The municipal elections last week, says an editorial in the Cyprus Mail, ensured that next to no media attention was given to the interview of the UN Secretary-General’s special representative, Alexander Downer that was published in Kathimerini last Sunday.
Had it been a slow news day, his views would have sparked dozens of newspaper articles, party announcements and angry statements by politicians. Downer has been the target of concerted attacks for saying much less in the past, which is why the absence of a reaction, this time, came as a surprise.
Perhaps the media took note of the Australian’s complaints about the hostility the UN had always faced from the Greek Cypriot side and decided to show restraint. Downer said: “As I said, we have always been attacked here; not by the Turkish Cypriot side but by the Greek Cypriot. The UN since 1963 has been systematically attacked from certain elements in the Greek Cypriot community and some of the political parties. They continuously attack us. But if we left, if we said we are fed up of your attacks and we are leaving, what would they say?”
His frustration is understandable, given the way he has been treated by the Greek Cypriot politicians and media, which invariably describe his public comments as “provocative and unacceptable”. It was therefore difficult to understand why there had been no reaction to Sunday’s interview, in which he castigated the Greek Cypriot hostility towards the UN, blamed the lack of progress on both sides – not on Turkish intransigence as is the official line – and repeatedly stated that the Greentree meeting in January could be the end of the procedure.
“The Secretary-General sent the message that the window of opportunity for a settlement was closing,” he said adding that if by the time the leaders met Ban Ki-moon in Greentree, “we have not reached the desired result, it could mean the end of the procedure.”
Nobody seems to take his warnings that if the leaders failed to overcome their differences over the next few weeks, the peace process would collapse.
Ban spoke about the end-game, when he last met the two leaders in October, but nobody on the Greek Cypriot side seemed particularly concerned; the government was in denial, going as far as to say that no time-frames had been set.
Is it that nobody believes the UN would ever give up on the Cyprus talks, the paper wonders, or would we be relieved if it packed up and left?
Logically, given the hostility we have towards the UN’s envoys, we should be celebrating if the talks collapsed and Downer packed his bags and returned to Australia. Although we have been ignoring Downer’s warnings, this time, we could get what we wished for.
The recent census carried out in the north is causing a bit of a headache for the Kioneli ‘mayor’ after recording 7,000 fewer residents than in the local authority has registered in its books.
According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris, which ran the story, Kioneli community leader Ahmet Benli claims there are 23,000 people registered in his municipality.
The recent census carried out on December 3 on the orders of Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu recorded a population of 16,000 for the Nicosia suburb, leaving Benli scratching his head as to where the 7,000 ‘surplus’ residents went.
Sunday 25 December 2011
Sunday 18 December 2011
If not solution then interim agreement and international conference by July
Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis today says that while politicians’ attention in Cyprus has been on the economy, talks on the Cyprus problem have been forging ahead, with the UN determined not to let the last five years of negotiations go to waste.
However, reaching an agreement before Cyprus undertakes the EU Presidency now seems unattainable and diplomatic efforts are now focused on at least getting an outline of a solution by then.
The writer says that according to his sources, the UN Special Representative in Cyprus, Alexander Downer, has asked the two sides to prepare a 20-page document outlining their positions on all the aspects of the Cyprus problem which will take the form of an outline of an overall solution. In short he has asked them to present their own solution.
The two sides responded positively and last Thursday handed the documents over to the UN. The entire UN team of experts is currently in Cyprus and is working on the documents and the to and fro diplomacy will continue despite the Christmas holidays.
“With the submission of these documents the talks have entered a new phase and will continue intensively up until Greentree 2”, the source said.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already thrown some light on how he intends to proceed over the next few weeks at his end of year press conference in New York. He plans to present personally throughout the two days of talks at Greentree, that he intends to maximise progress up until the Cyprus Presidency, and he hoped to be able to move on to an international conference.
A more specific move from the UN S-G is expected in the next few days making is intentions even clearer in view of the tripartite meeting in January with the aim of producing a joint document that may open the way for a conference.
The UN’s aim is to capitalise on all that has been achieved over the four years of talks by incorporating it all in a 20-page document covering all aspects of the Cyprus problem and signed by both leaders.
This document will remain as a legacy to the next President who will be elected immediately after the Cyprus EU Presidency. The details of an overall solution could in the meantime be fleshed out during this current presidency.
