Denktash is back

Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar today reports that according information from reliable sources, the newly elected Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu has already chosen his negotiating team and they are: Dr. Dervis Eroglu, Rauf Denktas (Advisor of the Negotiating Team), Ata Atun, Serdar Denktas (Chief Negotiator), Ismet Kotak, Taner Etkin, Huseyin Ozgurgun, Vedat Celik and Ergun Olgun.

Moreover, Kibris reports that Eroglu has said that President Christofias called him and congratulated him for his victory in the “elections” last Sunday and expressed his wish that the Cyprus talks start immediately.

Eroglu said Christofias is in favour of the continuation of the talks and that he agrees, adding that they would most probably resume in May.

Mr Eroglu alleged that the Turkish side wants a solution to be reached in Cyprus by the end of 2010, as Prime Minister Erdogan has stated. However, he added, what the Greek Cypriot side wants is also important on this issue. He also said that he had already decided who would be on his negotiating team but could not reveal the names just yet.

Mr Eroglu said that officials from Turkey called him and congratulated him and noted that after his oath-taking ceremony on Friday he will meet with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoglu, who will probably be attending the ceremony. He said they might have the opportunity to make more detailed evaluations during Davutoglu’s visit.

Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet reports that Eroglu in an interview said he has always worked in the most harmonious manner with Turkey and intended

to carry on with the negotiations by consulting and being in full harmony with Turkey.

“We will continue the negotiations from the point they were left”, he said adding that he was committed to the UN parameters. “However, we should fill in these parameters by protecting the interests of the Turkish Cypriot people and Turkey”.

He stressed: “We will not be the side which leaves the negotiations”.

He said that Talat had discussed only the chapters of governance, the EU and economy and full agreement was not reached on any of these issues. “There is a plan put on the table by the Turkish side on the issue of governance. I have opposed the ‘cross voting’ system included in the plan, which had the logic of ‘take it or leave it’. However, the Greek Cypriots do not accept this plan as a whole. Now we will continue to negotiate these six chapters in a constructive manner”, he said.

He said that he, like Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, also wants to find a win-win formula. “Of course we want a solution and we support only a viable

solution where both sides will win”. However, he stressed, “as Turkey has noted, these negotiations cannot last forever. The Greek Cypriots should make a step on this issue. The lifting of the isolations applied on the TRNC and the approval of the shelved report, which was prepared during the UN Secretary – General Kofi Annan period and provides for the lifting of the unnecessary isolations, might put pressure on the Greek Cypriots”.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement officially congratulated Eroglu on his election and thanked Talat for the leadership and vision he has shown which brought the negotiations to a promising stage.

“A settlement which would satisfy all concerned parties can be achieved soon if the Greek Cypriot side displays the necessary contribution with the same good will”, the statement said. “The determination of the Turkish Cypriot people to preserve its rights and freedom as the equal co-owner of the island is a common value which ensures its unity for the national cause” it went on concluding that Turkey would continue “to support the Turkish Cypriot people in all fields and under all circumstances and fulfill its legal and historical responsibilities with utmost sensitivity and determination”.

Following the elections in the north, the international community has issued calls for the Cyprus talks to continue.

Ankara Anatolia reported from the United Nations that UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky said the United Nations expected extensive talks in Cyprus to continue as agreed by parties and in line with the related UN Security Council resolutions. Nesirky said the UN would work with both sides to determine when they would resume talks, adding that the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer would come to New York to meet with Senior UN officials on the issue.Moreover, the European Commission issued a statement also urging that the Cyprus talks continue.

“Now that Mr Eroglu has been elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, it is crucial that the settlement talks go on. The Commission encourages Mr Eroglu to continue in a constructive spirit the efforts towards settlement and reunification”, a statement said.

“Mr Talat and Mr Christofias had achieved important progress in shaping a settlement that would reunite the island on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. This was highly appreciated by President Barroso”.

The statement added that the Commission and the European Union are fully committed to supporting efforts at reaching a settlement of the Cyprus problem, which would be to the benefit of Cyprus and the EU in general and would continue to offer full support to the leaders' efforts towards a comprehensive settlement.

