Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has said that important developments might take place in Cyprus, according to Turkish daily Cumhurriyet. “There are some issues which are developing. I cannot say something because of state interests. When the time comes, they will be announced; at this time it is early to state some things.”
Moreover, in an article headlined “The target in Cyprus is four-party summit”, another Turkish daily, Sabah, says that “Ankara has pressed the button for convincing the Greek Cypriots in the ongoing negotiations between the Turks and the Greeks in Cyprus.” “It says that on December 7, Prime Minister Erdogan will give the message to the US President Obama that ‘a timetable should be created for the process. The paper says the target is, through an uninterrupted negotiating process like Burgenstock or Camp David, to go to a referendum at the beginning of 2010 before the elections are held in the north of the island. It adds that support will be asked from the US in setting a timetable for the negotiating process.
It says that Athens has received a letter that Erdogan sent to the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou positively and it is expected that Davutoglu, who will go to Athens on 1-2 December for the OSCE meeting, will ask for a four-party summit to be held between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, Greece and Turkey along the lines of Camp David or Burgenstock.
British Minister for Europe Chris Bryant, who is on a visit to Cyprus, yesterday voiced optimism about the progress of Cyprus negotiations.
"After a series of meetings this week, in particular with the two leaders and key figures in the negotiations, I now feel much more optimistic", he told reporters yesterday. "This is partly because there will be an intensification of negotiations in the coming weeks, and partly because of the trust between the two leaders."
He added "With four people who are committed to finding a solution, in Ankara, Athens and the two leaders here, there is a real possibility of achieving a lasting solution."
He expressed his bemusement at the situation in Cyprus, saying "When I went around the buffer zone I thought 'how does humanity end up tolerating this type of status quo?' All Europeans should hang their head in shame for allowing a divided capital city to remain in Europe... This is madness, this must be solved."
Asked to clarify the UK's position on Guarantor rights, Bryant said "We believe very firmly that this process should run its course. If at any stage the question of guarantees becomes a serious issue, we will not be a fly in the ointment and if this is something people want us to address we will not stand in the way of a resolution. It is in the interests of Cyprus and Europe."
Asked about Turkey's non-compliance with the 2004 Ankara Protocol, Bryant reaffirmed Britain's long-standing commitment to realising Turkish accession "We want it to look West not East. This is the key to the security of the west, but also potentially an Asian tiger on our doorsteps, and we want it in the EU. If we slam the door on Turkish accession that will be a way of saying we do not want Ankara to fulfill its obligations."
When asked what made him think Turkey was receptive to British encouragement, he likened the negotiations to a marathon race, in which we are nearing a stage "Where the end is in sight. It is like the last few hundred metres when we need to put all our energy into crossing the line. My experience is that (the leaders) are determined, and have a good working relationship. There is a level of trust there."
He added that Turkey had volunteered to sign the Ankara Protocol of its own free will and must implement it."
Moreover, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone conversation two days ago, that Britain supports the negotiating process in Cyprus and that “If necessary we are ready to evacuate the British bases in Cyprus”.
The National Council convened yesterday for a marathon session during which the parties were updated on progress in the talks on the Cyprus problem and discussed the EU-Turkey issue.
The Government Spokesman said that President Christofias had drafted a letter to be sent to EU heads of state informing them of Nicosia’s formal position regarding Turkey’s accession process. If Turkey does not fulfil its obligations then Cyprus will not allow it to pass untroubled from the scheduled December EU evaluation process, the Council decided.
As regards the talks, it was agreed to continue discussion on the property issue at the level of a sub-committee set up under the presidential adviser, where the parties can table their positions and views.
Some parties have have previously disagreed with certain specific positions taken by President Christofias, specifically as regards his position on a rotating Presidency, weighted voting, the residency question and the mechanism for resolving disputes.
“There are areas where there is a mutual understanding. There are areas where differences remain,” said DISY President Nicos Anastasiades, summing up the course of yesterday’s meeting.
The National Council will meet again on 4 December.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Sunday, 22 November 2009
What has been agreed so far
There will be no army in a future United Cyprus, according to Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet, which revealed on Thursday details of what has been agreed at the negotiations between Dimitri Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat.
“This is how the United Cyprus will be”, the paper says. "In the new military-free-structure that will be voted by the two communities, the only armed force will be the police which will be along the lines of the FBI. There will be police force for each community. While the Turkish side wants the number of the police to be equal for each sector, the Greek Cypriot side insists on a proportion of 60% to 40%.There will be common passports and identity cards. Turkish and Greek will be the official languages with each community being able to learn the other's in school. A possible third working language may also be specified. In government departments, if the director is Turk, his deputy will be Greek and vice versa. There will be a rotating presidency.”
The paper quotes diplomatic sources as saying that they had agreed that the senate would elect the future President and his deputy and these two members would hold office in rotation.
According to the sources, the biggest problem in the negotiations is the insistence of the Greek Cypriots on single sovereignty. The Greek Cypriots desire the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus to a federated state and do not accept two sovereign states. “The Turkish side wants continuation of the structure currently existing,” writes the paper. If the United Cyprus is accepted, a new cabinet will be established with six Greek Cypriots and three Turks as members. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Europe, Finance and Internal Affairs will come from different communities. For any decision to be approved, the vote of at least one person from each community will be needed.
Property is one of the thorniest issues. The framework whereby compensation will be paid out has not been defined.
If an agreement is reached, the two sides will hold a referendum. Both sides need to approve it for the agreement to be in force.
President Christofias said on Friday that there is convergence of views with the Turkish Cypriot side on the property issue although a couple of issues still remain outstanding.
After another meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, in the framework of the ongoing talks on the Cyprus problem, Christofias told the press that they had had a very productive meeting.
Commenting on the report by Turkish daily Hurriyet on what had been agreed so far, he said it is true that they had agreed that the solution would establish a federation, that would be a single state with a single sovereignty and a single international entity, but that it was not true that the Turkish Cypriot side is insisting on the present situation remaining as it is as far as sovereignty is concerned, namely two sovereign states.
"It is true that we agreed that Cyprus would be demilitarised, that there would be no army, and it is also true that we agreed that there will be a police force in the units as well as a federal police force. Also it is true that we agreed on a rotating presidency. But it is not true that we agreed that the President and Vice President will be elected by the Senate. That is the Turkish side's position. Our side's position is that they should be voted directly by the people with weighted votes, even though there are a number of people who have reacted against this", he said.
The two sides will meet again on Tuesday when they are expected to discuss the issues of aliens, citizenship, immigration and asylum.
According to the Cyprus Mail, President Christofias yesterday gave a nod of appreciation to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the interest he has shown in the Cyprus problem.
Asked to comment on a recent article written by Brown and published in Greek and Turkish Cypriot diaspora publications in the UK, Christofias said: “The man wants to help without interfering in the talks, let’s make that clear”.
He added that the two had struck up a good friendship. “I have developed a very good relationship with Gordon Brown. It’s not by chance that he talks about his friend Demetris Christofias, a friendship has been built.”
The confessed friendship comes in stark contrast to past comments made by Christofias, when he had described Britain as “our evil demon”. However, the two countries appeared to turn a new leaf in relations in June 2008, following Christofias’ visit to Downing Street where the two leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
In his article published in Parikiaki and Toplum Postasi, Brown referred to his meeting with his “good friend” Christofias last week, which reminded him of the “huge contribution made by Cypriots from both communities to our life and society here in the United Kingdom”. He noted the first hand personal accounts he has heard “of the historical injustices that both communities have suffered”, saying now was the time to heal the wounds of the past and move forward to a brighter future.
“It has never been more vital that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Britain, standing together, urge their leaders to go the extra mile,” he said and referred to the “unprecedented opportunity to end the 35 year long division of the island”.
Brown said “real progress” has been made and “much ground covered” in the talks, adding that with flexibility and compromise, an agreement would be possible next year.
“While the British Government will not interfere, there is an abundance of international goodwill within the international community…for negotiations to reunify the island to succeed, and for history to be made,” he concluded.
U.N. Special Adviser for Cyprus, Alexander Downer, is expected to visit New York during the first two weeks of December to brief UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue. The Cyprus News Agency cited UN sources yesterday saying that Downer would meet with the UN team dealing with the Cyprus issue in New York and inform the UN Security Council on the latest developments.
The UN Secretary-General is expected to issue two reports on Cyprus early next month. The first, due on December 1, concerns the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the second report concerns progress achieved regarding the UNSG’s good offices in Cyprus, to be published some days later. According to CNA sources, the UNFICYP report will not differ to a great extent from the previous report. The second report will assess positively the progress achieved since September 2008 in the talks and will ascertain that there are different approaches between the two sides. The report, according to diplomatic sources, will renew its call towards the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to intensify their meetings, show political boldness and flexibility for achieving an overall solution in Cyprus.
An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says the Governor of the Central Bank Athanasios Orphanides’ comment about the ‘tremendous growth potential’ of a unified economy came as a breath of fresh air in the suffocating, negative atmosphere that surrounds the efforts for a settlement. It was about time a respected public official, whose professional standing and integrity cannot be disputed, focused on the positive consequences of re-unification, because until now the doom and gloom merchants have been setting the agenda.
All we have been hearing, so far, is disaster-talk by lawyers obsessed with legal technicalities and calculatingly avoiding the bigger picture. These are the lawyers who have made a profession out of taking proposals submitted at the peace talks and picking holes in them in order to support their settlement-doomsday scenarios and advertise their noble commitment to high ideals of justice. Their message is that re-unification, under the conditions currently being discussed, would be catastrophic.
Orphanides, who does not go with the political flow and has repeatedly proved his independence, in an interview to Reuters this week, said: “I strongly believe that a unified economy gives tremendous growth potential for the island.... It would also create the wealth that could be sorely needed in order to finance the aspects of re-unification that we may face ahead.” He added a proviso – any deal should keep the number of barriers to a unified economy at a minimum. The fewer there were the quicker the economic convergence of the two economies would be.
It was the first time Orphanides, who keeps his public statements to a minimum, had spoken about the positive effects of a solution on the economy. It was a timely intervention, given that a couple of weeks ago, his predecessor, Dr Christodoulos Christodoulou, presented a book he had written in which he argued that Greek Cypriots would become poorer as a result of settlement. Very few people with an understanding of economics would have taken Dr Christodoulou’s simplistic, unrelenting negativity, which often reads like propaganda, very seriously, but anti-settlement campaigners have been citing it to further their cause.
At least most people know that Orphanides is significantly, better-qualified to talk about economic matters than Dr Christodoulou, who is not a qualified economist, let alone an authority on the subject. In fairness, the current finance minister Charilaos Stavrakis and his predecessor Michalis Sarris, both respected economists, have also spoken about the big boost re-unification would give the economy. Hopefully they would rejoin the debate soon, because people like Dr Christodoulou, who have an anti-settlement agenda, cannot be left to cultivate unjustified fear.
Orphanides’ comments could prove doubly useful if they were also taken on board by the Turkish Cypriot side which still seems to support the idea of certain economic barriers being in place after a settlement.
“This is how the United Cyprus will be”, the paper says. "In the new military-free-structure that will be voted by the two communities, the only armed force will be the police which will be along the lines of the FBI. There will be police force for each community. While the Turkish side wants the number of the police to be equal for each sector, the Greek Cypriot side insists on a proportion of 60% to 40%.There will be common passports and identity cards. Turkish and Greek will be the official languages with each community being able to learn the other's in school. A possible third working language may also be specified. In government departments, if the director is Turk, his deputy will be Greek and vice versa. There will be a rotating presidency.”
The paper quotes diplomatic sources as saying that they had agreed that the senate would elect the future President and his deputy and these two members would hold office in rotation.
According to the sources, the biggest problem in the negotiations is the insistence of the Greek Cypriots on single sovereignty. The Greek Cypriots desire the transformation of the Republic of Cyprus to a federated state and do not accept two sovereign states. “The Turkish side wants continuation of the structure currently existing,” writes the paper. If the United Cyprus is accepted, a new cabinet will be established with six Greek Cypriots and three Turks as members. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Europe, Finance and Internal Affairs will come from different communities. For any decision to be approved, the vote of at least one person from each community will be needed.
Property is one of the thorniest issues. The framework whereby compensation will be paid out has not been defined.
If an agreement is reached, the two sides will hold a referendum. Both sides need to approve it for the agreement to be in force.
President Christofias said on Friday that there is convergence of views with the Turkish Cypriot side on the property issue although a couple of issues still remain outstanding.
After another meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, in the framework of the ongoing talks on the Cyprus problem, Christofias told the press that they had had a very productive meeting.
Commenting on the report by Turkish daily Hurriyet on what had been agreed so far, he said it is true that they had agreed that the solution would establish a federation, that would be a single state with a single sovereignty and a single international entity, but that it was not true that the Turkish Cypriot side is insisting on the present situation remaining as it is as far as sovereignty is concerned, namely two sovereign states.
"It is true that we agreed that Cyprus would be demilitarised, that there would be no army, and it is also true that we agreed that there will be a police force in the units as well as a federal police force. Also it is true that we agreed on a rotating presidency. But it is not true that we agreed that the President and Vice President will be elected by the Senate. That is the Turkish side's position. Our side's position is that they should be voted directly by the people with weighted votes, even though there are a number of people who have reacted against this", he said.
The two sides will meet again on Tuesday when they are expected to discuss the issues of aliens, citizenship, immigration and asylum.
According to the Cyprus Mail, President Christofias yesterday gave a nod of appreciation to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the interest he has shown in the Cyprus problem.
Asked to comment on a recent article written by Brown and published in Greek and Turkish Cypriot diaspora publications in the UK, Christofias said: “The man wants to help without interfering in the talks, let’s make that clear”.
He added that the two had struck up a good friendship. “I have developed a very good relationship with Gordon Brown. It’s not by chance that he talks about his friend Demetris Christofias, a friendship has been built.”
The confessed friendship comes in stark contrast to past comments made by Christofias, when he had described Britain as “our evil demon”. However, the two countries appeared to turn a new leaf in relations in June 2008, following Christofias’ visit to Downing Street where the two leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
In his article published in Parikiaki and Toplum Postasi, Brown referred to his meeting with his “good friend” Christofias last week, which reminded him of the “huge contribution made by Cypriots from both communities to our life and society here in the United Kingdom”. He noted the first hand personal accounts he has heard “of the historical injustices that both communities have suffered”, saying now was the time to heal the wounds of the past and move forward to a brighter future.
“It has never been more vital that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Britain, standing together, urge their leaders to go the extra mile,” he said and referred to the “unprecedented opportunity to end the 35 year long division of the island”.
Brown said “real progress” has been made and “much ground covered” in the talks, adding that with flexibility and compromise, an agreement would be possible next year.
“While the British Government will not interfere, there is an abundance of international goodwill within the international community…for negotiations to reunify the island to succeed, and for history to be made,” he concluded.
U.N. Special Adviser for Cyprus, Alexander Downer, is expected to visit New York during the first two weeks of December to brief UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the latest developments on the Cyprus issue. The Cyprus News Agency cited UN sources yesterday saying that Downer would meet with the UN team dealing with the Cyprus issue in New York and inform the UN Security Council on the latest developments.
The UN Secretary-General is expected to issue two reports on Cyprus early next month. The first, due on December 1, concerns the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the second report concerns progress achieved regarding the UNSG’s good offices in Cyprus, to be published some days later. According to CNA sources, the UNFICYP report will not differ to a great extent from the previous report. The second report will assess positively the progress achieved since September 2008 in the talks and will ascertain that there are different approaches between the two sides. The report, according to diplomatic sources, will renew its call towards the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to intensify their meetings, show political boldness and flexibility for achieving an overall solution in Cyprus.
An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says the Governor of the Central Bank Athanasios Orphanides’ comment about the ‘tremendous growth potential’ of a unified economy came as a breath of fresh air in the suffocating, negative atmosphere that surrounds the efforts for a settlement. It was about time a respected public official, whose professional standing and integrity cannot be disputed, focused on the positive consequences of re-unification, because until now the doom and gloom merchants have been setting the agenda.
All we have been hearing, so far, is disaster-talk by lawyers obsessed with legal technicalities and calculatingly avoiding the bigger picture. These are the lawyers who have made a profession out of taking proposals submitted at the peace talks and picking holes in them in order to support their settlement-doomsday scenarios and advertise their noble commitment to high ideals of justice. Their message is that re-unification, under the conditions currently being discussed, would be catastrophic.
Orphanides, who does not go with the political flow and has repeatedly proved his independence, in an interview to Reuters this week, said: “I strongly believe that a unified economy gives tremendous growth potential for the island.... It would also create the wealth that could be sorely needed in order to finance the aspects of re-unification that we may face ahead.” He added a proviso – any deal should keep the number of barriers to a unified economy at a minimum. The fewer there were the quicker the economic convergence of the two economies would be.
It was the first time Orphanides, who keeps his public statements to a minimum, had spoken about the positive effects of a solution on the economy. It was a timely intervention, given that a couple of weeks ago, his predecessor, Dr Christodoulos Christodoulou, presented a book he had written in which he argued that Greek Cypriots would become poorer as a result of settlement. Very few people with an understanding of economics would have taken Dr Christodoulou’s simplistic, unrelenting negativity, which often reads like propaganda, very seriously, but anti-settlement campaigners have been citing it to further their cause.