As is known, President Christofias has publicly announced that he will not be running again, except if the Cyprus problem is near a solution. At a recent lunch he had with the ambassadors of EU member states, without referring to the possibility of there being an interim solution, he told them that the Cyprus problem cannot be solved now but that they would have to be continued by the next president. “I will not be a candidate, even though the party and others are pressuring me”, he said.
Diplomats who are closely following the Cyprus problem interpret this to mean that Christofias is already preparing the ground to stand again using as a slogan to be allowed to finish the talks. A politician who says he is being pressured to stand for election must be considered to be standing already.
After half a century of experience of the Cyprus problem, and especially after the last ten years, the international community is wise to the rules of the game that Cyprus’ politicians are playing – no president leaves power of his own accord, thereby admitting defeat. This particular president was elected with the mandate to solve the Cyprus problem. Continuing the talks is essential to his political survival.
The international community is willing to help him, but not, thanks to the experiences of the recent past, on empty promises alone, but with clear commitments. The talks can indeed be shelved for 9 months, but only if there is a clear intermediate commitment on the framework for a solution with the signature of both leaders.
As regards the international conference, the writer says that the UN seems determined to call the two sides to such a conference immediately after Greentree 2, in view of the fact that the Turkish side seems unable to discuss the territorial issue without the presence of Turkey, while Christofias refuses to discuss the property issue without the territorial issue being discussed in tandem.
He says the resolution renewing the UNFICYP resolution is not quite as the government spokesman interpreted it, namely that it would require the agreement of both sides to convene a conference. Yes, for a conference to take place both sides would have to agree. There is no way that anyone can force them to go. But this does not preclude the UN Secretary-General from inviting them to a conference. It would be up to them to accept or not. This is likely what will happen at Greentree 2, and given the Turkish position in favour of a conference, the dilemma will be Christofias’, who will have to decide whether to lead the talks to complete collapse, or to accept and find himself before the same dilemmas at a later stage.
However, reaching an agreement before Cyprus undertakes the EU Presidency now seems unattainable and diplomatic efforts are now focused on at least getting an outline of a solution by then.
The writer says that according to his sources, the UN Special Representative in Cyprus, Alexander Downer, has asked the two sides to prepare a 20-page document outlining their positions on all the aspects of the Cyprus problem which will take the form of an outline of an overall solution. In short he has asked them to present their own solution.
The two sides responded positively and last Thursday handed the documents over to the UN. The entire UN team of experts is currently in Cyprus and is working on the documents and the to and fro diplomacy will continue despite the Christmas holidays.
“With the submission of these documents the talks have entered a new phase and will continue intensively up until Greentree 2”, the source said.
The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already thrown some light on how he intends to proceed over the next few weeks at his end of year press conference in New York. He plans to present personally throughout the two days of talks at Greentree, that he intends to maximise progress up until the Cyprus Presidency, and he hoped to be able to move on to an international conference.
A more specific move from the UN S-G is expected in the next few days making is intentions even clearer in view of the tripartite meeting in January with the aim of producing a joint document that may open the way for a conference.
The UN’s aim is to capitalise on all that has been achieved over the four years of talks by incorporating it all in a 20-page document covering all aspects of the Cyprus problem and signed by both leaders.
This document will remain as a legacy to the next President who will be elected immediately after the Cyprus EU Presidency. The details of an overall solution could in the meantime be fleshed out during this current presidency.
As is known, President Christofias has publicly announced that he will not be running again, except if the Cyprus problem is near a solution. At a recent lunch he had with the ambassadors of EU member states, without referring to the possibility of there being an interim solution, he told them that the Cyprus problem cannot be solved now but that they would have to be continued by the next president. “I will not be a candidate, even though the party and others are pressuring me”, he said.
Diplomats who are closely following the Cyprus problem interpret this to mean that Christofias is already preparing the ground to stand again using as a slogan to be allowed to finish the talks. A politician who says he is being pressured to stand for election must be considered to be standing already.
After half a century of experience of the Cyprus problem, and especially after the last ten years, the international community is wise to the rules of the game that Cyprus’ politicians are playing – no president leaves power of his own accord, thereby admitting defeat. This particular president was elected with the mandate to solve the Cyprus problem. Continuing the talks is essential to his political survival.