Eroglu wins elections in the north

Dervis Eroglu yesterday claimed victory in the north's presidential election on Sunday, winning more than 50 percent of the vote beating incumbent Mehmet Ali Talat and avoiding a run-off.

Eroglu, who wants more autonomy for each community in any peace settlement, rules out concessions key to Greek Cypriots in reunification talks.

According to Bayrak television Eroglu told his supporters that “the Turkish Cypriot people are the victim of the existing situation as they are still being isolated and subjected to embargoes. Therefore, we and our people are in favor of concluding the Cyprus issue”.He said his first task will be to consult with Turkey and assess the situation and he would then establish his own expert negotiating team as well as set up a national council. He said he would seek an agreement that will not disadvantage the Turkish Cypriot people and would consider Turkey’s interests as well.
He reiterated his position that the Turkish Cypriot people are an equal and sovereign people. And that he would be defending his people’s rights at the negotiating table.

He added that did not run in order to obstruct the negotiations but to defend the rights of the Turkish Cypriot people. “We want a lasting and sustainable agreement. There are simple principles to ensure this, and we will discuss these principles in detail at the negotiating table”, he said. 2. Erdogan wants a solution by the end of the year

Kibris reports that after the results of the elections in the north Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the new president should continue the process with the same determination.

He pointed out that Mr Eroglu’s views are not different than his own on this issue and reminded that Mr Eroglu has stated many times that “we will continue our way with determination”. Asked to comment on the messages sent by Athens to the Greek Cypriots during the recent visit of Prime Minister Papandreou to Cyprus, Mr Erdogan said that he considers Mr Papandreou “much more positive on this point”. Noting that they will discuss these issues during his visit to Athens, he added: “My wish is for us to end this job by the end of the year”.Moreoever, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported from Ankara that Erdogan has urged Cypriot leaders to continue reunification.

‘It cannot be the Turkish side that escapes from the negotiation table. If there is a party that keeps [away] from the table, it should be them [Greek Cypriots],’ Erdogan said in an interview late Saturday with private television channel Kanal 24.

“My sincere wish is for the continuation of talks with the same commitment. We are seriously committed to the completion of these talks,” Erdogan said.

‘Mr. Talat brought the negotiations to a very important level. I hope we will be able to conclude them by the end of this year through negotiations, which will resume after the elections. We should preserve our commitment with the spirit of win-win,’ Erdogan said.

Cyprus Government Spokesman, Stephanos Stephanou announced that President Christofias would be writing a letter to the UN Secretary General about the election of Mr Eroglu in the north in which he will stress that the talks must continue on the basis of what has been agreed so far. He also said that Eroglu’s election was a negative development but that now they must sit down and evaluate the situation in a spirit of unity.

The Greek Cypriot political parties all said that Eroglu’s election was a step backwards. Akel leader Andros Kyprianou said that the Greek Cypriot side must insist on continuing the negotiations and that if there is no response to expose Eroglu. Disy vice president Averof Neofytou stressed that the Greek Cypriots had missed many opportunities while Talat was in power. Edek leader Omirou said that now the Greek Cypriot side should remove certain unacceptable positions such as the rotating presidency while Diko leader Marios Karoyan said that this negative development does not change the fact that it is Turkey that is controlling Turkish Cypriot politics.

Politis says that according to diplomatic sources, the UN is evaluating the situation after the election of Dervis Eroglu and have reached the conclusion that the only way to control the nationalist Turkish Cypriot leader is and to make him sit at the negotiating table in the context of an international conference next to Turkish Prime Minister Tayipp Erdogan and under the watchful eye of the international community. The paper says the international community in general views Eroglu as a “necessary evil” for the northern part of Cyprus, in view of the fact that Talat lost the confidence of the Turkish Cypriot voters as a result of the financial irregularities that were committed during his rule. They consider Eroglu to be Ankara’s mouthpiece and more amenable to Turkey’s arguments. If it turns out that Ankara will not allow Eroglu to turn towards the setting up of two states during the negotiations, then everything is possible, with the opinion in the north being that a right-wing hard liner would be better able to sell a solution than a left-winger.

