Significant progress announced

The UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer announced yesterday that the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus had authorised him to say that “significant progress has been made in a series of areas of governance”.

Speaking at the end of the second round of intensive talks, Downer said: “The leaders have left the meeting feeling positive and there will be a bit more to say next week when the Secretary General is here ".

The two leaders met for around four hours yesterday morning after which they left their aides to continue negotiations.

Asked whether the two leaders closed the chapter on governance, which is only the first of six chapters under negotiation, Downer said the leaders would have more to say on this on Monday afternoon. The Australian diplomat noted the two were also expected to talk about the future schedule of the talks during the meeting with the Secretary General.

Speaking after the meeting, Talat told reporters “good progress” had been made on the sticky issues regarding governance and power sharing. He added that teams on both sides were now working on putting together a more detailed joint statement which will be announced on Monday.

“Significant steps were taken,” he said, adding that that the two sides “came seriously close to each another”.

According to press reports, the UN Secretary-General , Ban Ki-Moon, held a series of meeting in London the sidelines of the London conference on Afghanistan. He met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Demetris Droutsas and Cyprus' Foreign Minister, Marcos Kyprianou.

Ankara Anatolia reports that, according to diplomatic circles, Davutoglu and Ban discussed the Cyprus issue and the talks and that Ban had promised to make some kind of contribution.

The news agency also reported that Turkey has called on the European Parliament to support efforts to reach a solution in Cyprus. In a statement on Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey expected the European Parliament to extend support for efforts to reach a lasting settlement in Cyprus. The statement came a day after the European Parliament's foreign relations committee approved a draft report which called Turkey to withdraw its troops from the eastern Mediterranean island. The statement said Turkey attached importance that the parliament assumed "a balanced and an objective approach" in its reports over Ankara's European Union membership process.

Moreover daily Yeni Duzen reports that in statements to Turkish NTV television, Davutoglu said that the Turkish side is ready for any kind of meeting, four-party or five-party, “ to solve the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus Government Spokesman Mr Stefanos Stefanou today confirmed that there has been progress in the talks and that the party leaders will be able to judge for themselves as to whether it has been substantial or not when the President briefs them at the next National Council meeting.

Responding to certain concers that have been expressed over the UN S-G's visit, he gave assurances that he was not coming to exert any pressure or arbitration on the interlocutors, but that he was coming in order to be briefed and to express his support.

He welcomed the UN Secretary General's forthcoming visit to Cyprus, saying that it "proves that the achievement of a solution to the Cyprus problem constitutes a high priority of the international organisation and concerns the international community".

In this regard he pointed out the increased international activity around the Cyprus problem, noting the visits to Cyprus of the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation and China, the intention expressed by the US to appoint a special envoy on the Cyprus problem, the creation of a working group presided over by the President of the European Commission and the appointment of a personal Representative of the President of the European Commission.

Politis reports today that the Turkish Cypriot side has changed its stance on crucial matters regarding governance thereby removing significant stumbling blocks which had so far prevented progress from being announced. The paper says they no longer insist on the separate states being able to sign treatiesseparately with third countries limiting these to the fields of trade and culture only. They also agreed to the federal state having authority over water issues, as well as the island's FIR.

The paper adds that this paves the way now for the UN S-G to praise the decisiveness of the two leaders towards achieving progress in matters of governance and announcing the continuation of talks with the hope of closing three more chapter by the middle of March.


Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris referring to the UN S-G's visit says that a joint declaration might be signed and quotes political circles as saying that “surprising results could be expected” with a joint declaration being signed at a meeting on Tuesday in the presence of the UN Secretary-General.

Under the title “Ban is determined”, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (29.01.10) reports that important statements are expected regarding the Cyprus problem after the meeting of Mr Ban Ki-moon with the two leaders.

Yeni Duzen newspaper says that Turkey does not want the negotiating process in Cyprus to be interrupted even during the election campaign in the north and says this was confirmed by Talat's spokesman Hasan Ercakica.

"It is not only Turkey, but the whole of the international community feels the same. Momentum has been gained and they do not want to lose this momentum”.

Responding to a question, Mr Ercakica said that Mr Talat is “a little bit reluctant”, but “he has the same sensitivity” on the issue of not losing the acceleration. “A clearer picture will come to surface after the visit of the UN Secretary-General”, added Ercakica.