Leaders admit not enough progress

The leaders of the two communities, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday assured the Cypriot people that they would do everything in their power to solve the Cyprus problem as soon as possible, but admitted that progress so far had been insufficient.

The leaders’ final meeting for 2008 had a festive air to it, with Talat arriving laden with gifts, in response to those sent by Christofias a few days ago.

The Cyprus Mail reports that in a joint statement read out by UN special representative in Cyprus Alexander Downer after the two-and-a-half hour discussion, they also recognised the need for careful examination of the long list of chapters.

They underlined, however, that they remained strongly committed to finding a solution. “As we are entering a new year, we the two leaders would like to reaffirm our strong commitment to find a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem,” they said. “Looking back on our efforts since March 2008, we recognise that we still need to consider a long list of chapters. We also assess that although some progress has been made, it has been insufficient. But we assure you we are resolved to do all in our power to reach a settlement as soon as possible.”

Speaking to reporters after the leaders left UN headquarters in the buffer zone, Alexander Downer said that yesterday’s discussion had continued to examine external affairs and powers, while in their next meeting on January 5, they will discuss the hierarchy of norms and other constitutional issues. He added that Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus Taye Brook Zerihoun would attend that meeting and he would also be present at the meetings to follow on January 12 and 16.

Downer denied Turkish media reports quoting him saying that these negotiations were the last chance for a solution and that if the Cyprus issue was not solved in 2009 the UN will stop their efforts and Cyprus will be permanently divided. He added that when he was in Turkey he did not have any discussions with the media at all. He did say that “we look forward to a productive year next year and I think there is a momentum here in these negotiations. The fact that the two leaders have made a joint statement here today is a very encouraging and a very positive development. And it is important that people look at their words and think about their words because these are two people very committed to a successful process”, the UN official remarked.

He added that “endless speculation about what may have been said by other people, including me, in private meetings, you get that all the time. I was the Foreign Minister of Australia for 12 years and words have been put in my mouth which I have never uttered. I just never get into any discussion on that.”

EU Commissioner, Olli Rehn, said in an interview that 2009 must be the year of a comprehensive settlement for Cyprus, urging all parties, and in particular Turkey, to step up efforts. He said all parties should work to create a "win-win situation" for the two communities. "We are not in the business of pressure. We are in the business of facilitation," he told Reuters. "It's important for everybody, but Turkey is one of the key stakeholders... they have supported the process, yes, but it is important that we all intensify our political support for a Cyprus settlement."

"We need... to reunify the island so that Cyprus could be like a normal EU member state, in peace, united," he said. "Next year will be a crucial window of opportunity for that, that's why we will certainly invest all resources, all mental and personal resources that are needed to bring that support," he said.

Rehn said that it was important that the talks continue to be driven by the leaders of the two communities on the island, but that the EU was ready to bring as much legal and technical support as required by the two parties or the United Nations.

The fact that Cyprus is a member of the EU has wide-ranging impact on the reunification talks, as they mean bringing the north of the island into the 27-nation bloc, with its massive legislation and specific deals with nations such as Turkey."It is a matter of paramount importance for the EU to see a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus," Rehn said.