Last meeting before elections and statement

President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in a joint statement on Wednesday after their last meeting before the elections in the north said they were encouraged by the progress they had made so far.

“We are encouraged by the important progress we have made so far on the Chapters of Governance and Power Sharing, EU Matters and the Economy and we are convinced that with perseverance we shall achieve a comprehensive settlement”, they said.

They also stressed that negotiations are being conducted under the overriding principle of the “integrated whole approach”, which means that “nothing is agreed unless everything is agreed”.

After the meeting, President Christofias clarified that “it is a simple statement; it is not a joint press release. There will not be a joint press release. We are not going into any details”.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the two leaders in Cyprus on their joint statement, saying it highlights their “stronger than ever commitment to a settlement”.

“The Cyprus problem has remained unresolved for too long. Both Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat are leaders with courage and vision and they have taken enormous political risks to carry the process forward”, he said.
He called on them “to continue their work to find a solution to the Cyprus problem which would take into full consideration the legitimate rights and concerns of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. A settlement is in the interest of all Cypriots, leading to stability, reconciliation and greater prosperity for Cyprus. It would also represent a critical peace dividend for the entire region. The United Nations is committed to continue supporting the negotiations, and stands with the people of Cyprus as they work towards finally resolving this longstanding problem”.

The joint statement by the two leaders was also welcomed by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who said it “shows the level of commitment and responsibility that the two leaders are putting in the settlement talks” as well as the progress achieved so far.

“These achievements clearly demonstrate that a settlement is in reach and that there is a chance to finalize the talks in the next few months” he added and reiterated the full support of the European Commission to these efforts aimed at reaching a settlement soon and its readiness to provide all the necessary support to the process. “The Commission follows very closely the development of the talks and hopes that this long standing conflict on European soil will come to an end", he said.

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined in the chorus of praise for the two leaders’ joint statement describing it as a “breakthrough” in the talks.
Brown was quoted by AFP saying, “This breakthrough provides hope for a comprehensive solution, and shows what can be achieved with bold leadership and political will”.

The latest developments in the talks will be discussed next Wednesday in a National Council meeting while Greek PM Georgios Papandreou is due in Cyprus on April 12 to address party leaders on the subject.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday sought to boost his chances of re-election in the north’s April 18 election by claiming he and President Christofias had made “serious progress” in the ongoing reunification talks, the Cyprus Mail reports.

“So far, we have recorded serious progress in the areas of governance and power-sharing, the EU and the economy,” Talat told a large gathering of journalists and public figures in northern Nicosia yesterday morning.

He added that 31 convergence documents had been drawn up by the two sides, something he described as “a first in the 40-year history of intercommunal negotiations”.

Talat was speaking two days after winding up his 71st meeting with Christofias – a meeting in which he failed to persuade Christofias of the need for a joint declaration of progress made so far.

Talat explained the Greek Cypriot leadership had been worried that such a document could be construed as interim agreement, binding in international law. In the absence of a joint statement, Talat and Christofias had decided that each leader would, if they so wished, publicise issues that had been agreed separately to their own communities.

On many of the unresolved issues, agreement was said to have been reached in principle, and all that remained was to agree on how they would be implemented once the whole package was in place.

Despite the high levels of convergence on these three chapters of the negotiations, critics say the hardest issues are yet to be tackled. Indeed, the thorny matters of territory, property, and security and guarantees are yet to be discussed in detail.

Talat and his team however played down the idea that negotiations might come unstuck when discussing these more taxing issues by outlining that on the property issue at least there had been a broad agreement to set up a property commission to resolve refugee issues after a solution.

As one of the negotiators pointed out, “Both sides agree on how a property commission should work; the only point of argument for us is that if all Greek Cypriot refugees are allowed to return, what will happen to the idea of bizonality”.

Perhaps most thorny of all is the issue of the Turkish guarantee, and with both sides so far refusing to budge on the matter, many believe that if this issue can be resolved there will be little left to argue about.