory, saying these have not been adequately examined as well as many topics from all working groups that remain outstanding.Moreoever he was at pains to stress that the solution based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation was a major concession made by President Makarios in 1977, and that with this concession, the Greek Cypriot side has exhausted its limits and can not go any further. Neither confederation, nor a new partnership of two states through "virgin birth" can be accepted. The federal solution will be a partnership of the two communities, he stressed.

"Turning to you, my comrade and friend Mehmet-Ali, we have fought during difficult times for many years for the same ideals of peace and rapprochement, a solution based on principles, a solution by the Cypriots, for the Cypriots. The time has come for us to take joint action and to respond to the call of history; to realize the vision of a reunified homeland, belonging to its people, to the people of Cyprus, able and wanting to decide their own destiny, without third parties and so-called guardians of our communities", he said.He again repeated his commitment to do the utmost for the realization of this target of life to give to the future generations the opportunity to live in a peaceful and reunified homeland.

Mr Talat expressed the hope that the negotiations between the two parties in Cyprus would not last long. "We are not starting from the beginning, so I hope negotiations would not last long," Talat told reporters before the meeting. He said, moreover, that the Treaty of Guarantee and the Treaty of Alliance, signed in 1960, should be preserved. "None of the parties should try to legally dominate the other, and the guarantor status should be maintained," Talat said. "Our aim is to make a divided island a common place where two nations are living."

The UN Secretary-General in a special message conveyed by Mr. Alexander Downer, at the meeting, commended the leaders "for their seriousness of purpose, sense of compromise and commitment to seeing the peace process through to a successful conclusion". He said the United Nations supports and encourages both parties as they take this historic step together, so as to reach a negotiated settlement to reunify the island for the benefit of all the people of Cyprus and assured the parties that the UN will provide its unwavering support.

The US are taking a look at whether or not it’s appropriate to appoint a special envoy on Cyprus, State Department Spokesman, Sean McCormack said yesterday at his daily press briefing in Washingon. He said that the US has always been supportive of a bi-zonal, bi-communal agreement that is arrived at by both the parties, stressing that they were not going to try to dictate the specific conditions. "Those are for the parties to work out". However, he pointed out that the international community is ready to support this effort, to nurture this effort, and when – if required, to try to make proposals. He stressed, however, that the basic hard work is going to be done by the two sides. "We fully support this meeting, as well as a resumption of this effort", he added.

President Christofias said yesterday he was saddened by the Turkish side’s refusal to allow pilgrims to use the Limnitis crossing to travel to Morphou for a religious service. However, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat responded that the Limnitis issue had been “blown out of proportion” by both sides. He said the issue had no relation to the full opening of the Limnitis checkpoint, or to the beginning of direct talks.He added that the Turkish Cypriot side’s position on the opening of checkpoints was clear and had been submitted to the United Nations.“Turkish Cypriots crossing Limnitis to go to Kokkina and Greek Cypriots crossing Limnitis to get to Morphou are two different things, as Kokkina is a closed area and people go there under the escort of UN vehicles, without being allowed to go anywhere else, while the people who go to Morphou can move around freely and it therefore impossible to control where they go.”But Christofias insisted there was no justification for the Turkish Cypriot side’s action, saying that he was not pleased about the climate that has been created. He added, however, that this did not torpedo efforts for negotiations.

An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says we should not be surprised by shows of bad faith such as the issue over Limnitis just before the start of negotiations. There are groups in both communities which want the process to fail and will be at pains to undermine it. In the north, this group has close ties with the army, which may be opposed to a settlement, but it is simplistic to believe that the Turkish army is calling all the shots. If it were, there would be no direct talks starting tomorrow and no progress would have been made at the technical committees. But the fact is that Turkey’s government also has a big say in the matter and Talat would not be negotiating if he did not have its support. The Cyprus’ government seems to be aware of this which is why it avoided making a big issue out of the Limnitis volte face. Quite rightly it remains focused on the bigger picture.