At least most people know that Orphanides is significantly, better-qualified to talk about economic matters than Dr Christodoulou, who is not a qualified economist, let alone an authority on the subject. In fairness, the current finance minister Charilaos Stavrakis and his predecessor Michalis Sarris, both respected economists, have also spoken about the big boost re-unification would give the economy. Hopefully they would rejoin the debate soon, because people like Dr Christodoulou, who have an anti-settlement agenda, cannot be left to cultivate unjustified fear.
Orphanides’ comments could prove doubly useful if they were also taken on board by the Turkish Cypriot side which still seems to support the idea of certain economic barriers being in place after a settlement.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Much work still needed on property issue
There is a lot of work to do on the property issue, Alexander Downing the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus admitted after the leaders of the two communities held a meeting on the issue yesterday.
“As I have explained before this a comprehensive and difficult issue and they are just continuing the work on the property question”, he added. “Over time the ambition here is to achieve greater degrees of convergence and we look forward to that progressing”.
He added that the two leaders' representatives and their teams are going to come together on Thursday for further discussions about the property question and then the leaders will meet again on Friday afternoon to review what has been done. They have also mapped out further meetings into December, he said.
President Christofias on his part told the press after the meeting that “there is nothing new” and “we are not yet ready to have an in-depth discussion”.
According to the Cyprus Mail, it is understood that the two sides are discussing who would have the first say on what happens with private property: the rightful owner or the current occupant.
“As I have explained before this a comprehensive and difficult issue and they are just continuing the work on the property question”, he added. “Over time the ambition here is to achieve greater degrees of convergence and we look forward to that progressing”.
He added that the two leaders' representatives and their teams are going to come together on Thursday for further discussions about the property question and then the leaders will meet again on Friday afternoon to review what has been done. They have also mapped out further meetings into December, he said.
President Christofias on his part told the press after the meeting that “there is nothing new” and “we are not yet ready to have an in-depth discussion”.
According to the Cyprus Mail, it is understood that the two sides are discussing who would have the first say on what happens with private property: the rightful owner or the current occupant.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Solution not possible before end the of the year
According to the Cyprus Mail, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat agreed yesterday that negotiations on the Cyprus problem cannot be completed by the end of the year.
Speaking at a joint news conference at the end of his visit to Ankara, Talat referred to the need to set timeframes, as well as involve the UN in his direct talks with President Demetris Christofias. He also spoke of “alternative solutions” if a deal could not be found.
“This procedure can’t last forever. There needs to be a timeframe and we need to know when the procedure will end,” said Gul. He said his assessment was that “the negotiating procedure can’t be completed by the end of the current year”.
“In order for such an agreement to succeed, two component states should be created and the Greek Cypriot side must understand that Turkish Cypriots are equal partners. They are aware of this but they need to digest it,” said Gul.
Talat said Ankara’s support was of great significance to the Turkish Cypriot community. “We have no other support. We are working for a solution to the Cyprus problem. We asked for an expansion of the procedure with the participation of the EU and UN, but the Greek side keeps objecting, using its privileges.”
Talat also deemed it impossible to reach a solution by the end of the year. “It seems a solution in 2009 is not possible. It is our strong desire that negotiations are complete before the 2010 [Turkish Cypriot] presidential elections.”
“We desire a timeframe and an intervention by the UN. The negotiations can’t go on forever. If the whole procedure collapses, we have other alternative solutions, but we will not be discussing them at this phase.”
The Cyprus Mail’s satirical column Coffeeshop deals with the lynching last week of Toumzos Tsielepis, the president’s negotiations adviser, who appeared on a lunchtime Antenna TV panel discussion on the Cyprus problem together with four insufferably arrogant lawyers, competing over who would inflict the greatest humiliation on him until he finally walked out. It deserves to be released on DVD as a classic of the genre and could be a very useful tool for parents who do not want their kids to grow up to become lawyers. When the lawyers realised they were getting nowhere by shouting at the unpatriotic Tselepis, they raised the issue of his ‘poor qualifications’ which they claim is the reason comrade presidente is making big concessions to the Turks at the talks. As the grumpy old lawyer Loucis Loucaides, a former judge at the ECHR who finds difficulty stringing together a coherent sentence, asked: “Are you a lawyer?” Tselepis said “no” and Loucaides, with spittle coming out of his mouth, smugly responded, “And you will not become one”. It seems Tsielepis’ PhD in Public and International Law is not a satisfactory qualification for the lawyers on the panel. Why would he want to anyway? Why would anyone want to become a lawyer and end up a cantankerous, mean-spirited, patronising bully like Loucaides? It is not as if you need great intelligence or special qualities to join the profession – the Antenna studio panel made this obvious. The claim that you have to be a practising lawyer to be able to participate in the Cyprob talks was another stupidity expounded by one of our learned friends. Treating the Cyprob as a legal matter for lawyers to resolve is why there will never be a settlement. As one Cyprus-based diplomat astutely remarked many years ago, “How can you solve the Cyprus problem when there are 40,000 troops in the north and 30,000 lawyers in the south?”
Star of the show was the smooth-talking, self-regarding legal eagle Christos Clerides, who made his name as an anti-A plan campaigner and subsequently reaped big financial benefits by filing recourses to the ECHR for naive refugees, who thought this would be a better way of getting their properties back than voting for the plan. Clerides behaved like an ultra-competitive and insecure school-kid who will resort to the basest of methods to belittle his classmates in order to satisfy his feelings of superiority. “You have proved that you are not a lawyer because you constantly interrupt the other person... if you were a proper legal expert, you would know the first rule is that everyone must complete their argument, you take your notes and then respond.”
Speaking at a joint news conference at the end of his visit to Ankara, Talat referred to the need to set timeframes, as well as involve the UN in his direct talks with President Demetris Christofias. He also spoke of “alternative solutions” if a deal could not be found.
“This procedure can’t last forever. There needs to be a timeframe and we need to know when the procedure will end,” said Gul. He said his assessment was that “the negotiating procedure can’t be completed by the end of the current year”.
“In order for such an agreement to succeed, two component states should be created and the Greek Cypriot side must understand that Turkish Cypriots are equal partners. They are aware of this but they need to digest it,” said Gul.
Talat said Ankara’s support was of great significance to the Turkish Cypriot community. “We have no other support. We are working for a solution to the Cyprus problem. We asked for an expansion of the procedure with the participation of the EU and UN, but the Greek side keeps objecting, using its privileges.”
Talat also deemed it impossible to reach a solution by the end of the year. “It seems a solution in 2009 is not possible. It is our strong desire that negotiations are complete before the 2010 [Turkish Cypriot] presidential elections.”
“We desire a timeframe and an intervention by the UN. The negotiations can’t go on forever. If the whole procedure collapses, we have other alternative solutions, but we will not be discussing them at this phase.”
The Cyprus Mail’s satirical column Coffeeshop deals with the lynching last week of Toumzos Tsielepis, the president’s negotiations adviser, who appeared on a lunchtime Antenna TV panel discussion on the Cyprus problem together with four insufferably arrogant lawyers, competing over who would inflict the greatest humiliation on him until he finally walked out. It deserves to be released on DVD as a classic of the genre and could be a very useful tool for parents who do not want their kids to grow up to become lawyers. When the lawyers realised they were getting nowhere by shouting at the unpatriotic Tselepis, they raised the issue of his ‘poor qualifications’ which they claim is the reason comrade presidente is making big concessions to the Turks at the talks. As the grumpy old lawyer Loucis Loucaides, a former judge at the ECHR who finds difficulty stringing together a coherent sentence, asked: “Are you a lawyer?” Tselepis said “no” and Loucaides, with spittle coming out of his mouth, smugly responded, “And you will not become one”. It seems Tsielepis’ PhD in Public and International Law is not a satisfactory qualification for the lawyers on the panel. Why would he want to anyway? Why would anyone want to become a lawyer and end up a cantankerous, mean-spirited, patronising bully like Loucaides? It is not as if you need great intelligence or special qualities to join the profession – the Antenna studio panel made this obvious. The claim that you have to be a practising lawyer to be able to participate in the Cyprob talks was another stupidity expounded by one of our learned friends. Treating the Cyprob as a legal matter for lawyers to resolve is why there will never be a settlement. As one Cyprus-based diplomat astutely remarked many years ago, “How can you solve the Cyprus problem when there are 40,000 troops in the north and 30,000 lawyers in the south?”
Star of the show was the smooth-talking, self-regarding legal eagle Christos Clerides, who made his name as an anti-A plan campaigner and subsequently reaped big financial benefits by filing recourses to the ECHR for naive refugees, who thought this would be a better way of getting their properties back than voting for the plan. Clerides behaved like an ultra-competitive and insecure school-kid who will resort to the basest of methods to belittle his classmates in order to satisfy his feelings of superiority. “You have proved that you are not a lawyer because you constantly interrupt the other person... if you were a proper legal expert, you would know the first rule is that everyone must complete their argument, you take your notes and then respond.”
Friday, 30 October 2009
Now is the time
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that now it is time for both leaders in Cyprus "to be more seriously considering to make necessary compromises and show flexibility so they can move ahead". The UN S-G was replying to questions at his regular press briefing at UN headquarters yesterday.
He said: “I am reasonably optimistic about the prospect of resolving this long-standing Cyprus issue. I am encouraged by the commitment and continuing negotiations led by the two leaders, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat". He added that they have built up good political atmosphere on the basis of mutual trust and commitment and now it is time for them to make a real progress, demonstrating flexibility and arguing on compromises”.
Meanwhile, all the Turkish Cypriot newspapers report today about the visit to Ankara of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, who had a two-hour meeting there with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu. According to the paper the property issue was discussed in the meeting.
Asked by a journalist whether a new opening is expected as regards Cyprus, Mr Talat said that the Cyprus opening has been continuing incessantly, since 2004. “We are the side which is active”, he stated. He also said that at his meeting with Davutoglu the delegations had worked on issues related to property and had discussed the governance issue. He added that the aim of the visit was not to determine new strategies but to continue the current pro-active approach.
Moreover the Cyprus Mail reports that while Talat was in Ankara and Christofias in Brussels for the European Council meeting, their aides met yesterday to prepare the ground for their meetings on Monday and Friday next week on property.
The paper says that the two aides have been charged with preparing a list of criteria involved in the property question as to what kinds of properties are affected and what potential solutions are available. Christofias and Talat have stated they are standing on opposite sides of the fence in terms of their positions on property solutions. While the Greek Cypriot side wants the original owner to have final say on what to do with the property, the Turkish Cypriots argue in favour of giving the current user more weight.
Turkey has suggested it plans to take steps very soon to speed up the talks and play an active role in solving the problem. On the other hand, Davutoglu has hinted that it cannot wait around for ever and if there is no solution by April, the date of the presidential elections in the north, then Turkey will start working on alternative solutions. The latter statement has been interpreted by the Greek Cypriot side as a veiled threat to pursue international recognition of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ or some other action aimed at cementing the de facto partition.
In an interview with a Turkish newspaper, Talat described the election of Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou as a “significant advantage” to helping solve the Cyprus problem, noting that Papandreou was an important figure who had influence in the Greek Cypriot community. He also said he was less optimistic now than he was at the beginning of the process. “Time does not work in the other side’s favour,” he was quoted saying.
Moreover according to reports in the press, the UN has enlisted the help of an expert on property issue who arrived on the island and has been incorporated in Alexander Downing's team.
Britain's Guardian newspaper said today that Cyprus' President Christofias urged Europe to get tough with Turkey, likening the EU's concessions to Ankara to the appeasement of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. He also played down expectations of any breakthrough in the search for a settlement in Cyprus, saying that more than a year of negotiations with his Turkish Cypriot friend and counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat, were in trouble. "Unfortunately, my expectations have not been justified," he said in an interview. "We have differences and divergences, deep, deep differences", he said and rejected talk of a deadline as artificial suggesting the Turkish side was exploiting Talat's electoral problems to blackmail him.
Christofias's gloomy remarks ran counter to diplomats' hopes that the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders represented the best chance for a settlement in a generation. If the talks fail, warned Hans Van Den Broek, the former Dutch foreign minister who sits on the Independent Commission on Turkey, "the island will certainly head towards partition. Tensions will rise in the eastern Mediterranean and EU-Turkey tension will deepen."
With much at stake in the Cyprus talks, Christofias laid a large part of the blame for the stalemate on the Turkish leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We don't agree on anything with Mr Erdogan," he said.
The paper adds, however, that hopes for a solution to the Cyprus problem have been raised by the approach adopted by Greece's new prime minister, George Papandreou, who visited Turkey shortly after he was elected, where he met Erdogan. Christofias's negative comments reveal how difficult the task will be. "I don't compare Turkey with Nazi Germany," he said. "But it is not reasonable to say don't challenge Turkey because it will get angry. There are rules and unfortunately Turkey does not respect those rules ... This reminds me of the situation before the second world war, appeasing Hitler so he doesn't become more aggressive. The substance of fascism was the substance of fascism. Hitler was Hitler."
He said: “I am reasonably optimistic about the prospect of resolving this long-standing Cyprus issue. I am encouraged by the commitment and continuing negotiations led by the two leaders, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat". He added that they have built up good political atmosphere on the basis of mutual trust and commitment and now it is time for them to make a real progress, demonstrating flexibility and arguing on compromises”.
Meanwhile, all the Turkish Cypriot newspapers report today about the visit to Ankara of the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, who had a two-hour meeting there with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu. According to the paper the property issue was discussed in the meeting.
Asked by a journalist whether a new opening is expected as regards Cyprus, Mr Talat said that the Cyprus opening has been continuing incessantly, since 2004. “We are the side which is active”, he stated. He also said that at his meeting with Davutoglu the delegations had worked on issues related to property and had discussed the governance issue. He added that the aim of the visit was not to determine new strategies but to continue the current pro-active approach.
Moreover the Cyprus Mail reports that while Talat was in Ankara and Christofias in Brussels for the European Council meeting, their aides met yesterday to prepare the ground for their meetings on Monday and Friday next week on property.
The paper says that the two aides have been charged with preparing a list of criteria involved in the property question as to what kinds of properties are affected and what potential solutions are available. Christofias and Talat have stated they are standing on opposite sides of the fence in terms of their positions on property solutions. While the Greek Cypriot side wants the original owner to have final say on what to do with the property, the Turkish Cypriots argue in favour of giving the current user more weight.
Turkey has suggested it plans to take steps very soon to speed up the talks and play an active role in solving the problem. On the other hand, Davutoglu has hinted that it cannot wait around for ever and if there is no solution by April, the date of the presidential elections in the north, then Turkey will start working on alternative solutions. The latter statement has been interpreted by the Greek Cypriot side as a veiled threat to pursue international recognition of the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ or some other action aimed at cementing the de facto partition.
In an interview with a Turkish newspaper, Talat described the election of Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou as a “significant advantage” to helping solve the Cyprus problem, noting that Papandreou was an important figure who had influence in the Greek Cypriot community. He also said he was less optimistic now than he was at the beginning of the process. “Time does not work in the other side’s favour,” he was quoted saying.
Moreover according to reports in the press, the UN has enlisted the help of an expert on property issue who arrived on the island and has been incorporated in Alexander Downing's team.
Britain's Guardian newspaper said today that Cyprus' President Christofias urged Europe to get tough with Turkey, likening the EU's concessions to Ankara to the appeasement of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. He also played down expectations of any breakthrough in the search for a settlement in Cyprus, saying that more than a year of negotiations with his Turkish Cypriot friend and counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat, were in trouble. "Unfortunately, my expectations have not been justified," he said in an interview. "We have differences and divergences, deep, deep differences", he said and rejected talk of a deadline as artificial suggesting the Turkish side was exploiting Talat's electoral problems to blackmail him.
Christofias's gloomy remarks ran counter to diplomats' hopes that the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders represented the best chance for a settlement in a generation. If the talks fail, warned Hans Van Den Broek, the former Dutch foreign minister who sits on the Independent Commission on Turkey, "the island will certainly head towards partition. Tensions will rise in the eastern Mediterranean and EU-Turkey tension will deepen."
With much at stake in the Cyprus talks, Christofias laid a large part of the blame for the stalemate on the Turkish leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We don't agree on anything with Mr Erdogan," he said.
The paper adds, however, that hopes for a solution to the Cyprus problem have been raised by the approach adopted by Greece's new prime minister, George Papandreou, who visited Turkey shortly after he was elected, where he met Erdogan. Christofias's negative comments reveal how difficult the task will be. "I don't compare Turkey with Nazi Germany," he said. "But it is not reasonable to say don't challenge Turkey because it will get angry. There are rules and unfortunately Turkey does not respect those rules ... This reminds me of the situation before the second world war, appeasing Hitler so he doesn't become more aggressive. The substance of fascism was the substance of fascism. Hitler was Hitler."
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Papandreou promises active involvement
The Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou promised active involvement in the effort to find a solution to the Cyprus problem. Speaking before an extraordinary plenary session of the House of Representatives yesterday on his official visit to Cyprus, his first since taking office, he stressed that Greece's steadfast aim is to prevent the legitimization of the 1974 Turkish invasion in Cyprus and to reverse its consequences.
Throughout his visit Papandreou said repeatedly that Greece was once again by the side of Cyprus, adding, “not just in words but in practice”. He highlighted that assisting President Demetris Christofias to achieve a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem based on the agreed parameters was a priority of his government.