The international community is willing to help him, but not, thanks to the experiences of the recent past, on empty promises alone, but with clear commitments. The talks can indeed be shelved for 9 months, but only if there is a clear intermediate commitment on the framework for a solution with the signature of both leaders.
As regards the international conference, the writer says that the UN seems determined to call the two sides to such a conference immediately after Greentree 2, in view of the fact that the Turkish side seems unable to discuss the territorial issue without the presence of Turkey, while Christofias refuses to discuss the property issue without the territorial issue being discussed in tandem.
He says the resolution renewing the UNFICYP resolution is not quite as the government spokesman interpreted it, namely that it would require the agreement of both sides to convene a conference. Yes, for a conference to take place both sides would have to agree. There is no way that anyone can force them to go. But this does not preclude the UN Secretary-General from inviting them to a conference. It would be up to them to accept or not. This is likely what will happen at Greentree 2, and given the Turkish position in favour of a conference, the dilemma will be Christofias’, who will have to decide whether to lead the talks to complete collapse, or to accept and find himself before the same dilemmas at a later stage.
Saturday 17 December 2011
Time is short, says UN S-G
The window of opportunity for further progress in negotiations is very much limited, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in New York at his end of year press conference this week.
“I believe that time is quite limited”, he added as Cyprus is going to take the Presidency of the European Union from 1 July next year.
“It may be politically difficult and sensitive, when the Presidency of the European Union is now going to be part of this. And practically speaking, the Presidency of the European Union will be heavily involved in all other European issues. Therefore, we are trying to maximize this progress in Cyprus”, he explained.
He said he would be spending two days with the two leader at Greentree in late January for “a more intensive consultation, negotiation, than the previous Greentree negotiations”.
“We hope that with the positive result of the January negotiations, we can move ahead towards the international conference to deal with these issues. But let us hope that, before they come to Greentree, both leaders must engage and make progress, accelerating their pace of negotiation”.
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 19 July 2012.
The Cyprus government described the resolution as sufficiently balanced.
“The resolution does not include the problematic provision, present in the first drafts, for convening an international conference without the prior achievement of an agreement on the internal aspects of the problem”, a spokesman said.
“The wording that was adopted and is included in the resolution’s preamble is based on the Secretary General’s statement at Green Tree, which sets as a precondition the resolution of the internal aspects of the problem, in order to be able to proceed to a multilateral conference”, he said.
He went on: “At the same time, the consent of the two sides for convening such a conference is added as a condition, a position which is in agreement with our side’s position on the specific issue. The resolution contains no form of timeframe. There is an appeal for further work towards the solution of the Cyprus problem in the next few months, a period for which the resolution has been approved. The importance of practical steps by interested parties on Cyprus is underlined, to assist the leaders of the two communities in the negotiations, a reference which indirectly refers to Turkey”.
Kibris reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, has said that five out of the six chapters of the Cyprus problem have been discussed.
He added that the Turkish Cypriot side had submitted a 50-page proposal on the property issue to the Greek Cypriot side and had informed them in a very clear manner about the criteria of the Turkish side on territory.
Eroglu claimed that the Greek Cypriots were exerting no effort toward reaching an agreement in this direction said that the Greek Cypriot side should exert at least as much effort as the Turkish Cypriot side in order for an agreement to be reached in the negotiations. He said that even though the chapters are not closed yet, they continue to have hopes.
Eroglu argued that they are taking some steps and try to achieve convergences. He added: “The important thing is to increase these convergences and finalize the chapters”.
“I believe that time is quite limited”, he added as Cyprus is going to take the Presidency of the European Union from 1 July next year.
“It may be politically difficult and sensitive, when the Presidency of the European Union is now going to be part of this. And practically speaking, the Presidency of the European Union will be heavily involved in all other European issues. Therefore, we are trying to maximize this progress in Cyprus”, he explained.
He said he would be spending two days with the two leader at Greentree in late January for “a more intensive consultation, negotiation, than the previous Greentree negotiations”.
“We hope that with the positive result of the January negotiations, we can move ahead towards the international conference to deal with these issues. But let us hope that, before they come to Greentree, both leaders must engage and make progress, accelerating their pace of negotiation”.
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 19 July 2012.
