What really happened at Greentree

What happened at Greentree was that President Christofias managed to buy some time, says Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis. The big decisions on the Cyprus problem have simply been postponed till the end of February when Alexander Downer will decide whether to call a multilateral conference.

Most observers in New York believe that the UN S-G will probably go ahead and call a multilateral conference leaving it up to each side to decide whether or not to attend. In fact the UN S-G was ready to do so at Greentree but agreed to allow for some more time in order to help Christofias.

As far as the UN is concerned, the prerequisites for calling a multilateral conference are already in place. The UN S-G himself said that only three issues remain to be settled – the election of the executive, the property issue and citizenship (the settlers). If it is true that just these three issues remain, then the UN is right, the Cyprus problem can be solved in a few hours. The fact that only these issues are being discussed before a final conference means that there are no other serious differences, and even these can be bridged.

The way a future President is elected is not a disagreement that can justifiably scupper the whole deal. The property issue has already been solved by the UN technocrats but is being kept open until the issue of territory is clarified, while the issue of the settlers is within the framework of maintaining the population ratios.

Thus the talks are within a hair’s breadth of reaching an agreement. Politically, however, an agreement is completely unrealistic. President Christofias has never admitted that there has been serious progress in the talks, nor has he ever done what the UN S-G had encouraged him to do, namely prepared the people for a solution, or even sought political alliances to help him work a solution. Instead, he is cultivating, even now, a climate of failure, or deadlock and mistrust of the other side, to such an extent that the people no longer trust him or his interlocutor. On the contrary, society is petrified of all the dangers that lie ahead.

Christofias went to Greentree with the National Council’s decision to say three ‘no’s’. Even though he had entered the endgame of the talks, he was still talking about not having asphyxiating deadlines and arbitration.

As expected, the Turkish side, aware of Christofias’ public reluctance to go to the next stage, came with specific proposals on all three open issues.They proposed that the system of cross-voting for the Senate (which elects the President) should come into force after 9 years (the UN believes they would be willing to come down to five, ie after its second term). On the property issue they submitted a package which conforms with the study of the UN experts. On citizenship they presented the recent population census which the UN accepted as valid.

Christofias discussed the question of the election of the President, extensively and some progress was achieved. He announced he was unprepared to discuss the property issue and used as an excuse the Turkish side’s delay in submitting data. On being pressured by the S-G to reply, he said he wanted time to think and study the data in Cyprus. He also said he did not want the talks to end in failure. Ban Ki-moon’s intention was to either call a multilateral conference or declare a failure. In the end a compromise was found giving Christofias the extra time and Eroglu the indirect date for a conference.

The S-G’s reference to the UN Security Council resolutions is just a sweetening of the pill in order to allow Christofias to handle the situation in Cyprus. According to the paper’s sources in New York, the UN S-G will call a confence without the prior approval of the Security Council. The UN Secretariat has received legal advice confirming that the UN S-G does not require approval for the initiatives he takes. Of course, holding such a conference does presuppose the approval of the two sides in the sense that he cannot order them to attend, but can only invite them and they can refuse if they choose.

Christofias, however, has said that he believes that the talks will continue even during the time of the EU presidency, which shows his lack of political judgement and how disconnected he is with reality.

In an opinion piece, Makarios Droushiotis says that the Cyprus problem is on a knife’s edge. The whole of the international community wants a soution before Cyprus takes on the EU presidency. The collective hullaballou might serve the internal political game as it has been played since the 30s, but all this shouting and negativity has resulted in us step by step losing half of Cyprus and now preparing to legalise partition under the worst possible terms.

A solution in the immediate future is unfeasible because there is no leader willing to bear the responsibility or accept the challenges and the risks and lead society into a new era. Eight years ago Christofias told us he just wanted two or three changes to the Annan plan, now he is talking of no timeframes and has become the laughing stock of diplomatic circles.

Christofias is not up to this task and is hiding behind the mantra of no asphyxiating timeframes. But events have passed us by. The European Union, irrespective of Turkey’s EU course, is fed up of the Cyprus problem. The German representative at the Security Council during Downer’s briefing, linked the talks with the EU presidency. But his statement was suppressed, while all the political parties attacked Downer, the British and the Americans, because that’s what they have been trained to do for decades now.