Speaking at a joint press conference with President Christofias, he said Greece and Cyprus will “cooperate closely” on the Cyprus problem while keeping all options on the table until the EU’s December evaluation on Turkey’s accession path. He said it was necessary to utilise the European framework in the most effective way, adding that the European Council of December was important because Turkey’s EU course would be objectively assessed.
“The message I have conveyed to the people of Turkey was that we want you to be a friendly country, a country which has the right to join the EU but also one which I will always be sincere with, talking about the problems which divide us and which we have to solve,” he said. One of those problems, he said, is the Cyprus problem and the fact that “there is still occupation in the Republic of Cyprus”.
Papandreou called on Ankara to meet its obligations towards the EU, including normalising relations with Cyprus and contributing to a resolution of the Cyprus problem. “There is stagnation in Turkey’s accession process in relation to issues which the EU has set out for Turkey, and we need to give an impetus with a view to help not only Turkey’s EU course but also the settlement of major issues, such as the Cyprus question,” said Papandreou.
Throughout his visit Papandreou said repeatedly that Greece was once again by the side of Cyprus, adding, “not just in words but in practice”. He highlighted that assisting President Demetris Christofias to achieve a just and viable solution of the Cyprus problem based on the agreed parameters was a priority of his government.
Speaking at a joint press conference with President Christofias, he said Greece and Cyprus will “cooperate closely” on the Cyprus problem while keeping all options on the table until the EU’s December evaluation on Turkey’s accession path. He said it was necessary to utilise the European framework in the most effective way, adding that the European Council of December was important because Turkey’s EU course would be objectively assessed.
“The message I have conveyed to the people of Turkey was that we want you to be a friendly country, a country which has the right to join the EU but also one which I will always be sincere with, talking about the problems which divide us and which we have to solve,” he said. One of those problems, he said, is the Cyprus problem and the fact that “there is still occupation in the Republic of Cyprus”.
Papandreou called on Ankara to meet its obligations towards the EU, including normalising relations with Cyprus and contributing to a resolution of the Cyprus problem. “There is stagnation in Turkey’s accession process in relation to issues which the EU has set out for Turkey, and we need to give an impetus with a view to help not only Turkey’s EU course but also the settlement of major issues, such as the Cyprus question,” said Papandreou.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Two sides close to agreement on governance
The two sides are converging on the issue of governance but have yet to reach the finish line, President Christofias said on Friday after the second of two consecutive meetings this week with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
However, according to the UN Special Representative, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, the two leaders “discussed each other’s proposals in a very constructive manner”.
Talat on his part said the talks went well, adding that both sides presented “wise and correct” proposals responding to the concerns of the other.
The two leaders will continue discussing governance and external relations next week and begin the second reading on property. If they fail to come to agreement on executive power, the issue will likely be moved to the third “basket” of issues for which no convergence has been found. These issues will then form the fodder of a give-and-take session between the two leaders in the final round of negotiations.
“We expect difficulties in the near future and everyone must show the utmost self-restraint, political maturity and determination to claim our rights without violating our principles,” said Christofias.
Before yesterday’s session, the two men met representatives of civil society from both sides when fifty NGOs handed a resolution to the two leaders, pledging to support the process by “opening and maintaining channels of communication, building mutual trust and promoting reconciliation between the two communities”.
The resolution calls on both leaders to properly inform the general public on the negotiations so that it may discuss the details of any progress achieved and possibilities for the future “in a positive and constructive way”. Clarification on the ongoing negotiations will help avoid vagueness, confusion, unfair and uninformed criticism, said the NGOs.
The two leaders pledged to do all they could to achieve an agreed and mutually acceptable solution which will reunify the island. Diverting from the tactic of his predecessor, Christofias praised the role of the NGOs, noting “we need a Cyprus for the Cypriots”. The president identified foreign intervention as the greatest source of the island’s problems.
“We want the foreigners to be helpful without intervening in the internal affairs of the United Federal Republic of Cyprus…We want a Cyprus, which will belong to its children, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” said Christofias. To achieve this, he added: “We have to work in a friendly atmosphere, understanding and meeting the concerns of both communities.”
Talat highlighted that the will and support of the people for an agreed solution was needed “to really establish a peaceful country, a peaceful United Cyprus”. He added that support from the international community, of “any power which may have any positive say”, was also needed in the talks.
An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says there were no surprises in the European Commission’s eagerly-awaited progress report on Turkey. While it noted Turkey’s failure to implement the Ankara protocol and to normalise relations with the Cyprus Republic, the Commission avoided any reference to punitive sanctions which our political parties had been demanding.
This caused widespread disappointment among the Greek Cypriot political parties which had argued that Turkey should have been penalised for the refusal to implement the protocol. The mood of the politicians could not have been improved on hearing Turkey’s EU negotiator welcoming the report and describing it as “positive and balanced”.
We were deluding ourselves if we thought the Commission could have allowed Ankara’s failure to implement the Protocol to turn a positive report negative and include sanctions. This would not have encouraged the Turkish government to proceed with the reforms the EU considered of vital importance at this stage in accession procedure. But as usual, most of the politicians in Cyprus betrayed their tendency for wishful thinking in raising sanctions’ expectations.
It appears that the only politician who made a realistic evaluation of the situation was DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades. He had predicted that the Commission would not consider sanctions, especially while peace negotiations were in progress in Cyprus. He also pointed out that there was no way the European Council would impose sanctions against Turkey in December because unanimity, which was necessary for such a decision, would never be achieved. He proposed a pragmatic approach, by which discussion of sanctions could be put back to June. In the intervening period the Cyprus government could undertake a series of actions that would strengthen its position and help it secure certain practical advantages.
It is no coincidence that the party leaders who wanted sanctions imposed on Turkey are those who are opposed to the current peace efforts. They would have been overjoyed if sanctions were imposed and the talks collapsed as a result, because for them, punishing Turkey is an end in itself. Scoring a meaningless victory which they could brag about on the radio stations is all they seem to care about, because the success of the peace talks is not a concern.
Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will be visiting Cyprus tomorrow on an official trip, during which he is scheduled to meet with President Christofias and the political leadership as well as Archbishop Chrystostomos.
Papandreou said on Friday that the Cyprus problem is Greece’s basic priority. “Finding a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, with the UN decisions as the basis, the principles and treaties of the EU and full respect to the European acquis communitaire, is our basic priority,” he said.
Unlike his predecessor, Costas Karamanlis, who chose to sit on the fence, Papandreou is expected to take a more active role in efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. “We fully support the intensive efforts of President Demetris Christofias,” Papandreou said. He added that his country will once again stand next to Cyprus not just verbally but with actions.
Shortly after his election, Papandreou paid a flash visit to Turkey. He spoke to Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan about the need to show a more “conciliatory” approach on Cyprus. He also spoke directly to the Turkish people on the need to talk straight about problems and to solve them. He called on both countries to help free Cyprus of motherlands, occupation troops, walls and division.
4. Coffeeshop
The Sunday Mail's weekly satirical column Coffeeshop last week referred to Papandreou's election in Greece. He says he seems a rather mild-mannered, laid-back, softly-spoken chap, with the appearance of a kindly, secondary school headmaster, not the Alpha-male type of autocratic leader who would intimidate, bully and inspire fear in anyone. This is one of the reasons why Greeks condescendingly refer to him as Giorgakis - he looks and behaves like a boy - even though nobody ever accused him of being a Playstation devotee, like his predecessor was supposed to be. The consensus is that he is a bit wet, despite the moustache.
However the election of this liberal and gentle man has spread fear and panic on the island of love, where a section of the population view him as a Turk-loving, US-worshipping, champion of the A-plan, who will push for the speedy closure of the Cyprob. Last Friday’s visit to Turkey where he met Prime Minister Erdogan and his foreign minister, confirmed the worst nightmares of the island’s hard-liners and ‘never’ campaigners, because they realised that good relations with the savage Turks would be the priority of Giorgakis’ foreign policy. To achieve this ignoble objective, he would start to meddle in our affairs, pushing for an unfair settlement and urging us to pull our pants down for his friends the Turks. Apart from all the pro-Turk foreigners, we would have the new, Greek PM also nagging us to accept an unfair and unjust settlement.
Worse still, the ‘never’ supporters cannot resort to the customary, hysterical, hate-campaign they employ against all meddlesome foreigners, because he is Greek. His American mother may be brought into the picture, before long, as proof that he is not a pure Greek and therefore a legitimate bash-patriotic target. Papers like Simerini were seething because Papandreou had filled his cabinet with individuals who had publicly supported the “Annan monstrosity”. With these “Amerikanakia” (US-supporting kids) he would try to “close” the Cyprob, warned the paper, a firm believer in keeping it open for future generations.
Nobody really knows what comrade presidente is thinking about the Greek PM’s overtures to Turkey. I suspect he is not too happy with Giorgakis’ sense of urgency, because he likes things to move at a slow pace so he does not feel there are suffocating time-frames. Last Thursday he showed his commitment to slow-paced talks by getting the second scheduled meeting of the week cancelled on the grounds he had a stiff neck. If he were playing tennis with Talat, you could understand it but since when does a stiff neck prevent you from sitting down and talking? A skettos-drinking customer almost choked on his skettos when he heard the news. “How can he have a stiff neck?” he asked. “The guy doesn’t have a neck.”
However, according to the UN Special Representative, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, the two leaders “discussed each other’s proposals in a very constructive manner”.
Talat on his part said the talks went well, adding that both sides presented “wise and correct” proposals responding to the concerns of the other.
The two leaders will continue discussing governance and external relations next week and begin the second reading on property. If they fail to come to agreement on executive power, the issue will likely be moved to the third “basket” of issues for which no convergence has been found. These issues will then form the fodder of a give-and-take session between the two leaders in the final round of negotiations.
“We expect difficulties in the near future and everyone must show the utmost self-restraint, political maturity and determination to claim our rights without violating our principles,” said Christofias.
Before yesterday’s session, the two men met representatives of civil society from both sides when fifty NGOs handed a resolution to the two leaders, pledging to support the process by “opening and maintaining channels of communication, building mutual trust and promoting reconciliation between the two communities”.
The resolution calls on both leaders to properly inform the general public on the negotiations so that it may discuss the details of any progress achieved and possibilities for the future “in a positive and constructive way”. Clarification on the ongoing negotiations will help avoid vagueness, confusion, unfair and uninformed criticism, said the NGOs.
The two leaders pledged to do all they could to achieve an agreed and mutually acceptable solution which will reunify the island. Diverting from the tactic of his predecessor, Christofias praised the role of the NGOs, noting “we need a Cyprus for the Cypriots”. The president identified foreign intervention as the greatest source of the island’s problems.
“We want the foreigners to be helpful without intervening in the internal affairs of the United Federal Republic of Cyprus…We want a Cyprus, which will belong to its children, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots,” said Christofias. To achieve this, he added: “We have to work in a friendly atmosphere, understanding and meeting the concerns of both communities.”
Talat highlighted that the will and support of the people for an agreed solution was needed “to really establish a peaceful country, a peaceful United Cyprus”. He added that support from the international community, of “any power which may have any positive say”, was also needed in the talks.
An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says there were no surprises in the European Commission’s eagerly-awaited progress report on Turkey. While it noted Turkey’s failure to implement the Ankara protocol and to normalise relations with the Cyprus Republic, the Commission avoided any reference to punitive sanctions which our political parties had been demanding.
This caused widespread disappointment among the Greek Cypriot political parties which had argued that Turkey should have been penalised for the refusal to implement the protocol. The mood of the politicians could not have been improved on hearing Turkey’s EU negotiator welcoming the report and describing it as “positive and balanced”.
We were deluding ourselves if we thought the Commission could have allowed Ankara’s failure to implement the Protocol to turn a positive report negative and include sanctions. This would not have encouraged the Turkish government to proceed with the reforms the EU considered of vital importance at this stage in accession procedure. But as usual, most of the politicians in Cyprus betrayed their tendency for wishful thinking in raising sanctions’ expectations.
It appears that the only politician who made a realistic evaluation of the situation was DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades. He had predicted that the Commission would not consider sanctions, especially while peace negotiations were in progress in Cyprus. He also pointed out that there was no way the European Council would impose sanctions against Turkey in December because unanimity, which was necessary for such a decision, would never be achieved. He proposed a pragmatic approach, by which discussion of sanctions could be put back to June. In the intervening period the Cyprus government could undertake a series of actions that would strengthen its position and help it secure certain practical advantages.
It is no coincidence that the party leaders who wanted sanctions imposed on Turkey are those who are opposed to the current peace efforts. They would have been overjoyed if sanctions were imposed and the talks collapsed as a result, because for them, punishing Turkey is an end in itself. Scoring a meaningless victory which they could brag about on the radio stations is all they seem to care about, because the success of the peace talks is not a concern.
Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou will be visiting Cyprus tomorrow on an official trip, during which he is scheduled to meet with President Christofias and the political leadership as well as Archbishop Chrystostomos.
Papandreou said on Friday that the Cyprus problem is Greece’s basic priority. “Finding a fair and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, with the UN decisions as the basis, the principles and treaties of the EU and full respect to the European acquis communitaire, is our basic priority,” he said.
Unlike his predecessor, Costas Karamanlis, who chose to sit on the fence, Papandreou is expected to take a more active role in efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. “We fully support the intensive efforts of President Demetris Christofias,” Papandreou said. He added that his country will once again stand next to Cyprus not just verbally but with actions.
Shortly after his election, Papandreou paid a flash visit to Turkey. He spoke to Turkish Premier Tayyip Erdogan about the need to show a more “conciliatory” approach on Cyprus. He also spoke directly to the Turkish people on the need to talk straight about problems and to solve them. He called on both countries to help free Cyprus of motherlands, occupation troops, walls and division.
4. Coffeeshop
The Sunday Mail's weekly satirical column Coffeeshop last week referred to Papandreou's election in Greece. He says he seems a rather mild-mannered, laid-back, softly-spoken chap, with the appearance of a kindly, secondary school headmaster, not the Alpha-male type of autocratic leader who would intimidate, bully and inspire fear in anyone. This is one of the reasons why Greeks condescendingly refer to him as Giorgakis - he looks and behaves like a boy - even though nobody ever accused him of being a Playstation devotee, like his predecessor was supposed to be. The consensus is that he is a bit wet, despite the moustache.
However the election of this liberal and gentle man has spread fear and panic on the island of love, where a section of the population view him as a Turk-loving, US-worshipping, champion of the A-plan, who will push for the speedy closure of the Cyprob. Last Friday’s visit to Turkey where he met Prime Minister Erdogan and his foreign minister, confirmed the worst nightmares of the island’s hard-liners and ‘never’ campaigners, because they realised that good relations with the savage Turks would be the priority of Giorgakis’ foreign policy. To achieve this ignoble objective, he would start to meddle in our affairs, pushing for an unfair settlement and urging us to pull our pants down for his friends the Turks. Apart from all the pro-Turk foreigners, we would have the new, Greek PM also nagging us to accept an unfair and unjust settlement.
Worse still, the ‘never’ supporters cannot resort to the customary, hysterical, hate-campaign they employ against all meddlesome foreigners, because he is Greek. His American mother may be brought into the picture, before long, as proof that he is not a pure Greek and therefore a legitimate bash-patriotic target. Papers like Simerini were seething because Papandreou had filled his cabinet with individuals who had publicly supported the “Annan monstrosity”. With these “Amerikanakia” (US-supporting kids) he would try to “close” the Cyprob, warned the paper, a firm believer in keeping it open for future generations.
Nobody really knows what comrade presidente is thinking about the Greek PM’s overtures to Turkey. I suspect he is not too happy with Giorgakis’ sense of urgency, because he likes things to move at a slow pace so he does not feel there are suffocating time-frames. Last Thursday he showed his commitment to slow-paced talks by getting the second scheduled meeting of the week cancelled on the grounds he had a stiff neck. If he were playing tennis with Talat, you could understand it but since when does a stiff neck prevent you from sitting down and talking? A skettos-drinking customer almost choked on his skettos when he heard the news. “How can he have a stiff neck?” he asked. “The guy doesn’t have a neck.”
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Action at the UN
Speaking at a press conference in New York on Friday, President Christofias said that theoretical support of the negotiations by Turkey is not enough. We need concrete policies which will lead us to a real federation; to the evolution of the unitary state to a bizonal, bicommunal, federal state.
Expressing his desire for a speedy solution, as soon as possible, he said that, Turkey is the key to the solution of the Cyprus problem because of the situation on the ground. "There is the occupation, there are the troops, the settlers, and the problems for which Turkey must take the responsibility. Even if myself and Talat decide for the withdrawal of the troops and the demilitarization which would be a great message, it would depend on Turkey to remove the troops as well as the settlers. And I am very sad to say, speaking with Mr. Erdogan about the settlers, he told me “this problem is solved”. How is it solved? “They are all citizens of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus”.
He said he had made a courageous offer to the Turkish Cypriots and to Turkey by accepting that 50,000 settlers remain on the island for humanitarian reasons, as well as the rotation of presidents, but received no response. "I expect a response from the other side. It is not possible to make more concessions without any answer, without any response from the other side".