The Cyprus government described the resolution as sufficiently balanced.
“The resolution does not include the problematic provision, present in the first drafts, for convening an international conference without the prior achievement of an agreement on the internal aspects of the problem”, a spokesman said.
“The wording that was adopted and is included in the resolution’s preamble is based on the Secretary General’s statement at Green Tree, which sets as a precondition the resolution of the internal aspects of the problem, in order to be able to proceed to a multilateral conference”, he said.
He went on: “At the same time, the consent of the two sides for convening such a conference is added as a condition, a position which is in agreement with our side’s position on the specific issue. The resolution contains no form of timeframe. There is an appeal for further work towards the solution of the Cyprus problem in the next few months, a period for which the resolution has been approved. The importance of practical steps by interested parties on Cyprus is underlined, to assist the leaders of the two communities in the negotiations, a reference which indirectly refers to Turkey”.
Kibris reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, has said that five out of the six chapters of the Cyprus problem have been discussed.
He added that the Turkish Cypriot side had submitted a 50-page proposal on the property issue to the Greek Cypriot side and had informed them in a very clear manner about the criteria of the Turkish side on territory.
Eroglu claimed that the Greek Cypriots were exerting no effort toward reaching an agreement in this direction said that the Greek Cypriot side should exert at least as much effort as the Turkish Cypriot side in order for an agreement to be reached in the negotiations. He said that even though the chapters are not closed yet, they continue to have hopes.
Eroglu argued that they are taking some steps and try to achieve convergences. He added: “The important thing is to increase these convergences and finalize the chapters”.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Meeting on property “a failure”
President Christofias yesterday described his meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu as a “failure”, the Cyprus Mail reports.
Responding to a question on the meeting on his return to the Presidential Palace, the President replied: “Badly. We discussed the issue of properties and there is nothing to say.”
He added: “The meeting was a failure and we must let the people know, unfortunately.”
He elaborated on some of the sticking points on property, which the Greek Cypriot negotiating team has argued should be looked at alongside the question of territorial readjustments in a federal Cyprus.
He argued that during the last meeting with the UN chief in New York, it was decided to set up a committee to look into both these issues. However, “the Turkish Cypriot side is not responding”.
“We gave names, we are ready, we have found the necessary data for the issue of properties but unfortunately there is no response,” he added.
Asked about reports from New York that the British were working hard in the UN Security Council to push for an international conference on the Cyprus issue, Christofias said: “Things have changed.”
Cypriot diplomacy has taken the necessary steps, going as far up as British PM David Cameron, he said.
Regarding the UN Security Council’s upcoming resolution on the renewal of the UN peacekeeping force here, the President said the final draft would be “good” and “fair” and would “reflect what the UN Secretary-General has supported until now”.
Recent reports suggest British diplomats have been pushing for a provision in the resolution calling for an international conference before the internal aspects of a peace solution are agreed between the two communities, something which Christofias is vehemently against.
UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer also confirmed Christofias’ gloomy outlook.
“I think it’s fair to say the meeting was a fairly unsuccessful meeting. There was no progress made in terms of these discussions,” said.
“It is important to be frank with you. This meeting today could have been better. It was not a productive meeting and we look forward to next week’s meeting being much more productive.”
However, he added that the meeting was held in a very friendly atmosphere “as they invariably are”.
The Australian diplomat said the UN would meet with both leaders and their teams during the week to work on some of the issues.
Asked whether the two leaders will meet after the last scheduled meeting on January 9, Downer said this was a possibility since the date for another tripartite with the UN Secretary-General in New York has been set for January 22 until January 24.
However, he ruled out the possibility of cancelling the New York meeting in the Greentree complex should the leaders’ fail to make adequate progress.
He hoped that the meetings between the leaders, their representatives, between the UN and the two sides all “come together with some convergences on the core issues”.
He said he planned to discuss the issues of property, external relations, executive, territory and citizenship with the two sides during the course of this week.
But when asked to give an overall assessment of the peace talks, he revealed: “Overall, it could be going better. It could be going better.”
Responding to a question on the meeting on his return to the Presidential Palace, the President replied: “Badly. We discussed the issue of properties and there is nothing to say.”
He added: “The meeting was a failure and we must let the people know, unfortunately.”
