Leaders discuss governance and power sharing

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders yesterday began negotiations on the subject of governance and power sharing with a meeting which lasted about 4 hours. None of the leaders made any comments after the meeting but the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Mr Alexander Downer, said in a statement afterwards that the talks had been productive and fruitful and would continue on the 18th September. Asked how confident he was that there could be a deal on Cyprus by 2009, Mr Downer said that there had been no particular timelines agreed. "But obviously both leaders are doing what they can to push the process ahead at an appropriate speed", he said. "It has been a good discussion today but obviously there is a long way to go. It’s the very beginning of the process", he added. Mr Downer confirmed that there had been negotiations, rather than just discussion, and asked what the topic of the next meeting would be, he said that there would be “a continuation of the discussion on governance and power sharing and the subject that had been stipulated before and they will be moving on to the property issue after that”. The Australian diplomat also stated that “it has been going well. These are big issues. Discussing something like governance and power sharing for a constitution is a big question, so inevitably it will take a bit of time".

Moreover,U.N. chief of mission Taye-Brook Zerihoun told Agency France Press on Wednesday that the complex and challenging process of finding a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus problem has started in earnest. "The road ahead will be pot-holed and sometimes perilous, but it does not look blocked. Pursuit of the greater good of the people of Cyprus is key to overcoming past rancor and division, and in ushering in a new era of cooperation, prosperity and peace based on respect for diversity and shared principles", he added.

In a statement on Cyprus, after the meeting of the two leaders in Cyprus, the UN Secretary-General said he had spoken this week with all the key players, including the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. Dimitris Christofias, as well as the prime minister of Greece, Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, and the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr. Recep Erdogan, and was encouraged by the progress.

He added that during his telephone calls to all the leaders, he urged them "to seize the momentum and try to demonstrate their political leadership with a sense of flexibility and wisdom, also looking beyond their visions and issues; they should look to the future of the Cypriot people". While I believe that the Cypriot people have the ownership of this, we are committed to continue to provide our facilitating role”.
Replying to questions he said: "I think we have good momentum. The United Nations is now re-energizing with a new Special Adviser, a very experienced and seasoned diplomat who is well respected by both sides and other concerned parties. Therefore, I urge them, when they are going to discuss very substantive and very contentious issues, like governing and power-sharing and property issues, they must really show flexibility and leadership by thinking beyond current issues and by thinking of their future " .

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi (12.09.08) reports that Mr. Talat told Turkish television that the reason why the talks have started with governance and power sharing was that if progress is scored on these issues it would be more meaningful to take up other issues, as political equality is very important for the Turkish Cypriots. “What kind of a government will emerge is not as important as the power and authority to be vested on the federal governments. What is important is for the authority and power to be exercised by the Turkish Cypriot people. What we will do, is to define only the federal powers. Once we define the federal powers we will stop there because the rest will be the powers and authority of the founding states. Our thesis is based on the political equality of the Turkish Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot people”, Mr. Talat said. The paper reports that Mr. Talat said that they had reached consensus on some issues during yesterday’s meeting, but he refused to elaborate on them. Mr. Talat went on and said that negotiations were going on and it is not possible to carry out negotiations in the press. The Turkish Cypriot leader emphasised that what was discussed at the negotiations will not be discussed in the press. He added that although the Annan plan has an important place and is their source of inspiration, however, “he plan is not on the negotiating table”. Mr. Talat further said that the issues the sides cannot agree on will be filed and the next issue will be taken up and later on they will return and take up issues that they disagreed. Mr. Talat said that during yesterday’s meeting they did not discuss the presidency issue.As for the Treaties of Guarantee and Alliance Mr. Talat said that this is an international agreement and if all the sides party to this agreement agree, then the agreement will be changed. He added that he had already said this to the Greek Cypriots. He added that the Greek Cypriot “concern” regarding the continuation of Turkey’s guarantorship and the Treaties of Guarantee and Alliance “is not a real concern”. He said that Turkey did not interfere without any reason. "In fact Ankara was late in interfering in the island”, he stated.As for the property issue Mr. Talat said that since this issue concerns everybody it is the most difficult issue in the negotiations, and thus solution of this problem will be spread over a time period. He said that it will be a regrettable event “if the property issue becomes the reason for not approving the agreement.”
Alithia reports on Talat's statement by proclaiming in its headline that "Talat broke the news blackout". The paper writes that no sooner had the meeting finished that he appeared on Turkish television revealing what had been discussed.

Turkish daily Milliyet says that during yesterday’s meeting, the two leaders discussed the authorities of the federal organs. The paper publishes the positions of the two sides regarding the issues of administration and power sharing, as follows: “What the Turkish side wants: The Federal State should be administrated by a ‘presidential council’ which the parliament will elect from one single list. The rotation of the president and the vice-president should last 12 months (a total of three years to the Turkish and three years to Greek presidents).The ‘presidential council’ shall be composed of 7 persons, 4 Greeks and 3 Turks. On the decisions taken by single majority this should include positive vote from two members from each community. The representation of the Turkish Founding State to the House of Representatives should be 1/3. What the Greek side wants: The Federal State should be administrated with a ‘presidential system‘. The President and the vice-president should be elected by the ‘citizens of the Federal Republic’.The Presidency should be rotating with the Greek President's term being 4 years and the Turkish President's 2 years.The Council of Ministers shall be composed of 9 persons, 6 Greeks and 3 Turks. Where no consensus can be reached, decisions should be taken by simple majority on condition that one member from each federal unit takes part. The Turkish Federal Unit shall be represented in the House of Representatives by ¼”.