Asked about whether his statement in his speech before the UN General Assembly that his goal was to restore the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of the Republic of Cyprus contradicts his declared agreement with Mr Talat to achieve the goal of a new partnership on the basis of two constituent states, Mr Christofias said it not a contradiction. "What we decided is the transformation, the evolution, of the unitary state of Cyprus to a bizonal, bicommunal federal state. There are no two states now. There is one single state. This is the Republic of Cyprus, according to the international community and the international law".
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday met with the UN Secretary General. A UN press release afterwards said the UN SG welcomed Mr. Talat's commitment to achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem and urged the two leaders to stay in the course and seize the critical and historic opportunity presented by their ongoing talks. As the talks entered the second phase, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of compromise based on a sense of historical responsibility and long-term political vision. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the readiness of the UN, particularly through the work of his Special Adviser, Alexander Downer, to continue to do what it can to assist the process.
Moreover, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr Lynn Pascoe, speaking yesterday during a press briefing regarding the developments in various regional problems made the following reference to Cyprus:
“I just came two minutes ago, five minutes, back from the back door from a meeting with Mr. Talat on the Cyprus issue. As you know the Secretary-General met with both, President Christofias and Mr. Talat and had very good and energetic discussions with both about how we move this process along faster and get to a conclusion. I think, the UN very much wants to help the two sides on the island to reach their own conclusion and will be their conclusion. But we are going to do everything we can do to help. It’s clear that the matter it’s urgent and we want to push forward. There’s never, I think, except of course with the Annan plan, but there has never been a better chance, a better opportunity for the sides to come together and we are pushing very hard on that issue.”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper reported that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat reacted to President Christofias' speech before the UN General Assembly that the Greek Cypriot side does not accept arbitration and timetables for the solution of the Cyprus problem, by saying that a process without a timetable will have no result and this statement is “negative and a sign of lack of will”.
Moreover, Bayrak television reported that Talat felt Christofias has razed to the ground fundamental principles that the two sides had agreed on through great efforts .
"Christofias said that they were trying to restore the so-called Republic of Cyprus and a federation that consisted of two autonomous regions would be established through the transformation of the so-called Republic. That’s totally the opposite of the principles we had been committed to", Talat added. He said the Turkish side wants neither to establish two autonomous regions, nor to restore the so-called Republic of Cyprus. "Federations do not consist of autonomous regions", he stressed.”
He said that Christofias' views were baseless and meaningless. Mr Talat stressed that the objective of the negotiations being conducted by the two sides on the island was to bring a bi-zonal, bi-communal, federal solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of political equality.
Mr Talat said that disagreements during the negotiating process arise on points where the Greek Cypriot side submits proposals outside the parameters of the UN and added that this should definitely be prevented. He said that the problem on the property issue, where the most serious impasse is observed, derives from the fact that the Greek Cypriot side is not committed to bi-zonality.
The paper also said that Talat had told a press conference that he had asked Mr Ban Ki-moon for the UN to be involved more actively in the Cyprus problem and bring the negotiations back to the UN parameters when they digress. Mr Talat claimed that the problems which they are experienced in the negotiations are due to the fact that the Greek Cypriot side goes outside the UN parameters. He gave as examples the property issue and the election of the presidency.
Meanwhile Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told the UN General Assembly that the basis upon which a solution to the Cyprus problem should be built is right here, under the roof of the United Nations, Ankara Anatolia news agency reported.
“If all the parties to the present negotiations were to act constructively, it would be possible to reach a comprehensive solution by the end of 2009. As was the case in 2004, we believe that the UN Secretary-General should play a role in bridging the differences which the parties themselves cannot resolve”, he said.
He added that it should be our common objective to submit the solution to be reached to a referendum in the spring of 2010 at the latest, but that “if a solution cannot be found due to Greek Cypriot intransigence, as was the case in 2004, the normalization of the status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will become a necessity which can no longer be delayed”.
He stressed that the negotiations cannot be sustained ad infinitum, that the present window of opportunity cannot remain open forever and that efforts must be deployed for the success of the process.
“I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize once again that a comprehensive solution to be achieved on the basis of established UN parameters, which will secure the founding of a new partnership in Cyprus, will enjoy the open support of Turkey as a guarantor power”, he said.
“A fair and lasting solution in Cyprus will make a major contribution to the transformation of the Eastern Mediterranean into a zone of peace, stability and cooperation. I call upon everyone to do their utmost to help achieve this goal. In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot side is still subjected to unfair measure of isolation, despite the fact that in 2004 it accepted all the sacrifices that the Annan Plan entailed. It is not fair to expect the Turkish side to pay the price for a lack of solution. The lifting of such restrictions on Turkish Cypriots will not only remove an unjust practice but also accelerate the process of resolution”, he said.
Star Kibris newspaper reported that speaking at a press conference in New York, Erdogan said that the process to try and solve the Cyprus problem has gone on for too long and there are continuously delaying tactics. "We should take a decision to get serious on this job", he said. "During the last year, especially the TRNC president Mehmet Ali Talat and we as guarantor power have said that we will provide every support, as long as we end this job somewhere by the end of this year”.
Moreover, Kibris yesterday disclosed a conversation that Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had with President Christofias during which Erdogan had responded to Christofias' call for talks with Ankara by saying: “We are ready for a four party meeting”.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus in a written reply to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's speech at the UN, regrets that the positions he has taken are clearly disconnected, both in letter and spirit, with the ongoing efforts undertaken by the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus.
"What is even more disconcerting is the fact that the Prime Minister of Turkey selectively recalls today his country’s role as guarantor power, only in relation to a so called 'new partnership' in Cyprus, a notion that falls outside the agreed basis upon which the talks are being conducted", the statement says.
It also objects to Erdogan's attempts to introduce elements that are not part of the agreed process, such as arbitration and time tables, which it views as an attempt to alter the nature of the negotiations and would also endanger the end result of that process.
The statement reminds Turkey that its role is to uphold international law and legality and not to call upon the international community to upgrade an illegal entity that has been universally condemned by the UN Security Council itself.
Finally, instead of speaking of the so called isolation of the Turkish-Cypriot community, the Turkish Prime Minister should help the Turkish-Cypriots by allowing the leader of that community to arrive at a solution that would guarantee the legitimate rights of the people of Cyprus, Greek-Cypriots, Turkish-Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. The 'isolation' that Mr. Erdogan refers to, is the direct consequence of the ongoing occupation of a substantial part of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkish troops, the statement concludes.
The Sunday Mail’s weekly satirical column Coffeeshop refers to the coverage comrade presidente Christofias visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly and says the state readio station Trito gave him more mentions than Colonel Gaddafi gets on Libyan state radio. When he is in New York the comrade gets a major ego-boost and suffers serious delusions of grandeur. But even though he thinks he is a great statesman he still speaks with the sophistication of a village mukhtar. His sound-bite, “I am not a plassie (salesman) and I would never sell our country”, perfectly illustrated the point. Despite not being a plassie, he still boasted that he had made “some very generous offers” to the Turkish Cypriots – 20 per cent discount on all electrical appliances they bought in shops in the free areas – which should be appreciated by Turkey and the UN.
Comrade plassie’s activities in the Big Apple consisted of telling people what they should do. He even made a speech giving advice to world leaders on how they should deal with climate change. Sadly, Kyproulla’s environmental policy was “restricted by the Turkish military occupation.”
During his New York meetings, he also had a chance to tell the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon when and where he should arrange to meet him and Talat. The meeting could not take place in New York because he was there as a head of state whereas Talat was not. “I explained to the Secretary General with great objectivity, without fear, but with passion, what is happening at the negotiating table.”
He also had a meeting with Turkish PM Erdogan, during an official lunch, and told him that “Turkey has the key for the Cyprus settlement.” He also told Erdogan that Talat should be helped by Turkey “to change his tune”.
It was always a case of Tofias telling everyone what should happen and what they should do. He was like some emperor issuing instructions. This was because Christofias and his entourage were our only source of information – they were briefing the hacks about the conversations comrade presidente was having. If the people who met Christofias responded to his diktats, it was not reported. The impression was that at all the meetings he spoke while the other person listened and said nothing.
The highlight of his visit was his meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. As they were preparing to speak to the cameras, the presidente turned round and asked Miliband rhetorically “Who has the key?” Miliband, unaware of our claim about Ankara holding the key to a settlement, replied, in all seriousness: “It must be the head of security.” He obviously thought our man was talking about the key to the UN building.
Expressing his desire for a speedy solution, as soon as possible, he said that, Turkey is the key to the solution of the Cyprus problem because of the situation on the ground. "There is the occupation, there are the troops, the settlers, and the problems for which Turkey must take the responsibility. Even if myself and Talat decide for the withdrawal of the troops and the demilitarization which would be a great message, it would depend on Turkey to remove the troops as well as the settlers. And I am very sad to say, speaking with Mr. Erdogan about the settlers, he told me “this problem is solved”. How is it solved? “They are all citizens of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus”.
He said he had made a courageous offer to the Turkish Cypriots and to Turkey by accepting that 50,000 settlers remain on the island for humanitarian reasons, as well as the rotation of presidents, but received no response. "I expect a response from the other side. It is not possible to make more concessions without any answer, without any response from the other side".
Asked about whether his statement in his speech before the UN General Assembly that his goal was to restore the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of the Republic of Cyprus contradicts his declared agreement with Mr Talat to achieve the goal of a new partnership on the basis of two constituent states, Mr Christofias said it not a contradiction. "What we decided is the transformation, the evolution, of the unitary state of Cyprus to a bizonal, bicommunal federal state. There are no two states now. There is one single state. This is the Republic of Cyprus, according to the international community and the international law".
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday met with the UN Secretary General. A UN press release afterwards said the UN SG welcomed Mr. Talat's commitment to achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem and urged the two leaders to stay in the course and seize the critical and historic opportunity presented by their ongoing talks. As the talks entered the second phase, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of compromise based on a sense of historical responsibility and long-term political vision. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the readiness of the UN, particularly through the work of his Special Adviser, Alexander Downer, to continue to do what it can to assist the process.
Moreover, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr Lynn Pascoe, speaking yesterday during a press briefing regarding the developments in various regional problems made the following reference to Cyprus:
“I just came two minutes ago, five minutes, back from the back door from a meeting with Mr. Talat on the Cyprus issue. As you know the Secretary-General met with both, President Christofias and Mr. Talat and had very good and energetic discussions with both about how we move this process along faster and get to a conclusion. I think, the UN very much wants to help the two sides on the island to reach their own conclusion and will be their conclusion. But we are going to do everything we can do to help. It’s clear that the matter it’s urgent and we want to push forward. There’s never, I think, except of course with the Annan plan, but there has never been a better chance, a better opportunity for the sides to come together and we are pushing very hard on that issue.”
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper reported that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat reacted to President Christofias' speech before the UN General Assembly that the Greek Cypriot side does not accept arbitration and timetables for the solution of the Cyprus problem, by saying that a process without a timetable will have no result and this statement is “negative and a sign of lack of will”.
Moreover, Bayrak television reported that Talat felt Christofias has razed to the ground fundamental principles that the two sides had agreed on through great efforts .
"Christofias said that they were trying to restore the so-called Republic of Cyprus and a federation that consisted of two autonomous regions would be established through the transformation of the so-called Republic. That’s totally the opposite of the principles we had been committed to", Talat added. He said the Turkish side wants neither to establish two autonomous regions, nor to restore the so-called Republic of Cyprus. "Federations do not consist of autonomous regions", he stressed.”
He said that Christofias' views were baseless and meaningless. Mr Talat stressed that the objective of the negotiations being conducted by the two sides on the island was to bring a bi-zonal, bi-communal, federal solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of political equality.
Mr Talat said that disagreements during the negotiating process arise on points where the Greek Cypriot side submits proposals outside the parameters of the UN and added that this should definitely be prevented. He said that the problem on the property issue, where the most serious impasse is observed, derives from the fact that the Greek Cypriot side is not committed to bi-zonality.
The paper also said that Talat had told a press conference that he had asked Mr Ban Ki-moon for the UN to be involved more actively in the Cyprus problem and bring the negotiations back to the UN parameters when they digress. Mr Talat claimed that the problems which they are experienced in the negotiations are due to the fact that the Greek Cypriot side goes outside the UN parameters. He gave as examples the property issue and the election of the presidency.
Meanwhile Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told the UN General Assembly that the basis upon which a solution to the Cyprus problem should be built is right here, under the roof of the United Nations, Ankara Anatolia news agency reported.
“If all the parties to the present negotiations were to act constructively, it would be possible to reach a comprehensive solution by the end of 2009. As was the case in 2004, we believe that the UN Secretary-General should play a role in bridging the differences which the parties themselves cannot resolve”, he said.
He added that it should be our common objective to submit the solution to be reached to a referendum in the spring of 2010 at the latest, but that “if a solution cannot be found due to Greek Cypriot intransigence, as was the case in 2004, the normalization of the status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will become a necessity which can no longer be delayed”.
He stressed that the negotiations cannot be sustained ad infinitum, that the present window of opportunity cannot remain open forever and that efforts must be deployed for the success of the process.
“I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize once again that a comprehensive solution to be achieved on the basis of established UN parameters, which will secure the founding of a new partnership in Cyprus, will enjoy the open support of Turkey as a guarantor power”, he said.
“A fair and lasting solution in Cyprus will make a major contribution to the transformation of the Eastern Mediterranean into a zone of peace, stability and cooperation. I call upon everyone to do their utmost to help achieve this goal. In the meantime, the Turkish Cypriot side is still subjected to unfair measure of isolation, despite the fact that in 2004 it accepted all the sacrifices that the Annan Plan entailed. It is not fair to expect the Turkish side to pay the price for a lack of solution. The lifting of such restrictions on Turkish Cypriots will not only remove an unjust practice but also accelerate the process of resolution”, he said.
Star Kibris newspaper reported that speaking at a press conference in New York, Erdogan said that the process to try and solve the Cyprus problem has gone on for too long and there are continuously delaying tactics. "We should take a decision to get serious on this job", he said. "During the last year, especially the TRNC president Mehmet Ali Talat and we as guarantor power have said that we will provide every support, as long as we end this job somewhere by the end of this year”.
Moreover, Kibris yesterday disclosed a conversation that Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had with President Christofias during which Erdogan had responded to Christofias' call for talks with Ankara by saying: “We are ready for a four party meeting”.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus in a written reply to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's speech at the UN, regrets that the positions he has taken are clearly disconnected, both in letter and spirit, with the ongoing efforts undertaken by the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus.
"What is even more disconcerting is the fact that the Prime Minister of Turkey selectively recalls today his country’s role as guarantor power, only in relation to a so called 'new partnership' in Cyprus, a notion that falls outside the agreed basis upon which the talks are being conducted", the statement says.
It also objects to Erdogan's attempts to introduce elements that are not part of the agreed process, such as arbitration and time tables, which it views as an attempt to alter the nature of the negotiations and would also endanger the end result of that process.
The statement reminds Turkey that its role is to uphold international law and legality and not to call upon the international community to upgrade an illegal entity that has been universally condemned by the UN Security Council itself.
Finally, instead of speaking of the so called isolation of the Turkish-Cypriot community, the Turkish Prime Minister should help the Turkish-Cypriots by allowing the leader of that community to arrive at a solution that would guarantee the legitimate rights of the people of Cyprus, Greek-Cypriots, Turkish-Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins. The 'isolation' that Mr. Erdogan refers to, is the direct consequence of the ongoing occupation of a substantial part of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkish troops, the statement concludes.
The Sunday Mail’s weekly satirical column Coffeeshop refers to the coverage comrade presidente Christofias visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly and says the state readio station Trito gave him more mentions than Colonel Gaddafi gets on Libyan state radio. When he is in New York the comrade gets a major ego-boost and suffers serious delusions of grandeur. But even though he thinks he is a great statesman he still speaks with the sophistication of a village mukhtar. His sound-bite, “I am not a plassie (salesman) and I would never sell our country”, perfectly illustrated the point. Despite not being a plassie, he still boasted that he had made “some very generous offers” to the Turkish Cypriots – 20 per cent discount on all electrical appliances they bought in shops in the free areas – which should be appreciated by Turkey and the UN.
Comrade plassie’s activities in the Big Apple consisted of telling people what they should do. He even made a speech giving advice to world leaders on how they should deal with climate change. Sadly, Kyproulla’s environmental policy was “restricted by the Turkish military occupation.”
During his New York meetings, he also had a chance to tell the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon when and where he should arrange to meet him and Talat. The meeting could not take place in New York because he was there as a head of state whereas Talat was not. “I explained to the Secretary General with great objectivity, without fear, but with passion, what is happening at the negotiating table.”
He also had a meeting with Turkish PM Erdogan, during an official lunch, and told him that “Turkey has the key for the Cyprus settlement.” He also told Erdogan that Talat should be helped by Turkey “to change his tune”.
It was always a case of Tofias telling everyone what should happen and what they should do. He was like some emperor issuing instructions. This was because Christofias and his entourage were our only source of information – they were briefing the hacks about the conversations comrade presidente was having. If the people who met Christofias responded to his diktats, it was not reported. The impression was that at all the meetings he spoke while the other person listened and said nothing.
The highlight of his visit was his meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. As they were preparing to speak to the cameras, the presidente turned round and asked Miliband rhetorically “Who has the key?” Miliband, unaware of our claim about Ankara holding the key to a settlement, replied, in all seriousness: “It must be the head of security.” He obviously thought our man was talking about the key to the UN building.