He elaborated on some of the sticking points on property, which the Greek Cypriot negotiating team has argued should be looked at alongside the question of territorial readjustments in a federal Cyprus.
He argued that during the last meeting with the UN chief in New York, it was decided to set up a committee to look into both these issues. However, “the Turkish Cypriot side is not responding”.
“We gave names, we are ready, we have found the necessary data for the issue of properties but unfortunately there is no response,” he added.
Asked about reports from New York that the British were working hard in the UN Security Council to push for an international conference on the Cyprus issue, Christofias said: “Things have changed.”
Cypriot diplomacy has taken the necessary steps, going as far up as British PM David Cameron, he said.
Regarding the UN Security Council’s upcoming resolution on the renewal of the UN peacekeeping force here, the President said the final draft would be “good” and “fair” and would “reflect what the UN Secretary-General has supported until now”.
Recent reports suggest British diplomats have been pushing for a provision in the resolution calling for an international conference before the internal aspects of a peace solution are agreed between the two communities, something which Christofias is vehemently against.
UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer also confirmed Christofias’ gloomy outlook.
“I think it’s fair to say the meeting was a fairly unsuccessful meeting. There was no progress made in terms of these discussions,” said.
“It is important to be frank with you. This meeting today could have been better. It was not a productive meeting and we look forward to next week’s meeting being much more productive.”
However, he added that the meeting was held in a very friendly atmosphere “as they invariably are”.
The Australian diplomat said the UN would meet with both leaders and their teams during the week to work on some of the issues.
Asked whether the two leaders will meet after the last scheduled meeting on January 9, Downer said this was a possibility since the date for another tripartite with the UN Secretary-General in New York has been set for January 22 until January 24.
However, he ruled out the possibility of cancelling the New York meeting in the Greentree complex should the leaders’ fail to make adequate progress.
He hoped that the meetings between the leaders, their representatives, between the UN and the two sides all “come together with some convergences on the core issues”.
He said he planned to discuss the issues of property, external relations, executive, territory and citizenship with the two sides during the course of this week.
But when asked to give an overall assessment of the peace talks, he revealed: “Overall, it could be going better. It could be going better.”
Sunday 11 December 2011
Game of words
The discussions over the renewal of UNFICYP’s mandate are becoming crucial for the future outcome of the talks on the Cyprus problem, says Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis today. He adds that a game of words is being played and if it works out could lead to a solution, at least on paper.
The key battle being waged is over the phrase is “international conference” and in particular whether or not the UN S-G will be able to call one immediately after the upcoming meeting at Greentree on 20-22 January. It is evident that Ban Ki-moon’s intention is to cap the negotiating procedure by calling an international conference and what is occupying the diplomatic scene at the moment is whether or not he will be able to do so without the approval of the two sides.
The UN S-G has already signalled his intention to call an international conference at the meeting in Geneva last January to which Mr Christofias reacted saying he had no right to do so without approval of the two sides or the approval of the Security Council.
The writer says that according to information the paper has acquired, Ban Ki-moon has sought the opinion of the legal department of the UN and was told he could call an international conference on any issue without needing the agreement of the Security Council and it is up to the sides whether to respond positively or negatively. He said as much in his report on the progress of the talks in March this year when he said that when he deems that enough progress had been achieved in the main issues, and after consulting with the two sides, he could call a multilateral conference. This report, which was approved by the Security Council, leaves the decision up to the S-G. He could consult with the sides but their opinion is not binding.
The writer says that the UN had planned to include mention of heading towards a conference in the statement after the talks at GreenTree but Christofias reacted and it was taken out. However, that doesn’t mean that their intention had changed in any way. It seems that now the British and Americans are trying to have this included in resolution extending the UNFICYP mandate. In fact the Security Council is divided with the British and Americans wanted a clear reference to be made for an international conference, while France proposes something vaguer to the effect that it will be called if the sides approve. It is expected that some kind of compromise will be reached by Tuesday, otherwise the mandate won’t be renewed and the UN troops will have to leave, something highly unlikely. But it won’t be to the extent of removing the UN S-G’s right to call one if and when he deems suitable.
The Greek Cypriot side is hoping that the Security Council stops such an eventuality but its powers are limited. The most it can hope to achieve is to include the phrase “consultations with the two sides” but not as a precondition.