Christofias’ claim that he can control the procedure through the Security Council is yet another sign of his ignorance of international politics.

Turkey without trying too hard has managed to persuade everyone that it is in a hurry for a solution, while the Director General of our Foreign Ministry was rushing over to the State Department to explain why we didn’t want a multilateral conference and deadlines. The scene is set for them to put the blame squarely on us.

The only ones able to save us are the West and Downer, who is going to write the report on the failure of the UN initiative and decide on our future. It would be wise to try to prove Davutoglu’s predictions wrong regarding the recognition or semi recognition of the north. Our politicians are trying tooth and nail to prove him right. The tragedy is that we mistake this cannibalism for the national struggle.

The Sunday Mail’s satirical column Coffeeshop says that paranoid hysteria and mass anxiety spread like a cholera epidemic among the Cyprob warriors, as soon as Ban Ki-moon finished reading the statement about the failure of the Greentree meeting and the timeframes he had set for the completion of the talks and for the holding of the colossally undesirable multilateral conference.

Within minutes, the knives were out for the bungling village idiot, who, despite being strengthened by the three ‘nos’ sanctioned by the National Council, failed to utter a single one of them (or if he did, he was ignored) when Ban set his timeframes for the conclusion of the talks.You almost felt sorry for the comrade as his embarrassingly moronic plan for ‘never-ending talks despite his sincere wish for an agreement’ collapsed and now he has to wear an oxygen mask to cope with the asphyxiating timeframes and double his police guard because the bash-patriotic warriors are baying for his blood. Two of them have already called for his resignation, while others have demanded that he should step aside and allow someone else to be our side’s negotiator.

Being the coward that he is, the comrade has gone into hiding since the Ban statement, leaving his Akel flunkeys to take the heat and defend his incompetence, as happened after the Mari blast. He may even address the nation this week and announce the appointment of an investigating committee to establish who was politically responsible for the Greentree fiasco.

The comrade spoke briefly to Cypriot hacks, immediately after Ban’s shocker, and defiantly told them that there was no timeframe for a multilateral conference. Ban was merely expressing his intention to call a conference but only under certain conditions, he claimed, which meant ‘late April or early May’ was not a timeframe.

The real timeframe was at the end of March when Ban would ask Big Bad Al if there was adequate progress to call a conference and Al would answer affirmatively, on the grounds that there would never be any progress in the talks and because the EU wants a settlement, at all costs, before Cyprus takes over the EU presidency.

This was evident, when Big Bad Al briefed the members of the Security Council about the Greentree meeting. Germany’s representative was extremely pushy telling Al to get on with it and make sure there was a deal by the end of June, because the EU does not want to have to deal with the intractable problems that would arise if a divided Cyprus took over the presidency.

The comrade gave instructions that no mention of what the German representative had said was included in the report sent to Cyprus foreign ministry about the Security Council meeting. He did not want anyone in Kyproulla to know that his friend Angela Merkel fully supported the timeframes and the multilateral conference.

Since Greentree, the presidential camp has been engaging in the only thing it knows how to do – propaganda, claiming that there were no timeframes, and that the attacks on the great leader were motivated by “political expediencies and personal ambitions, while the national interest is relegated to secondary importance.”

Meanwhile the bash-patriots have been out in force creating Annan plan conditions, in preparation for the multilateral conference. The only risk is that the paranoid hysteria may have peaked too soon. Big Bad Al whom we all love to hate, has become the target of universal abuse, vilified as a totally biased Turk-lover that eats Greek babies for breakfast, garnished with tomatoes illegally imported from Turkey.

All the parties have been demanding that he be replaced immediately, because he is to blame for everything. Meanwhile the bash-patriotic tree-hugger Perdikis has undertaken a brave initiative. He has been in contact with all the parties in order to persuade them to support a House of Representatives’ resolution, declaring Downer “untrustworthy and undesirable.” The resolution will follow a debate in the House on Thursday about “the dark role played by Downer in the Cyprus problem.”