Friday, 25 September 2009
Christofias at UN General Assembly
President Demetris Christofias yesterday told the UN General Assembly in New York that despite Cyprus’ support for Turkey’s EU accession bid Ankara was not reciprocating.
“This support is not unconditional,” Christofias warned. “Turkey should fulfil its obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus as well as towards the European Union.”
He said Turkey was a “key player” in efforts toward a settlement and expressed his “readiness” to initiate direct dialogue with the Turkish leadership, parallel to negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot leader. He said he was willing to “share ideas about the future, which would greatly enhance the chances of a positive outcome to the negotiations.”
However, he also accused Turkey of seeking a confederal solution on Cyprus, in breach of relevant UN Security Resolutions instead of contributing in a practical way to a solution.
“The success of our efforts for a solution of the problem depends on Turkey’s political will and the policies it implements. It is not enough for the Turkish leadership to publicly state that it supports the negotiating process,” he noted.
Referring to the ongoing talks with the Turkish Cypriots, Christofias said “some progress has been achieved in the negotiations. But not such as to make us confident that we are close to a final solution to the Cyprus problem". He added, however, that he trusted the “sincerity of Mr. Talat’s intentions" but blamed the lack of progress on the Turkish side and its intransigence on a range of issues—the presence of Turkish troops on the island, the illegal possession of properties and the presence of settlers.
“We sincerely hope that during the second round of negotiations, which has just started, there will be a reconsideration of Turkish positions, so that we can, as soon as possible, reach an agreed solution which we can then present to the people in separate simultaneous referenda,” he said.
He said a reunified Cyprus would safeguard the rights of all Cypriots, Greek and Turkish but added that “nevertheless, the rights of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots cannot be implemented at the expense of the rights of the bigger community, which is the Greek-Cypriot community. There must be mutual respect".
“Real political leaders are not the ones who think of the next election but of the next generation. We have the responsibility to work together to achieve a lasting peace in our region,” he concluded.
Earlier, Christofias had held a half-hour meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Moreover, during a lunch hosted by the UN chief, he had the opportunity to have a “good” discussion with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, to whom he underlined that Turkey is the key to a solution to the Cyprus issue.
“I told the UN, just as I told Mr. Erdogan, that Turkey is the key to a solution to the Cyprus issue. And that Talat must be helped by Turkey to change his stance. I analysed our positions on the property issue, where there is a difference of views, the positions on the settlers issue, security and governance. And I clearly stated that I have made offers to the Turkish Cypriot community and I am waiting for their response”, he said.
On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the UN High-level Event on Climate-Change, Christofias had inter alia meetings with the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Christofias’ next stop is Cuba for talks with the political leadership there. He returns to Cyprus next Wednesday.
Meanwhile in Cyprus, Presidential Commissioner Georgios Iacovou and aide to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Ozdil Nami, met yesterday for 90 minutes to try and iron out differences remaining between the two sides on work on the ‘governance’ chapter . The two discussed the ‘executive’ and how citizens of a united Republic of Cyprus would elect the proposed President and Vice-President. The Greek Cypriot side proposes that the rotating presidency should be voted by direct suffrage while the Turkish Cypriot side prefers the indirect method of voting through the senate. Mr Nami told the Cyprus Mail: “It seems there is potential for convergence. The two sides are not worlds apart on this".
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and PASOK leader George Papandreou his main rival in the October 4th elections in Greece, crossed swords in the first live televised debate Monday (September 21st) in which they also criticised each other’s handling of the Cyprus problem.
Mr Papandreou accused the Prime Minister of having missed historic opportunities to solve age-old problems that have plagued the country, to which Mr Karamanlis reacted saying on the contrary he had often shown that he is able to take difficult decisions that upset others. He cited Cyprus as an example saying that his government had allowed the Cypriots to vote as they pleased in the referendum of 2004 against a plan that did not suit them.
“This was in contrast to your stand whereby you insisted on pressurising the Cypriots to vote in favour”, he added.
Mr Papandrou responded by accusing Mr Karamanlis of having been in favour in the Council meeting of the Cypriots voting yes in the referendum but afterwards having stood on the fence. “I was willing to pay the political price, I took a stand”, he said and added that he would fight together with the Cypriot leadership to find a more just solution.
“This support is not unconditional,” Christofias warned. “Turkey should fulfil its obligations towards the Republic of Cyprus as well as towards the European Union.”
He said Turkey was a “key player” in efforts toward a settlement and expressed his “readiness” to initiate direct dialogue with the Turkish leadership, parallel to negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot leader. He said he was willing to “share ideas about the future, which would greatly enhance the chances of a positive outcome to the negotiations.”
However, he also accused Turkey of seeking a confederal solution on Cyprus, in breach of relevant UN Security Resolutions instead of contributing in a practical way to a solution.
“The success of our efforts for a solution of the problem depends on Turkey’s political will and the policies it implements. It is not enough for the Turkish leadership to publicly state that it supports the negotiating process,” he noted.
Referring to the ongoing talks with the Turkish Cypriots, Christofias said “some progress has been achieved in the negotiations. But not such as to make us confident that we are close to a final solution to the Cyprus problem". He added, however, that he trusted the “sincerity of Mr. Talat’s intentions" but blamed the lack of progress on the Turkish side and its intransigence on a range of issues—the presence of Turkish troops on the island, the illegal possession of properties and the presence of settlers.
“We sincerely hope that during the second round of negotiations, which has just started, there will be a reconsideration of Turkish positions, so that we can, as soon as possible, reach an agreed solution which we can then present to the people in separate simultaneous referenda,” he said.
He said a reunified Cyprus would safeguard the rights of all Cypriots, Greek and Turkish but added that “nevertheless, the rights of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots cannot be implemented at the expense of the rights of the bigger community, which is the Greek-Cypriot community. There must be mutual respect".
“Real political leaders are not the ones who think of the next election but of the next generation. We have the responsibility to work together to achieve a lasting peace in our region,” he concluded.
Earlier, Christofias had held a half-hour meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Moreover, during a lunch hosted by the UN chief, he had the opportunity to have a “good” discussion with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, to whom he underlined that Turkey is the key to a solution to the Cyprus issue.
“I told the UN, just as I told Mr. Erdogan, that Turkey is the key to a solution to the Cyprus issue. And that Talat must be helped by Turkey to change his stance. I analysed our positions on the property issue, where there is a difference of views, the positions on the settlers issue, security and governance. And I clearly stated that I have made offers to the Turkish Cypriot community and I am waiting for their response”, he said.
On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the UN High-level Event on Climate-Change, Christofias had inter alia meetings with the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Christofias’ next stop is Cuba for talks with the political leadership there. He returns to Cyprus next Wednesday.
Meanwhile in Cyprus, Presidential Commissioner Georgios Iacovou and aide to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Ozdil Nami, met yesterday for 90 minutes to try and iron out differences remaining between the two sides on work on the ‘governance’ chapter . The two discussed the ‘executive’ and how citizens of a united Republic of Cyprus would elect the proposed President and Vice-President. The Greek Cypriot side proposes that the rotating presidency should be voted by direct suffrage while the Turkish Cypriot side prefers the indirect method of voting through the senate. Mr Nami told the Cyprus Mail: “It seems there is potential for convergence. The two sides are not worlds apart on this".
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and PASOK leader George Papandreou his main rival in the October 4th elections in Greece, crossed swords in the first live televised debate Monday (September 21st) in which they also criticised each other’s handling of the Cyprus problem.
Mr Papandreou accused the Prime Minister of having missed historic opportunities to solve age-old problems that have plagued the country, to which Mr Karamanlis reacted saying on the contrary he had often shown that he is able to take difficult decisions that upset others. He cited Cyprus as an example saying that his government had allowed the Cypriots to vote as they pleased in the referendum of 2004 against a plan that did not suit them.
“This was in contrast to your stand whereby you insisted on pressurising the Cypriots to vote in favour”, he added.
Mr Papandrou responded by accusing Mr Karamanlis of having been in favour in the Council meeting of the Cypriots voting yes in the referendum but afterwards having stood on the fence. “I was willing to pay the political price, I took a stand”, he said and added that he would fight together with the Cypriot leadership to find a more just solution.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Four day long National Council meeting ends
A meeting of the National Council which was held over four days in order to discuss the direct talks between the two community leaders, ended yesterday with a joint resolution confirming the Greek Cypriot side’s basic principles and goals for a solution to the Cyprus problem.
President Christofias and party leaders agreed on the strategies to be followed regarding Turkey’s prospective EU accession, taking its EU evaluation in December into consideration. The Council resolved that if Turkey fails to comply with its obligations towards the EU, specifically those concerning Cyprus, then “it won’t be left unhindered to continue its accession process, without sanctions”.
Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said the Council had reconfirmed its perseverance to find a peaceful solution based on UN resolutions and the High Level agreements of 1977 and 1979 for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality. Such a solution must achieve unity of the country, the people, the institutions and the economy and should comply with international justice, European principles, communal law, as well as human rights’ conventions.
“The United Republic of Cyprus must have just one sovereignty, international personality and citizenship, and must be an evolution of the Cyprus Republic,” said Stefanou. It must also include the departure of the Turkish occupying forces and settlers with ultimate aim Cyprus’ complete demilitarisation and removal of the British bases. The resolution calls for the restoration of the basic freedoms and human rights of all Cypriots, including the refugees’ right to return to their homes and properties. In addition the solution must be a product of agreement between the two leaders and not the result of pressure from the abroad. Only such a solution can be sent to a referendum. Any forms of arbitration or timeframes are excluded.
The Council furthermore supported the positions and efforts by President Christofias in the negotiations’ procedure, for an urgent inventory of the population, properties and land use. It also supports the President’s efforts to achieve a moratorium in the exploitation of refugee properties and to output the so-called citizenship of the pseudostate,” Stefanou explained.
Finally, the resolution “rejects and excludes any form of a solution that will lead to the legalisation of status quo or a solution for two separate states”.It was noted that even though the resolution was commonly agreed on by all parties, there are issues where they maintain they own positions.
The National Council meetings were marred by a number of documents being leaked to the press.
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said he was saddened by the fact that some had tried to leak the documents submitted by AKEL at Tuesday’s meeting, and in a distorted manner.“We believe the leaks in the National Council ruin the climate, provoke unnecessary conflict between us and in the end undermine our negotiating capabilities,” he said. DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades was forced to release his party’s documents to the public in a press conference the day before yesterday after confirming that the leaks in the Council were distorting the truth. “When I hear, for example, that DISY proposed to suspend Turkey’s evaluation in December… I am obliged to give a press conference giving the documents verbatim, at least those relating to Turkey’s evaluation,” said Anastassiades. EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris also revealed he had information that someone had leaked National Council documents to foreign ambassadors and UN officials.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have decided to increase their meetings at least for October.
President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat talked for 90 minutes on Thursday, their second meeting inthe second phase of negotiations.
“They plan to meet next on 7 and 8 October and also on 14 and 15 October,” UN special envoy Taye-Brook Zerihoun said after the meeting. “(They) have decided to keep this accelerated pace – to meet at least twice – in the coming month. This is quite positive and they are up-beat about it themselves,” Zerihoun told reporters.
In the meantime representatives and experts from both sides will meet to discuss the proposals submitted by each side on the executive with a view to narrowing differences or coming up with bridging ideas.
Speaking after the meeting, Christofias said they had decided to hand over their “improved” proposals concerning governance to their experts for processing. “There is a change by the Turkish side on the issue of the executive authority,” he clarified.
The Turkish Cypriot side had proposed that the president and vice-president of the new state, created after the problem was resolved, should be voted by the senate. “We have a different view. We want the president and vice president to be voted by the people,” Christofias said. Talat said the proposals were referred to the experts “to try, if possible, to bridge the two.” Christofias also said it was likely that in the next meeting the two leaders would most likely discuss the property issue.
The two men met again on Friday to discuss the bridging proposals on the chapter of governance, specifically the election of the President and Vice-President of the United Republic, which they submitted at their last meeting on September 10.
The UN’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, is currently in New York for a series of meetings on Cyprus, though he had to cut back his trip from seven days to two, the reasons for which remain unknown.
Moreover, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation has reported that the re-elected European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is likely to appoint Leopold Maurer to follow the talks to ensure that any solution remains in line with the EU acquis communautaire. The unconfirmed reports said Maurer was most likely chosen for his in-depth knowledge of Cyprus, having represented the EU during accession negotiations with Cyprus before its 2004 membership.
President Christofias and party leaders agreed on the strategies to be followed regarding Turkey’s prospective EU accession, taking its EU evaluation in December into consideration. The Council resolved that if Turkey fails to comply with its obligations towards the EU, specifically those concerning Cyprus, then “it won’t be left unhindered to continue its accession process, without sanctions”.
Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said the Council had reconfirmed its perseverance to find a peaceful solution based on UN resolutions and the High Level agreements of 1977 and 1979 for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality. Such a solution must achieve unity of the country, the people, the institutions and the economy and should comply with international justice, European principles, communal law, as well as human rights’ conventions.
“The United Republic of Cyprus must have just one sovereignty, international personality and citizenship, and must be an evolution of the Cyprus Republic,” said Stefanou. It must also include the departure of the Turkish occupying forces and settlers with ultimate aim Cyprus’ complete demilitarisation and removal of the British bases. The resolution calls for the restoration of the basic freedoms and human rights of all Cypriots, including the refugees’ right to return to their homes and properties. In addition the solution must be a product of agreement between the two leaders and not the result of pressure from the abroad. Only such a solution can be sent to a referendum. Any forms of arbitration or timeframes are excluded.
The Council furthermore supported the positions and efforts by President Christofias in the negotiations’ procedure, for an urgent inventory of the population, properties and land use. It also supports the President’s efforts to achieve a moratorium in the exploitation of refugee properties and to output the so-called citizenship of the pseudostate,” Stefanou explained.
Finally, the resolution “rejects and excludes any form of a solution that will lead to the legalisation of status quo or a solution for two separate states”.It was noted that even though the resolution was commonly agreed on by all parties, there are issues where they maintain they own positions.
The National Council meetings were marred by a number of documents being leaked to the press.
AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said he was saddened by the fact that some had tried to leak the documents submitted by AKEL at Tuesday’s meeting, and in a distorted manner.“We believe the leaks in the National Council ruin the climate, provoke unnecessary conflict between us and in the end undermine our negotiating capabilities,” he said. DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades was forced to release his party’s documents to the public in a press conference the day before yesterday after confirming that the leaks in the Council were distorting the truth. “When I hear, for example, that DISY proposed to suspend Turkey’s evaluation in December… I am obliged to give a press conference giving the documents verbatim, at least those relating to Turkey’s evaluation,” said Anastassiades. EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris also revealed he had information that someone had leaked National Council documents to foreign ambassadors and UN officials.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have decided to increase their meetings at least for October.
President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat talked for 90 minutes on Thursday, their second meeting inthe second phase of negotiations.
“They plan to meet next on 7 and 8 October and also on 14 and 15 October,” UN special envoy Taye-Brook Zerihoun said after the meeting. “(They) have decided to keep this accelerated pace – to meet at least twice – in the coming month. This is quite positive and they are up-beat about it themselves,” Zerihoun told reporters.
In the meantime representatives and experts from both sides will meet to discuss the proposals submitted by each side on the executive with a view to narrowing differences or coming up with bridging ideas.
Speaking after the meeting, Christofias said they had decided to hand over their “improved” proposals concerning governance to their experts for processing. “There is a change by the Turkish side on the issue of the executive authority,” he clarified.
The Turkish Cypriot side had proposed that the president and vice-president of the new state, created after the problem was resolved, should be voted by the senate. “We have a different view. We want the president and vice president to be voted by the people,” Christofias said. Talat said the proposals were referred to the experts “to try, if possible, to bridge the two.” Christofias also said it was likely that in the next meeting the two leaders would most likely discuss the property issue.
The two men met again on Friday to discuss the bridging proposals on the chapter of governance, specifically the election of the President and Vice-President of the United Republic, which they submitted at their last meeting on September 10.
The UN’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, is currently in New York for a series of meetings on Cyprus, though he had to cut back his trip from seven days to two, the reasons for which remain unknown.