The population census conducted in the north is valid, says Politis.
The paper quotes UN sources as saying that both the methodology used for the census, which took place under UN supervision, as well as the results are reliable.
It was announced that the population in the TRNC us 295,000, including the foreign visitors, but excluding the Turkish army officers and personnel.
The paper says that the number sounds too small to be real, at least as regards the numbers of settlers from the mainland that the Greek Cypriots believe to be in the north. The census figures are also being doubted by the Turkish Cypriot opposition.
Commenting on the census before the figures were announced, President Christofias said this matter must be discussed in depth and that figures must be put on the table because “for us the 4:1 ratio is a very important issue”.
If the international community deems the figures to be valid, then the settler problem is not as great as was thought, and the 4:1 ration is possible in a new solution plan.
The key battle being waged is over the phrase is “international conference” and in particular whether or not the UN S-G will be able to call one immediately after the upcoming meeting at Greentree on 20-22 January. It is evident that Ban Ki-moon’s intention is to cap the negotiating procedure by calling an international conference and what is occupying the diplomatic scene at the moment is whether or not he will be able to do so without the approval of the two sides.
The UN S-G has already signalled his intention to call an international conference at the meeting in Geneva last January to which Mr Christofias reacted saying he had no right to do so without approval of the two sides or the approval of the Security Council.
The writer says that according to information the paper has acquired, Ban Ki-moon has sought the opinion of the legal department of the UN and was told he could call an international conference on any issue without needing the agreement of the Security Council and it is up to the sides whether to respond positively or negatively. He said as much in his report on the progress of the talks in March this year when he said that when he deems that enough progress had been achieved in the main issues, and after consulting with the two sides, he could call a multilateral conference. This report, which was approved by the Security Council, leaves the decision up to the S-G. He could consult with the sides but their opinion is not binding.
The writer says that the UN had planned to include mention of heading towards a conference in the statement after the talks at GreenTree but Christofias reacted and it was taken out. However, that doesn’t mean that their intention had changed in any way. It seems that now the British and Americans are trying to have this included in resolution extending the UNFICYP mandate. In fact the Security Council is divided with the British and Americans wanted a clear reference to be made for an international conference, while France proposes something vaguer to the effect that it will be called if the sides approve. It is expected that some kind of compromise will be reached by Tuesday, otherwise the mandate won’t be renewed and the UN troops will have to leave, something highly unlikely. But it won’t be to the extent of removing the UN S-G’s right to call one if and when he deems suitable.
The Greek Cypriot side is hoping that the Security Council stops such an eventuality but its powers are limited. The most it can hope to achieve is to include the phrase “consultations with the two sides” but not as a precondition.
The population census conducted in the north is valid, says Politis.
The paper quotes UN sources as saying that both the methodology used for the census, which took place under UN supervision, as well as the results are reliable.
It was announced that the population in the TRNC us 295,000, including the foreign visitors, but excluding the Turkish army officers and personnel.
The paper says that the number sounds too small to be real, at least as regards the numbers of settlers from the mainland that the Greek Cypriots believe to be in the north. The census figures are also being doubted by the Turkish Cypriot opposition.
Commenting on the census before the figures were announced, President Christofias said this matter must be discussed in depth and that figures must be put on the table because “for us the 4:1 ratio is a very important issue”.
If the international community deems the figures to be valid, then the settler problem is not as great as was thought, and the 4:1 ration is possible in a new solution plan.
Friday 9 December 2011
Time for decisions, not more talks
The lack of political will is the final obstacle to an agreed solution on the Cyprus problem, says Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis last Sunday. Acquiring it does not depend on any external factor. The two sides themselves must find the political courage, not just to solve the problem but to make sure it works. This seems to be how the UN sees the future of the talks, he adds.
According to a source involved in the talks, on the level of technocrats the talks are proceeding very well, but as soon as the issues reach the leaders they get blocked as a result of cowardice and lack of political will to break the deadlock.
The attempt of the Greek Cypriot side to play for time and if possible get the talks put on ice has not succeeded. The UN insist that the Green Tree talks were successful, but the commitment that Christofias and Eroglu undertook that in two months they will be able to bridge their differences on the main issues has not materialised in practice.