Moreover, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation has reported that the re-elected European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is likely to appoint Leopold Maurer to follow the talks to ensure that any solution remains in line with the EU acquis communautaire. The unconfirmed reports said Maurer was most likely chosen for his in-depth knowledge of Cyprus, having represented the EU during accession negotiations with Cyprus before its 2004 membership.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Conspiracy theory season opens
The Sunday Mail's satirical column Coffeeshop says that the conspiracy theory season was opened triumphantly this week, in view of the critical developments in the Cyprob as they are working to a December deadline, by master conspiracy theorist, political moralist, bribery correspondent and book author Michalis Ignatiou, who got hold of a couple of UN documents and milked them dry both in Phil and Mega TV. Even though the content of the documents was not very sexy , the resourceful Ig, sexed them up adding his personal interpretation and views thus turning the mundane and predictable exchanges at two meetings, involving UN officials, into a wider international conspiracy aimed at pressuring the Greek Cypriots into agreeing to an unfair settlement. Phil’s banner headline for the story on Thursday was, “(They are) ‘Cooking’ pressure for G/Cs”. The pressure was not being ‘cooked’ in a pressure cooker, as you would expect, but at the UN with the Yanks acting as the chefs. The pressure cooker conspiracy consisted of the minutes of two meetings – one between the UN deputy Secretary-General Lyn Pascoe and US ambassador to Nicosia Frank Urbancic and the other between Big Al Downer and Little Mehmet Ali. A big song and dance was made about Pascoe telling Urbancic that Big Al had been instructed to inject ideas into the peace process, “while ensuring that the parties retained ownership of the talks.” This could hardly have surprised any sane person – if Big Al cannot come up with ideas, why is he here? According to Ig, this “revealed the intention to impose covert arbitration,” which is a big no-no for our side. Big Al has been warned – ideas for bridging the differences between the two sides are not allowed, because this would constitute arbitration. Other observations were made at the meeting but they are just too boring to repeat. The arbitration spin, by Ig captured the imagination of all our bash-patriotic politicians, who were queuing up at TV and radio stations to condemn the latest conspiracy by the Yanks and the UN to introduce much-hated arbitration.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Keeping process going is not enough
An editorial in Sunday's Mail refers to this week's Limnitis crossing fiasco which UN envoy Alexander Downer called a “bump in the road” of reunification talks, and commends President Christofias for his dogged determination to keep the process going. The paper quotes a European diplomat as saying that in the past such a bump would have “wiped out” the talks but wonders whether the UN envoy was right on insisting that the important thing was to keep the process going. Just keeping the process going is clearly not enough, it says.
Observers point to the genuine work achieved on many of the more technical aspects of the solution – governance, EU matters, the economy - this is the easy stuff. There has been no progress on the dynamite issues of territory, property and guarantees. A diplomat last week tried to put a positive spin on the situation, arguing the big issues were quite simple: “Whereas governance is very technical, territory comes down to a line on a map, guarantees down to a statement of intent. Property is more complicated, but the leaders could put the fundamental principles down and let the aides fill in the gaps,” he said.
The truth is that while the two leaders may always smile for the cameras, they could talk till the cows come home. Hanging on will not deliver us a solution, but does anyone apart from the negotiators really want a solution? The real question is, do Greek and Turkish Cypriots look like people who genuinely want to live together? Does the language and the behaviour emanating from the two sides really suggest they are desperate for a common future? While neither side wants to walk out of the talks and be blamed for their failure, neither side seems to show the slightest enthusiasm for the partner they claim to want to walk along the aisle – indeed bare-knuckled loathing is more the order of the day.
In order to make those compromises on territory, property, guarantees, both sides have got to really want a successful outcome; they’ve got to be aching for it in the way Germans were when they rushed into reunification. Instead of that, we are staring across the barbed wire with a Cold War mentality, picking at each other’s mistakes, waiting for our opponents to make a slip, scoring points, proving that they could never be trusted after all.
The talks can limp along, but if they limp into the New Year, with hardly anything to show for, they will limp into the ‘presidential’ election campaign in the north, an election that, without a spectacular breakthrough in the talks, will almost certainly reward the hardliners. And that will be the end of that.
Makarios Drousiotis says that for a month now, the media, especially TV, has been raking up all the traumatic memories of 1974 including the recent testimony of an unnamed Turkish Cypriot who claimed Turkish soldires disembarked from ships in Kyrenia and massacred 320 Greek Cypriot prisoners with bayonets turning the sea red. Even a rudimentary investigation of the evidence would demonstrate that it was not serious. Logically, the news item should have been thrown in the rubbish binas it had no journalistic value. But if the goal is not to inform but to make propaganda, then the testimony is worth its weight in gold.
He says that anyone with the slightest politcal judgement knows that the ongoing talks represent the last effort to make Cyprus a single geographical area again and the deadline is the end of the year. He claims that there exists in Cyprus powerful factors that are trying to wreckthings at any cost, even that of making the orth of the island Turkish forever. As the end looms closer, this relentless psychologial warfare is intensifying. Ten days before the Agios Mamas pilgrimage was scheduled, the media were prejudging how it would all play out. And that's exactly what happened. Responsibility was placed squarely on the other side. Christofias who was in Paris at the time, cancelled Thursday's talks without receiving sufficient information about events. The next day the government realised it had fallen victim to those wishing to undermine the talks and started damage limitation exercises. But in all this mayhem, the message firmly imprinted on people's minds is that there can be no coexistence and cooperation "with those who massacred us", nor can a complex solution agreement ever hope to be implemented "with those who are from the ouset unreliable and deceitful". Those trying to undermine the talks have every reason to feel happy. On Thursday Volkan, the newspaper of the Grey Wolves had as its banner headline: "Bravo Christofias".
Observers point to the genuine work achieved on many of the more technical aspects of the solution – governance, EU matters, the economy - this is the easy stuff. There has been no progress on the dynamite issues of territory, property and guarantees. A diplomat last week tried to put a positive spin on the situation, arguing the big issues were quite simple: “Whereas governance is very technical, territory comes down to a line on a map, guarantees down to a statement of intent. Property is more complicated, but the leaders could put the fundamental principles down and let the aides fill in the gaps,” he said.
The truth is that while the two leaders may always smile for the cameras, they could talk till the cows come home. Hanging on will not deliver us a solution, but does anyone apart from the negotiators really want a solution? The real question is, do Greek and Turkish Cypriots look like people who genuinely want to live together? Does the language and the behaviour emanating from the two sides really suggest they are desperate for a common future? While neither side wants to walk out of the talks and be blamed for their failure, neither side seems to show the slightest enthusiasm for the partner they claim to want to walk along the aisle – indeed bare-knuckled loathing is more the order of the day.
In order to make those compromises on territory, property, guarantees, both sides have got to really want a successful outcome; they’ve got to be aching for it in the way Germans were when they rushed into reunification. Instead of that, we are staring across the barbed wire with a Cold War mentality, picking at each other’s mistakes, waiting for our opponents to make a slip, scoring points, proving that they could never be trusted after all.
The talks can limp along, but if they limp into the New Year, with hardly anything to show for, they will limp into the ‘presidential’ election campaign in the north, an election that, without a spectacular breakthrough in the talks, will almost certainly reward the hardliners. And that will be the end of that.
Makarios Drousiotis says that for a month now, the media, especially TV, has been raking up all the traumatic memories of 1974 including the recent testimony of an unnamed Turkish Cypriot who claimed Turkish soldires disembarked from ships in Kyrenia and massacred 320 Greek Cypriot prisoners with bayonets turning the sea red. Even a rudimentary investigation of the evidence would demonstrate that it was not serious. Logically, the news item should have been thrown in the rubbish binas it had no journalistic value. But if the goal is not to inform but to make propaganda, then the testimony is worth its weight in gold.
He says that anyone with the slightest politcal judgement knows that the ongoing talks represent the last effort to make Cyprus a single geographical area again and the deadline is the end of the year. He claims that there exists in Cyprus powerful factors that are trying to wreckthings at any cost, even that of making the orth of the island Turkish forever. As the end looms closer, this relentless psychologial warfare is intensifying. Ten days before the Agios Mamas pilgrimage was scheduled, the media were prejudging how it would all play out. And that's exactly what happened. Responsibility was placed squarely on the other side. Christofias who was in Paris at the time, cancelled Thursday's talks without receiving sufficient information about events. The next day the government realised it had fallen victim to those wishing to undermine the talks and started damage limitation exercises. But in all this mayhem, the message firmly imprinted on people's minds is that there can be no coexistence and cooperation "with those who massacred us", nor can a complex solution agreement ever hope to be implemented "with those who are from the ouset unreliable and deceitful". Those trying to undermine the talks have every reason to feel happy. On Thursday Volkan, the newspaper of the Grey Wolves had as its banner headline: "Bravo Christofias".
Friday, 4 September 2009
Talks cancelled then resumed after row over Agios Mamas
Talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot community leaders were cancelled yesterday after a row broke out over a Greek Cypriot pilgrimage to the Church of Agios Mamas in the Morphou district. Greek Cypriots accused that checks by the Turkish Cypriots at the Limnitis crossing point caused huge delays and led to the cancellation of the trip.
But President Christofias picked up the phone to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday and exchanged views over what had happened.They agreed to discuss the matter further at their next planned meeting on September 10.
An informal meeting between Christofias and party leaders last night at the Presidential Palace also aimed to silence critics of the government over its handling of the affair, at least for now.
Twenty-seven buses filled with Greek Cypriot pilgrims turned back from Limnitis crossing after Turkish Cypriot ‘police’ boarded, demanded to see IDs and then refused entry to those who were not on the official list or whose ID names were somewhat different to those on the list. Both sides blamed the other for the cancelled pilgrimage with the Turkish Cypriot leadership saying the buses turned up late, with extra people on board who were not on the agreed list. The Greek Cypriots argued there was an over-zealous handling of the affair, with a failure to show mutual respect and understanding, following strict efforts to check every single pilgrim’s identity.
The whole fiasco threw a spanner in the works of the peace process, leading Christofias to call for “more mutual respect” from the Turkish Cypriot side, while UN Special Envoy Alexander Downer registered his disappointment.
The talks now appear to be back on track with the second round now scheduled to start next Thursday.
The Cyprus Mail reports that the incident was not without consequences, however, as sharp comments from political players on both sides of the divide and abroad yesterday burst the bubble of hope precariously hovering above the UN-controlled Nicosia airport.Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Dervis Eroglu accused Christofias of “leaving the negotiations table with lame excuses”, saying he had “no intention for reconciliation”. Talat’s spokesman Hasan Ercakica said the cancellation was an effort by the Greek Cypriot side to slow down the talks using “flimsy excuses”. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that alternative solutions would have to be found if further delays were experienced, while Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis told reporters that the temporary delay demonstrated Greek Cypriots’ lack of commitment to resolving the island’s 35-year division. He also told Reuters that Turkey had no intention of opening its ports and airports to Cypriot-flagged ships and planes until the EU establishes direct trade with the Turkish Cypriots.
At home DISY leader Nicos Anastasiades noted that better coordination by the government of the pilgrims’ trip could have avoided what some people wanted to provoke. He added this does not justify the actions of the occupying regime in taking advantage of certain mistakes. Coalition partner DIKO’s acting head Georghios Colocassides berated the government for entering into an arrangement with the Turkish Cypriot side in the first place, saying: “You can’t trust someone who is a systematic violator.”
But President Christofias picked up the phone to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday and exchanged views over what had happened.They agreed to discuss the matter further at their next planned meeting on September 10.
An informal meeting between Christofias and party leaders last night at the Presidential Palace also aimed to silence critics of the government over its handling of the affair, at least for now.
Twenty-seven buses filled with Greek Cypriot pilgrims turned back from Limnitis crossing after Turkish Cypriot ‘police’ boarded, demanded to see IDs and then refused entry to those who were not on the official list or whose ID names were somewhat different to those on the list. Both sides blamed the other for the cancelled pilgrimage with the Turkish Cypriot leadership saying the buses turned up late, with extra people on board who were not on the agreed list. The Greek Cypriots argued there was an over-zealous handling of the affair, with a failure to show mutual respect and understanding, following strict efforts to check every single pilgrim’s identity.
The whole fiasco threw a spanner in the works of the peace process, leading Christofias to call for “more mutual respect” from the Turkish Cypriot side, while UN Special Envoy Alexander Downer registered his disappointment.
The talks now appear to be back on track with the second round now scheduled to start next Thursday.
The Cyprus Mail reports that the incident was not without consequences, however, as sharp comments from political players on both sides of the divide and abroad yesterday burst the bubble of hope precariously hovering above the UN-controlled Nicosia airport.Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Dervis Eroglu accused Christofias of “leaving the negotiations table with lame excuses”, saying he had “no intention for reconciliation”. Talat’s spokesman Hasan Ercakica said the cancellation was an effort by the Greek Cypriot side to slow down the talks using “flimsy excuses”. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that alternative solutions would have to be found if further delays were experienced, while Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis told reporters that the temporary delay demonstrated Greek Cypriots’ lack of commitment to resolving the island’s 35-year division. He also told Reuters that Turkey had no intention of opening its ports and airports to Cypriot-flagged ships and planes until the EU establishes direct trade with the Turkish Cypriots.
At home DISY leader Nicos Anastasiades noted that better coordination by the government of the pilgrims’ trip could have avoided what some people wanted to provoke. He added this does not justify the actions of the occupying regime in taking advantage of certain mistakes. Coalition partner DIKO’s acting head Georghios Colocassides berated the government for entering into an arrangement with the Turkish Cypriot side in the first place, saying: “You can’t trust someone who is a systematic violator.”
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Turkish Foreign Minister urges Greek Cypriots not to miss another opportunity
TurkishForeign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday called on Greek Cypriots to work for a comprehensive agreement as soon as possible and not to miss another opportunity at peace .
“We have to achieve this peace,” he said. “You (Greek Cypriots) rejected a peace plan in 2004 and missed a historic opportunity. Please, this time, you should not miss this opportunity of a comprehensive peace...You should not delay the process of peace, and work with us to achieve peace as early as possible, before the end of this year, or if later, in a very reasonable time,” he said.
Speaking from the north yesterday, where he was on a visit two days before the resumption of talks between the two communities, Davutoglu warned the Cyprus Republic not to dabble with EU mechanisms in an effort to turn the screw on Turkey. “You should not think EU mechanisms could be instruments in these negotiations against Turkey or Turkish Cypriots,” he added.
The minister also called on the EU to be balanced in its approach to the two sides in the talks and called on the UN to intensify efforts for a solution.
During a joint press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Davutoglu reiterated Turkey’s support for the security guarantees over Cyprus to remain as they are.
“We have to achieve this peace,” he said. “You (Greek Cypriots) rejected a peace plan in 2004 and missed a historic opportunity. Please, this time, you should not miss this opportunity of a comprehensive peace...You should not delay the process of peace, and work with us to achieve peace as early as possible, before the end of this year, or if later, in a very reasonable time,” he said.
Speaking from the north yesterday, where he was on a visit two days before the resumption of talks between the two communities, Davutoglu warned the Cyprus Republic not to dabble with EU mechanisms in an effort to turn the screw on Turkey. “You should not think EU mechanisms could be instruments in these negotiations against Turkey or Turkish Cypriots,” he added.
The minister also called on the EU to be balanced in its approach to the two sides in the talks and called on the UN to intensify efforts for a solution.
During a joint press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, Davutoglu reiterated Turkey’s support for the security guarantees over Cyprus to remain as they are.
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Christofias and Talat 'condemned' to finding a solution
Former Cypriot President George Vassiliou has said he is more convinced than ever before that Christofias and Talat “are condemned to finding a political settlement”. Vassiliou, who is currently head of the working group on EU issues at the talks, also said that substantial progress has already been achieved.
In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) to mark the end of the first round of direct negotiations, which started in September last year, he said that “it is wrong to say that the community leaders are wasting their time. For the first time frank negotiations are being held”.“I hope that in the second phase of the talks, which begins in early September, more progress will be achieved until we get to the give-and-take phase. It could be this year, on the other hand it may not be,” he said.
Asked about the Turkish Cypriot position that an agreement could be reached by the end of this year to hold a referendum in the beginning of 2010, Vasiliou said: “This can be done but it’s up to them. If they come to the negotiating table with acceptable to us and reasonable views, then we can reach a solution even in October,” he said.
The former President firmly believes that the benefits of a solution far outweigh the fallout of a non-solution.Tourism would increase, so would investment, he said. There would be compensation, and foreign assistance would pour into the country for its reconstruction, something that would give the economy a boost. “Every Cypriot has to understand the benefits he will have from a solution,” said Vassiliou.
On the other hand If there is no solution, he said, in years to come the Turkish Cypriot identity will cease to exist as such and the Greek Cypriots could continue to live with just the hope of a solution without an actual solution.Vasiliou believes that progress has been achieved on EU matters because the Turkish Cypriots “have realised, after a lot of discussion, that this cannot be negotiable”.The fundamental values of the EU such as the four freedoms cannot change because these form the foundations of Europe, he said. The issue of guarantees was irrelevant at present since Cyprus is a member of the EU but Vassiliou said this issue should be settled within Europe.
A Cyprus solution, he said would benefit Turkey as well, which is facing financial difficulties and understands fully that the Cyprus problem is an obstacle to the role of mediator it wishes to have in the region. "Anybody who believes that in December Cyprus will put Turkey inthe dock is mistaken. The EU does not function in this way", he said. “If there is no possibility of reaching an immediate agreement in Cyprus, then they will find a way to postpone the decision on Turkey’s accession process. I do not honestly believe that the EU will confront Turkey or break off its relations with Ankara in December. They will try to find a way out,” he said.
In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) to mark the end of the first round of direct negotiations, which started in September last year, he said that “it is wrong to say that the community leaders are wasting their time. For the first time frank negotiations are being held”.“I hope that in the second phase of the talks, which begins in early September, more progress will be achieved until we get to the give-and-take phase. It could be this year, on the other hand it may not be,” he said.
Asked about the Turkish Cypriot position that an agreement could be reached by the end of this year to hold a referendum in the beginning of 2010, Vasiliou said: “This can be done but it’s up to them. If they come to the negotiating table with acceptable to us and reasonable views, then we can reach a solution even in October,” he said.
The former President firmly believes that the benefits of a solution far outweigh the fallout of a non-solution.Tourism would increase, so would investment, he said. There would be compensation, and foreign assistance would pour into the country for its reconstruction, something that would give the economy a boost. “Every Cypriot has to understand the benefits he will have from a solution,” said Vassiliou.
On the other hand If there is no solution, he said, in years to come the Turkish Cypriot identity will cease to exist as such and the Greek Cypriots could continue to live with just the hope of a solution without an actual solution.Vasiliou believes that progress has been achieved on EU matters because the Turkish Cypriots “have realised, after a lot of discussion, that this cannot be negotiable”.The fundamental values of the EU such as the four freedoms cannot change because these form the foundations of Europe, he said. The issue of guarantees was irrelevant at present since Cyprus is a member of the EU but Vassiliou said this issue should be settled within Europe.
A Cyprus solution, he said would benefit Turkey as well, which is facing financial difficulties and understands fully that the Cyprus problem is an obstacle to the role of mediator it wishes to have in the region. "Anybody who believes that in December Cyprus will put Turkey inthe dock is mistaken. The EU does not function in this way", he said. “If there is no possibility of reaching an immediate agreement in Cyprus, then they will find a way to postpone the decision on Turkey’s accession process. I do not honestly believe that the EU will confront Turkey or break off its relations with Ankara in December. They will try to find a way out,” he said.
Friday, 7 August 2009
'First reading' ends
The leaders of the two communities met yesterday first in a tête-á-tête session for about an hour and a half and after that in a full session with the United Nations in the last of their meetings before their summer break. They discussed the issue of citizenship, aliens, immigration and asylum.
Alexander Downer, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, said this was the last of what he called 'the first reading'. The first meeting of the second reading, he added, would take place on September 3, and would focus on the issue of governance and in particular the executive. Once they have finished discussing that issue, they will move to the question of property and then beyond property they will discuss other outstanding issues. He added that the leaders would be revisiting areas where there have been points of disagreement and addressing and endeavouring to resolve those differences.
"Certainly, from the perspective of the United Nations, we would say that this is good progress, and it shows that there has been significant progress in these negotiations", he said.
The last point I want to make is that the leaders have agreed that their representatives Mr. Iacovou and Mr. Nami should, with Mr. Zerihoun the Special Representative of the Secretary General, visit Limnitis and the visit will take place on Monday.
On his part President Christofias said progress in reunification talks between the two communities has fallen short of expectations, “Personally, I had been expecting greater progress…but that does not mean that no progress at all has been achieved,” he told newsmen when asked to assess the course of negotiations to the present day. “It has been a round of both convergences and differences,” he added. “There are matters where I really had expected us to move forward with greater speed…and with more mutual understanding. Therefore, the second round will be an attempt at greater mutual understanding, and I hope we will achieve this.”
Talat sounded more upbeat in his own appraisal of the talks, noting that “important things” had been achieved during the first reading. Though no timeframe had been set for the conclusion of negotiations, Talat said the aim was to speed through the second round of talks. That the two sides had—for the first time in the history of negotiations since 1974—prepared joint documents was significant, he added. Asked which issue he ranked as the most crucial for the second round, Talat said it was the property issue, “because this is what concerns people the most, compared to other matters, which are more theoretical. “People [in the north] keep asking me about the property issue…unfortunately, I cannot give them updates, because progress on this matter has been the least.”
Alexander Downer, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, said this was the last of what he called 'the first reading'. The first meeting of the second reading, he added, would take place on September 3, and would focus on the issue of governance and in particular the executive. Once they have finished discussing that issue, they will move to the question of property and then beyond property they will discuss other outstanding issues. He added that the leaders would be revisiting areas where there have been points of disagreement and addressing and endeavouring to resolve those differences.
"Certainly, from the perspective of the United Nations, we would say that this is good progress, and it shows that there has been significant progress in these negotiations", he said.
The last point I want to make is that the leaders have agreed that their representatives Mr. Iacovou and Mr. Nami should, with Mr. Zerihoun the Special Representative of the Secretary General, visit Limnitis and the visit will take place on Monday.
On his part President Christofias said progress in reunification talks between the two communities has fallen short of expectations, “Personally, I had been expecting greater progress…but that does not mean that no progress at all has been achieved,” he told newsmen when asked to assess the course of negotiations to the present day. “It has been a round of both convergences and differences,” he added. “There are matters where I really had expected us to move forward with greater speed…and with more mutual understanding. Therefore, the second round will be an attempt at greater mutual understanding, and I hope we will achieve this.”
Talat sounded more upbeat in his own appraisal of the talks, noting that “important things” had been achieved during the first reading. Though no timeframe had been set for the conclusion of negotiations, Talat said the aim was to speed through the second round of talks. That the two sides had—for the first time in the history of negotiations since 1974—prepared joint documents was significant, he added. Asked which issue he ranked as the most crucial for the second round, Talat said it was the property issue, “because this is what concerns people the most, compared to other matters, which are more theoretical. “People [in the north] keep asking me about the property issue…unfortunately, I cannot give them updates, because progress on this matter has been the least.”
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
ECHR approves property payout and unsung heroes commemorated
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) yesterday endorsed a friendly settlement reached between Greek Cypriot Andromachi Alexandrou and Turkey, with the latter agreeing to return part of her property in the occupied north along with £1.5m sterling.Alexandrou and two of her children took their cases to the immovable property commission in the north, which provided for the restitution of part of the property and the payment of £1.5m as compensation in lieu of other properties as well as for loss of use.As a result the case filed by Alexandrou before the ECHR against Turkey for violations of her rights concerning her land has been withdrawn.
Attorney-general Petros Clerides said yesterday the ECHR decision did not mean recognition of the ‘property commission’ as the court made no judgement on “its legality or effectiveness”. It simply ratified the settlement with Turkey after concluding that none of Alexandrou’s rights were being violated and “since she accepted this compromise”. “This is Turkey trying to show that it returns properties back to their owners, something which it has not done so far,” he said. He highlighted that only part of Alexandrou’s land would be returned to her, not all, while there were no indications that she would have the right to go and live in her property or use it as she wishes. He also noted that there are still hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots who have lost their properties and have not had their rights restored. “It doesn’t mean because part of her land is returned, the ‘commission’ is legal or effective,” he added.
The Cyprus Mail reports that former Attorney-general Alecos Markides said the case was nothing new but a repeat of last year’s case involving Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who also reached a friendly settlement with Turkey regarding his land in the north, saying there was no question of recognition of the ‘commission’ since the Court was simply asked by the plaintiff to withdraw her case against Turkey.
A ceremony was held last week commemorating ten “unsung heroes” of Cyprus t for acts of courage and humanity in times of war. The idea for the ceremony was conceived by Sevgul Uludag, a Turkish Cypriot journalist known for her work on the issue of those missing since 1974. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus, along with around 20 other organisations and activists, among them the Cyprus Green Party and Hands Across the Divide and held at the Municipal Information Centre on Nicosia’s Green Line.
Four Turkish Cypriots and six Greek Cypriots were honoured for having saved and protected members of the ‘other side’ during the inter-communal conflicts of the 50s and 60s, and the invasion of 1974.In an emotional celebration commemorative plaques and olive branches were presented to the men, in some cases by those whom they had saved. Their stories were heard through firsthand accounts or through the testimony of their families. In several cases, those involved were still classified as ‘missing’.
In an interview in the Cyprus Mail yesterday Sevgul Uludag, who has dedicated the last eight years of her life to investigating the cases of those still ‘missing’ from the conflicts, from both sides, says "When I started talking about it, it was like an earthquake in our community,” she said. “There was just this enormous flow of words, the relief of being able to speak about it.”
Stories of barbarity poured down the hotline she had set up; stories of rape, murder, massacre, and betrayal. Every now and again, though, she was told a story that was not about pain; a story that was rather about the triumph of humanity over animalism, a story of bravery and pathos.
“Unless we have a common understanding of the past, how can we have a common vision?” asked Uludag.
Events like these hinge around the idea that “common pain can be used as a catalyst for peace.” In this case, there was more than pain uniting the two sides though; there was hope, courage and humanity.
Although ten men were honoured, Uludag assured there were many more. Some do not want to be named, for fear of retaliation from their neighbours, even after all these years. Some will not be named by the ones they saved, because the latter do not want to admit they owe their life to an official enemy. Some people's stories will be lost forever because everyone involved in them perished.
As Phaedon Vassiliades, of Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus expressed it during the ceremonyt, people gathered to say “a very big «Efharisto» or «Teshekkurler» to those who, with courage and humanity, saved not only human lives but human values and the hope for future peace.”
Attorney-general Petros Clerides said yesterday the ECHR decision did not mean recognition of the ‘property commission’ as the court made no judgement on “its legality or effectiveness”. It simply ratified the settlement with Turkey after concluding that none of Alexandrou’s rights were being violated and “since she accepted this compromise”. “This is Turkey trying to show that it returns properties back to their owners, something which it has not done so far,” he said. He highlighted that only part of Alexandrou’s land would be returned to her, not all, while there were no indications that she would have the right to go and live in her property or use it as she wishes. He also noted that there are still hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriots who have lost their properties and have not had their rights restored. “It doesn’t mean because part of her land is returned, the ‘commission’ is legal or effective,” he added.
The Cyprus Mail reports that former Attorney-general Alecos Markides said the case was nothing new but a repeat of last year’s case involving Greek Cypriot refugee Mike Tymvios, who also reached a friendly settlement with Turkey regarding his land in the north, saying there was no question of recognition of the ‘commission’ since the Court was simply asked by the plaintiff to withdraw her case against Turkey.
A ceremony was held last week commemorating ten “unsung heroes” of Cyprus t for acts of courage and humanity in times of war. The idea for the ceremony was conceived by Sevgul Uludag, a Turkish Cypriot journalist known for her work on the issue of those missing since 1974. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus, along with around 20 other organisations and activists, among them the Cyprus Green Party and Hands Across the Divide and held at the Municipal Information Centre on Nicosia’s Green Line.
Four Turkish Cypriots and six Greek Cypriots were honoured for having saved and protected members of the ‘other side’ during the inter-communal conflicts of the 50s and 60s, and the invasion of 1974.In an emotional celebration commemorative plaques and olive branches were presented to the men, in some cases by those whom they had saved. Their stories were heard through firsthand accounts or through the testimony of their families. In several cases, those involved were still classified as ‘missing’.
In an interview in the Cyprus Mail yesterday Sevgul Uludag, who has dedicated the last eight years of her life to investigating the cases of those still ‘missing’ from the conflicts, from both sides, says "When I started talking about it, it was like an earthquake in our community,” she said. “There was just this enormous flow of words, the relief of being able to speak about it.”
Stories of barbarity poured down the hotline she had set up; stories of rape, murder, massacre, and betrayal. Every now and again, though, she was told a story that was not about pain; a story that was rather about the triumph of humanity over animalism, a story of bravery and pathos.
“Unless we have a common understanding of the past, how can we have a common vision?” asked Uludag.
Events like these hinge around the idea that “common pain can be used as a catalyst for peace.” In this case, there was more than pain uniting the two sides though; there was hope, courage and humanity.
Although ten men were honoured, Uludag assured there were many more. Some do not want to be named, for fear of retaliation from their neighbours, even after all these years. Some will not be named by the ones they saved, because the latter do not want to admit they owe their life to an official enemy. Some people's stories will be lost forever because everyone involved in them perished.
As Phaedon Vassiliades, of Stop the War Coalition-Cyprus expressed it during the ceremonyt, people gathered to say “a very big «Efharisto» or «Teshekkurler» to those who, with courage and humanity, saved not only human lives but human values and the hope for future peace.”
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Speculation and rumours
Turkey wants talks aimed at reunifying Cyprus to conclude soon and a referendum by the end of 2009, President Abdullah Gul told a news conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday, Cyprus' Financial Mirror reported yesterday.
"We want the negotiations to be concluded speedily. If possible, we want to see (the result of the negotiations) submitted to the public through a referendum by the end of this year," Gul said.
Talat said there was progress in some areas in negotiations with the Greek Cypriots, while some others remain difficult to solve.
Yeni Duzen newspaper under the headline “Summit for Guarantees in Ankara”, writes that Talat went to Ankara in order to discuss the issue of guarantees.
Under no circumstance whatsoever, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees," Asked to comment on reports in the Turkish Cypriot press on the issue of guarantees, he said: "I have not made any alternative proposals for the continuation of guarantees. Our position is that Cyprus does not need guarantees. The Cypriot people are mature; they have suffered a lot as a result of the guarantor powers, although I am not suggesting that Cypriots or some Cypriots do not bear any responsibility. Nevertheless, under no circumstance whatsoever, as people have suffered so much, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees. This is our position, we expressed and supported it in public and at the negotiating table and the negotiation process continues ".
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, commenting on information that the "give and take" process is expected to start very soon, said: "We are still at the first stage, what we call the first reading. We have to finish this and then we will see" . He acknowledged that speculation and rumours as to when the "give and take" process will start and when the referenda will take place existed and were bound to continue, but added that certainly the time factor was important because the passing of time consolidates the occupation. He stressed that "what is important is the quality of the solution and that we want to achieve and a solution the soonest possible, which will solve the problems created in 1974, a solution that will heal the wounds and offer the possibility to all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins handling our fate to also construct our future, without giving the opportunity to foreigners to intervene in our country’s internal affairs".
He noted that "we have suffered enough from interventions as well from imposed solutions". "The process is Cypriot, we will decide on how to proceed and the aim is to reach a mutually acceptable solution, which will be submitted at simultaneous and separate referenda. We need to repeat this again and again in order to remind some people that we have an agreed process and that it is not others who will decide on how we will proceed".
Moreover, invited to comment on reports that the EU was discussing the possibility of imposing a Taiwan-type solution in Cyprus in case of failure at the direct talks for a Cyprus settlement, the Spokesman said: "We have one goal, the solution of the Cyprus problem because without a solution the danger of perpetuating division is evident. Consequently, there is one goal and one mission, namely the just, viable and functional settlement of the Cyprus problem. While the problem remains unresolved the dangers which the President of the Republic has described as ‘deadly’ are there and therefore we should not rest and wait for others to determine our own future".
Asked to comment on information that President Christofias had warned Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that no settlement would be reached if occupied Morphou was not returned, Mr Stefanou stated: "Whatever we have to say we say it boldly at the negotiating table, aiming always to help reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat is making various statements and many things are being said publicly, but we have said it and we remain consistent: we do not negotiate publicly as this would be counterproductive and not helpful to the goal of reaching a settlement; we say what we have to say at the negotiating table".
"We want the negotiations to be concluded speedily. If possible, we want to see (the result of the negotiations) submitted to the public through a referendum by the end of this year," Gul said.
Talat said there was progress in some areas in negotiations with the Greek Cypriots, while some others remain difficult to solve.
Yeni Duzen newspaper under the headline “Summit for Guarantees in Ankara”, writes that Talat went to Ankara in order to discuss the issue of guarantees.
Under no circumstance whatsoever, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees," Asked to comment on reports in the Turkish Cypriot press on the issue of guarantees, he said: "I have not made any alternative proposals for the continuation of guarantees. Our position is that Cyprus does not need guarantees. The Cypriot people are mature; they have suffered a lot as a result of the guarantor powers, although I am not suggesting that Cypriots or some Cypriots do not bear any responsibility. Nevertheless, under no circumstance whatsoever, as people have suffered so much, would we want other countries to continue to supervise us through guarantees. This is our position, we expressed and supported it in public and at the negotiating table and the negotiation process continues ".
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, commenting on information that the "give and take" process is expected to start very soon, said: "We are still at the first stage, what we call the first reading. We have to finish this and then we will see" . He acknowledged that speculation and rumours as to when the "give and take" process will start and when the referenda will take place existed and were bound to continue, but added that certainly the time factor was important because the passing of time consolidates the occupation. He stressed that "what is important is the quality of the solution and that we want to achieve and a solution the soonest possible, which will solve the problems created in 1974, a solution that will heal the wounds and offer the possibility to all Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians, Maronites and Latins handling our fate to also construct our future, without giving the opportunity to foreigners to intervene in our country’s internal affairs".
He noted that "we have suffered enough from interventions as well from imposed solutions". "The process is Cypriot, we will decide on how to proceed and the aim is to reach a mutually acceptable solution, which will be submitted at simultaneous and separate referenda. We need to repeat this again and again in order to remind some people that we have an agreed process and that it is not others who will decide on how we will proceed".
Moreover, invited to comment on reports that the EU was discussing the possibility of imposing a Taiwan-type solution in Cyprus in case of failure at the direct talks for a Cyprus settlement, the Spokesman said: "We have one goal, the solution of the Cyprus problem because without a solution the danger of perpetuating division is evident. Consequently, there is one goal and one mission, namely the just, viable and functional settlement of the Cyprus problem. While the problem remains unresolved the dangers which the President of the Republic has described as ‘deadly’ are there and therefore we should not rest and wait for others to determine our own future".
Asked to comment on information that President Christofias had warned Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat that no settlement would be reached if occupied Morphou was not returned, Mr Stefanou stated: "Whatever we have to say we say it boldly at the negotiating table, aiming always to help reach a solution of the Cyprus problem. Mr Talat is making various statements and many things are being said publicly, but we have said it and we remain consistent: we do not negotiate publicly as this would be counterproductive and not helpful to the goal of reaching a settlement; we say what we have to say at the negotiating table".