However, the UN are not watching with arms crossed. Alexander Downer is working on various scenarios in order not to leave a single stone unturned and to make sure that he has exhausted all possibilities for reaching an agreed solution or at least to be able to substantiate that federation is impossible. The UN have no intention of imposing a solution so that if the process fails it will not be the UN that failed but the two sides.
As Downer said in a recent interview on CyBC, what will be decided in the immediate future is whether or not federation is a possible solution or not.
“If there is deadlock then that will be the end of the search for a solution on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation”, he said.
Tuekey sees June 2012 as the deadline for a solution (including a referendum) due to Cyprus taking over the EU Presidency. The UN see things even more simply. If after three years of talks and almost 50 years since the collapse of the Zurich agreement and 40 years since the invasion, the issues have been discussed ad nauseam. It is no longer a question of talks but decisions.
As a Western diplomat remarked, it is interesting that every time the UN tries to push things forwards reactions are hysterical, whereas when the news is bad, this is accepted with relief. After the joint statement issued after Greentree which spoke of progress, panic ensued in Cyprus, but when Christofias gave assurances that “nothing’s happening”, everyone calmed down.
Irrespective of Eroglu’s stance, or whether Turkey is genuine or not, what has become blatantly obvious is that Christofias is afraid to take a step forward and is simply playing for tie. But time is running out and the margins for an agreed solution are tightening. While his interlocutors agree that Christofias doesn’t have a problem with federation per se, his political cowardice prevents him from taking further steps. In diplomacy intentions don’t count, actions do. Eight years since the 2004 referendum the UN have reached the same conclusion as the UN S-G Kofi Anan who said that the plan that the Greek Cypriots had rejected was not just some plan, it was federation itself. Tassos didn’t want it, Christofias does, but hasn’t got the guts. The result is the same.
Federation will be considered unfeasible for Cyprus and the next talks which will be held will be over straightening out the borders and outlining codes of cooperation between the two states.
According to a source involved in the talks, on the level of technocrats the talks are proceeding very well, but as soon as the issues reach the leaders they get blocked as a result of cowardice and lack of political will to break the deadlock.
The attempt of the Greek Cypriot side to play for time and if possible get the talks put on ice has not succeeded. The UN insist that the Green Tree talks were successful, but the commitment that Christofias and Eroglu undertook that in two months they will be able to bridge their differences on the main issues has not materialised in practice.
However, the UN are not watching with arms crossed. Alexander Downer is working on various scenarios in order not to leave a single stone unturned and to make sure that he has exhausted all possibilities for reaching an agreed solution or at least to be able to substantiate that federation is impossible. The UN have no intention of imposing a solution so that if the process fails it will not be the UN that failed but the two sides.
As Downer said in a recent interview on CyBC, what will be decided in the immediate future is whether or not federation is a possible solution or not.
“If there is deadlock then that will be the end of the search for a solution on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation”, he said.
Tuekey sees June 2012 as the deadline for a solution (including a referendum) due to Cyprus taking over the EU Presidency. The UN see things even more simply. If after three years of talks and almost 50 years since the collapse of the Zurich agreement and 40 years since the invasion, the issues have been discussed ad nauseam. It is no longer a question of talks but decisions.
As a Western diplomat remarked, it is interesting that every time the UN tries to push things forwards reactions are hysterical, whereas when the news is bad, this is accepted with relief. After the joint statement issued after Greentree which spoke of progress, panic ensued in Cyprus, but when Christofias gave assurances that “nothing’s happening”, everyone calmed down.
Irrespective of Eroglu’s stance, or whether Turkey is genuine or not, what has become blatantly obvious is that Christofias is afraid to take a step forward and is simply playing for tie. But time is running out and the margins for an agreed solution are tightening. While his interlocutors agree that Christofias doesn’t have a problem with federation per se, his political cowardice prevents him from taking further steps. In diplomacy intentions don’t count, actions do. Eight years since the 2004 referendum the UN have reached the same conclusion as the UN S-G Kofi Anan who said that the plan that the Greek Cypriots had rejected was not just some plan, it was federation itself. Tassos didn’t want it, Christofias does, but hasn’t got the guts. The result is the same.
Federation will be considered unfeasible for Cyprus and the next talks which will be held will be over straightening out the borders and outlining codes of cooperation between the two states.
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