Friday, 26 June 2009
Agreement to open Limnitis
President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat today agreed to the opening of the Limnitis crossing point. In statements after the meeting, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus Mr Tayé-Brook Zerihoun announced said the crossing point would open “under normal rules of existing crossings” and underscored “the role of UNFICYP”. In reference to Kokkina, Mr Zerihoun said that there would be “transfer of reasonable quantities of food and water and other supplies on non-military nature, with UNCFICYP escort”.
The President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, who is currently in Cyprus, has urged the two communities to redouble their efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem.“The European Commission and I personally support very much the efforts of the leaders in every way we can. We cannot make the deal. That’s the point people have to understand. We can help find a solution, we can support find a solution, but it is up to Cypriots themselves to find this solution,” Barroso said yesterday after meeting President Christofias.
“There is a historic chance now to end this conflict once and for all. So please keep up your efforts Mr. President. The time is now. Do not allow a situation where the younger generation will simply accept the status quo.”
The European Commission President said reunification would allow all Cypriots to reap the benefits of Cyprus’ membership in the EU. “That is the message that I am bringing here today, one of confidence in the future of this country.”
The EU President also went north where he saw Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.In comments to the press later, Talat described Barroso’s meeting to the island as “an important event,” adding he had the opportunity to convey the Turkish Cypriot views on the present state of the Cyprus problem. “I can say that it was a very useful meeting,” Talat noted.
The President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, who is currently in Cyprus, has urged the two communities to redouble their efforts for a solution to the Cyprus problem.“The European Commission and I personally support very much the efforts of the leaders in every way we can. We cannot make the deal. That’s the point people have to understand. We can help find a solution, we can support find a solution, but it is up to Cypriots themselves to find this solution,” Barroso said yesterday after meeting President Christofias.
“There is a historic chance now to end this conflict once and for all. So please keep up your efforts Mr. President. The time is now. Do not allow a situation where the younger generation will simply accept the status quo.”
The European Commission President said reunification would allow all Cypriots to reap the benefits of Cyprus’ membership in the EU. “That is the message that I am bringing here today, one of confidence in the future of this country.”
The EU President also went north where he saw Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.In comments to the press later, Talat described Barroso’s meeting to the island as “an important event,” adding he had the opportunity to convey the Turkish Cypriot views on the present state of the Cyprus problem. “I can say that it was a very useful meeting,” Talat noted.
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Cyprus talks drowned out by shouting
A Global Reuters News Blog report says Western diplomats and analysts on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus are starting to wonder if the euphoria that surrounded the launch of the talks in September 2008 was justified.
“They went back to the drawing board, that’s the main problem,” said Mete Hatay, a researcher for the PRIO peace institute in Nicosia.
High hopes were pinned on the two men, who come from leftist parties and enjoyed a strong relationship as opposition leaders, to make more progress than their predecessors - Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash, British-trained lawyers whose careers were identified with the Cyprus problem.
“Both of them have trouble grappling with the language and terms. They are not lawyers like Clerides and Denktash,” said a senior Western diplomat. “Christofias wants to lead by consensus but you can’t operate like that as president and Talat is in a tight corner.”
Christofias moves too slowly and Talat, anxious not to give up too much, stepped back from agreed positions, hoping to meet somewhere in the middle but frustrating his opponent, he said.
“The U.N. will not fill the gaps this time. The two leaders must finish the job and put the plan to a referendum,” the diplomat added.
Turkish Cypriots, tired of seeing little of the EU benefits enjoyed by Greek Cypriots and angered by European Court decisions on key property cases, voted in April parliamentary elections for a hardliner, Dervis Eroglu.
Talat, whose term ends in April 2010, may not be around to clinch a deal after that. With the April deadline looming, the pressure is rising for the two leaders.
“I’m not sure they can do it by April,” said Hatay. “It’s not hopeless but when Turkish Cypriots feel cornered, they can do unpredictable things.”
A case in point was the failure to open the Limnitis crossing on the eastern part of the green line dividing the island, at a time when any good news from the process was key to sustaining momentum. Turkish Cypriot demands that petrol trucks, not just people, should be allowed to cross, have delayed agreement.
The European Union must be more directly involved and the talks must be intensified to have a chance of making it, diplomats said.
Some say there are some positive signs on the horizon - 70 percent of Greek Cypriots, who overwhelmingly rejected the last U.N. reunification plan in a 2004 referendum, voted for parties backing a solution in the June 7 European Parliament election.
And the screaming that people close to the talks say often comes out of the negotiating room may not be all that bad either.
“Shouting and screaming is part of their intimacy,” said a Turkish Cypriot journalist. “The fact that they come out of the room smiling is proof of their strong relationship.”
“They went back to the drawing board, that’s the main problem,” said Mete Hatay, a researcher for the PRIO peace institute in Nicosia.
High hopes were pinned on the two men, who come from leftist parties and enjoyed a strong relationship as opposition leaders, to make more progress than their predecessors - Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash, British-trained lawyers whose careers were identified with the Cyprus problem.
“Both of them have trouble grappling with the language and terms. They are not lawyers like Clerides and Denktash,” said a senior Western diplomat. “Christofias wants to lead by consensus but you can’t operate like that as president and Talat is in a tight corner.”
Christofias moves too slowly and Talat, anxious not to give up too much, stepped back from agreed positions, hoping to meet somewhere in the middle but frustrating his opponent, he said.
“The U.N. will not fill the gaps this time. The two leaders must finish the job and put the plan to a referendum,” the diplomat added.
Turkish Cypriots, tired of seeing little of the EU benefits enjoyed by Greek Cypriots and angered by European Court decisions on key property cases, voted in April parliamentary elections for a hardliner, Dervis Eroglu.
Talat, whose term ends in April 2010, may not be around to clinch a deal after that. With the April deadline looming, the pressure is rising for the two leaders.
“I’m not sure they can do it by April,” said Hatay. “It’s not hopeless but when Turkish Cypriots feel cornered, they can do unpredictable things.”
A case in point was the failure to open the Limnitis crossing on the eastern part of the green line dividing the island, at a time when any good news from the process was key to sustaining momentum. Turkish Cypriot demands that petrol trucks, not just people, should be allowed to cross, have delayed agreement.
The European Union must be more directly involved and the talks must be intensified to have a chance of making it, diplomats said.
Some say there are some positive signs on the horizon - 70 percent of Greek Cypriots, who overwhelmingly rejected the last U.N. reunification plan in a 2004 referendum, voted for parties backing a solution in the June 7 European Parliament election.
And the screaming that people close to the talks say often comes out of the negotiating room may not be all that bad either.
“Shouting and screaming is part of their intimacy,” said a Turkish Cypriot journalist. “The fact that they come out of the room smiling is proof of their strong relationship.”
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Patience on Limnitis and Verheugen is back
According to press reports, the leaders of the two communities spent most of their meeting yesterday discusssing the opening of a crossing point at Limnitis in the north-west of the island.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said afterwards that there were still a number of points on which the two sides disagree and that their two advisors would work on the issue. He added that in any case it would not open under the same terms as the other crossing points because the Kokkina area complicates things.
Talat added that unfortunately the Limnitis issue overshadowed the Cyprus problem to the detriment of the question of territory took which would be continued at the next meeting scheduled for Friday 26 June.
On his part, asked whether progress had been made on Limnitis, President Christofias told newsmen: “Be patient.”
Meanwhile, EU Commission Vice-President responsible for Enterprise and Industry Gunter Verheugen, who is currently on an official visit to Cyprus told a press conference yesterday that the EU Commission is prepared to accommodate a solution to the Cyprus problem as long as it’s based on the principles on which the EU was foundedyesterday.
The EU Commissioner, who is in Cyprus at the invitation of President Christofias, after a long spell away from the island, expressed his strong support of the approach for a “Cypriot ownership” of the latest efforts to solve the conflict, highlighting the “need for a solution” and the benefits it would bring to both communities. He also said the EU “fully trusts that Christofias will do everything he can to find a solution”.
“People talk of a frozen conflict. No, there is a problem, it needs to be addressed,” he said.
Verheugen has a long history with Cyprus, having played a crucial part in removing the link between Cyprus’ EU accession path and a Cyprus settlement in 1999 in Helsinki. As Enlargement Commissioner, he helped pave the way for Cyprus to join in 2004. However, relations turned sour when former president Tassos Papadopoulos called for a “resounding NO” in the Annan plan referendum, leading Verheugen to claim he’d been “cheated” by the Papadopoulos administration.
“I have a special interest personally to see on the ground how a country whose accession I was able to support, how it developed after accession. The impression today is a very, very positive one. It’s obvious the country has taken advantage of its EU membership,” he said yesterday at a press conference. On the failure of the UN-sponsored talks in 2004, he said the two sides came “closer than ever before, it was bad luck, it can happen”.
Asked whether he still felt “cheated” by Cyprus following 2004, he referred to the fact that former president Papadopoulos was no longer alive, adding this was “now a matter of the past” which “belongs to history”.
Mr Verheugen also had a meeting with Mr Talat after which he said that Turkish Cypriots unequivocally have the right to enjoy the privileges of EU membership. He expressed his happiness over the progress in talks between the leaders of the two communities noting that both leaders exerted utmost efforts for a solution in the island acceptable to both sides. He stressed that the EU was ready to support the talks but not as a judge or referee and that the EU wanted to provide support and advice should both parties ask for it.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said afterwards that there were still a number of points on which the two sides disagree and that their two advisors would work on the issue. He added that in any case it would not open under the same terms as the other crossing points because the Kokkina area complicates things.
Talat added that unfortunately the Limnitis issue overshadowed the Cyprus problem to the detriment of the question of territory took which would be continued at the next meeting scheduled for Friday 26 June.
On his part, asked whether progress had been made on Limnitis, President Christofias told newsmen: “Be patient.”
Meanwhile, EU Commission Vice-President responsible for Enterprise and Industry Gunter Verheugen, who is currently on an official visit to Cyprus told a press conference yesterday that the EU Commission is prepared to accommodate a solution to the Cyprus problem as long as it’s based on the principles on which the EU was foundedyesterday.
The EU Commissioner, who is in Cyprus at the invitation of President Christofias, after a long spell away from the island, expressed his strong support of the approach for a “Cypriot ownership” of the latest efforts to solve the conflict, highlighting the “need for a solution” and the benefits it would bring to both communities. He also said the EU “fully trusts that Christofias will do everything he can to find a solution”.
“People talk of a frozen conflict. No, there is a problem, it needs to be addressed,” he said.
Verheugen has a long history with Cyprus, having played a crucial part in removing the link between Cyprus’ EU accession path and a Cyprus settlement in 1999 in Helsinki. As Enlargement Commissioner, he helped pave the way for Cyprus to join in 2004. However, relations turned sour when former president Tassos Papadopoulos called for a “resounding NO” in the Annan plan referendum, leading Verheugen to claim he’d been “cheated” by the Papadopoulos administration.
“I have a special interest personally to see on the ground how a country whose accession I was able to support, how it developed after accession. The impression today is a very, very positive one. It’s obvious the country has taken advantage of its EU membership,” he said yesterday at a press conference. On the failure of the UN-sponsored talks in 2004, he said the two sides came “closer than ever before, it was bad luck, it can happen”.
Asked whether he still felt “cheated” by Cyprus following 2004, he referred to the fact that former president Papadopoulos was no longer alive, adding this was “now a matter of the past” which “belongs to history”.
Mr Verheugen also had a meeting with Mr Talat after which he said that Turkish Cypriots unequivocally have the right to enjoy the privileges of EU membership. He expressed his happiness over the progress in talks between the leaders of the two communities noting that both leaders exerted utmost efforts for a solution in the island acceptable to both sides. He stressed that the EU was ready to support the talks but not as a judge or referee and that the EU wanted to provide support and advice should both parties ask for it.
Friday, 12 June 2009
Limnitis agreement 'close'
President Christofias said yesterday after another meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, that he expects “good news soon” on the opening of a crossing point in Limnitis.
“We had a good meeting today, we moved forward concerning Limnitis. We are not far from an agreement", he said.
He added thatChristofias said the economy would be set aside for now as talks would continue on territory at their next meeting on Monday.
The UN’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Taye Brook Zerihoun, yesterday confirmed that the two leaders were close to an agreement on Limnitis. Describing the meeting as “good and productive”, Zerihoun said that during the open meeting where the UN was present, the introductory statements on the chapter on territory were read out by both sides.
The UN’s Special Envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer will be in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian officials on the Cyprus problem but will return to the island on Tuesday.
“We had a good meeting today, we moved forward concerning Limnitis. We are not far from an agreement", he said.
He added thatChristofias said the economy would be set aside for now as talks would continue on territory at their next meeting on Monday.
The UN’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Taye Brook Zerihoun, yesterday confirmed that the two leaders were close to an agreement on Limnitis. Describing the meeting as “good and productive”, Zerihoun said that during the open meeting where the UN was present, the introductory statements on the chapter on territory were read out by both sides.
The UN’s Special Envoy to Cyprus Alexander Downer will be in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian officials on the Cyprus problem but will return to the island on Tuesday.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
EU Court rules in favour of Greek Cypriot
The European Court of Justice has backed the right of a Greek Cypriot to reclaim land in Turkish-occupied Cyprus that has since been sold to a British couple. Meletis Apostolides was one of thousands of Greek Cypriots who fled his home when Turkish forces invaded in 1974, following a Greek-inspired coup. The land was later sold to Linda and David Orams, who built a villa on it.
The court ruled that a judgment of a court in the Republic of Cyprus must be recognised and enforcd by the other member states even if it concerns land situated in the northern part of the island. The suspension of the application of EU law in the areas where the Cyprus government does not exercise effective control and the fact that the judgment cannot be enforced where the land is situated, do not preclude its recognition and enforcement in another member state.
Mr Apostolides had brought an appeal before the British Court of Appeal seeking the recognition and enforcement of two judgments from a court in Nicosia. That court had ordered the Orams to vacate the land on which they had built a holiday home, and to pay various sums. The Cypriot court had ruled that Mr Apostolides is the rightful owner of the land.
Speaking on a local radio station, Linda Orams said they were disappointed at today’s decision, but not ready to give up. “We were prepared for it, it’s not the end. We are going to soldier on. It just means we go back to London and carry on really. We are in it till the end and we are prepared for that. There are two aspects to this case really, our personal aspect and the aspect as regards the whole of north Cyprus. So the outcome is not just going to affect us.”Constantinos Kantounas, lawyer for Apostolides, said he was ‘ecstatic’ at the outcome but doubted the ruling would open the way for hundreds more Greek Cypriots to demand restitution for properties they were forced to flee.
The Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis paid an official visit to the island Wednesday. In a joint news conference, he and President Demetris Christofias said they backed Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, but said that the neighbour with which they have been at loggerheads for years must first meet EU requirements for entry.“We believe that a Turkey which will adopt European rules of behaviour ... will be a Turkey much better for its citizens and the whole of the EU,” said Karamanlis. But “there is no blank cheque,” added Christofias.
President Christofias yesterday presided over a meeting of the Informal Council of Party Leaders, who participate in the National Council. After the meeting, the Government Spokesman Mr Stefanos Stefanou said that the President had briefed party leaders on the current developments in the Cyprus problem and is expecting them to submit their views on matters such as Turkey's EU accession course, in the light of the discussions and the deliberations that the Governments of Greece and Cyprus had during the recent visit of the Greek Prime Minister here. "It is expected that these views will be discussed at the National Council", he added.
The court ruled that a judgment of a court in the Republic of Cyprus must be recognised and enforcd by the other member states even if it concerns land situated in the northern part of the island. The suspension of the application of EU law in the areas where the Cyprus government does not exercise effective control and the fact that the judgment cannot be enforced where the land is situated, do not preclude its recognition and enforcement in another member state.
Mr Apostolides had brought an appeal before the British Court of Appeal seeking the recognition and enforcement of two judgments from a court in Nicosia. That court had ordered the Orams to vacate the land on which they had built a holiday home, and to pay various sums. The Cypriot court had ruled that Mr Apostolides is the rightful owner of the land.
Speaking on a local radio station, Linda Orams said they were disappointed at today’s decision, but not ready to give up. “We were prepared for it, it’s not the end. We are going to soldier on. It just means we go back to London and carry on really. We are in it till the end and we are prepared for that. There are two aspects to this case really, our personal aspect and the aspect as regards the whole of north Cyprus. So the outcome is not just going to affect us.”Constantinos Kantounas, lawyer for Apostolides, said he was ‘ecstatic’ at the outcome but doubted the ruling would open the way for hundreds more Greek Cypriots to demand restitution for properties they were forced to flee.
The Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis paid an official visit to the island Wednesday. In a joint news conference, he and President Demetris Christofias said they backed Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, but said that the neighbour with which they have been at loggerheads for years must first meet EU requirements for entry.“We believe that a Turkey which will adopt European rules of behaviour ... will be a Turkey much better for its citizens and the whole of the EU,” said Karamanlis. But “there is no blank cheque,” added Christofias.
President Christofias yesterday presided over a meeting of the Informal Council of Party Leaders, who participate in the National Council. After the meeting, the Government Spokesman Mr Stefanos Stefanou said that the President had briefed party leaders on the current developments in the Cyprus problem and is expecting them to submit their views on matters such as Turkey's EU accession course, in the light of the discussions and the deliberations that the Governments of Greece and Cyprus had during the recent visit of the Greek Prime Minister here. "It is expected that these views will be discussed at the National Council", he added.
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