The Greek Cypriot side’s proposals revealed

The Greek Cypriot sides wants the return of Morphou, Famagusta and the line that connects the two towns including villages like Asha, Vatyli, Lysi, and Kontea, as well as part of the Karpas peninsula, Sigma TV station reveals.

The Greek Cypriot side proposes that the territorial adjustments should be such that in all 100,000 refugees would be able to return under Greek Cypriot administration, something that would in turn also greatly facilitate the property issue. In essence that would leave the question of how the property of 60,000 Greek Cypriot refugees under Turkish Cypriot administration would be sorted out.

Furthermore, the Greek Cypriot side wants that after a transitional period all Cypriots should be able to enjoy the four freedoms without exception. In other words, a Greek Cypriot should be able to buy a house or open a business in Kyrenia, with the only difference being that he would not have the right to vote in Kyrenia so as not to affect the balance in the Turkish Cypriot federated state.

The Greek Cypriot side has set a ceiling of 50,000 to the number of Turkish settlers who would remain and become citizens of the United Republic of Cyprus, as Sigma calls it.

As regards the question of the executive power, President Christofias made it clear that if Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu does not reaffirm what had previously been agreed with Talat, namely the rotating presidency with weighted cross-voting, he would go back to the previous Greek Cypriot position of Greek Cypriot president and Turkish Cypriot vice president.

Finally, the Greek Cypriot side under no circumstances will accept that the solution become EU primary law, as the Turkish side wants.

Sigma goes on to say that there was high drama just before the UN S-G made his statement and the precondition for calling a multilateral conference was added only after President Christofias’ insistence. Moreover, according to a diplomatic source, President Christofias made it clear to Ban Ki-moon that if he ignores the Security Council resolutions and our side’s positions and proceeds to call a multilateral conference, then he will call on the countries in the Security Council that support Cyprus not to adopt any of his reports again and even adopt a resolution that exposes him. The source added that the S-G assured him that he has no intention of ignoring the Security Council resolutions on Cyprus.

Comments on Greentree 2

President Christofias in a statement after the end of the Greentree 2 meetings, said that, while the agreement to exchange data is progress, in essence no progress had been achieved.

He said that many discussions were held during the meetings with the Secretary General without any progress being achieved. “The two sides insist on their positions”, he said.

However, he expressed satisfaction that the UN Secretary-General’s statement included their concern that any progress achieved should be significant progress, which would solve the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem, as provided by the Security Council resolutions, before discussing the possibility of convening an international conference.

On the question of government he said the differences were not just on the election of the executive power, but also on foreign relations, international relations, and the issue of the air space.

He said the two sides must exchange specific and significant data concerning the property issue and, at the same time, discuss the territory issue.

“Not necessarily to present maps”, he said. “This is not what we are asking. We are asking for the Turkish Cypriot side’s intention as regards our basic demand for territorial adjustments. Namely, that 100,000 refugees since 1974 ought to be offered the possibility to return under Greek Cypriot administration and to have full ownership of their properties. This will greatly help us discuss with an open mind and heart the issue of property, which concerns the areas that will remain under Turkish Cypriot administration”.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot side did submit some data on property outside the deadline that had been set, which can be found on the internet. A commitment had been undertaken by the two sides at the first meeting at Greentree to create a committee which would discuss specific data confidentially but unfortunately the Turkish side did not respond.

He stressed that the property issue had been linked to the territorial issue throughout the discussions and gave credit to the Secretary General because in all of his interventions and positions, as well as in those of his aides and team, the connection of the territorial and the property issues had been emphasized.

President Christofias said he had made it clear to the Secretary-General, as was decided at the National Council, that a timeframe for the international conference is not acceptable.

He added that the Secretary-General in his statement expresses his intention to call a conference under certain specific preconditions, namely that there is important progress, which will meet with the Greek Cypriot side’s approval and which will be recorded by Mr Downer.

“We will have a say, and the Secretary-General will consult with us on whether this progress exists and on whether a conference will be convened, always under the precondition set by the UN Security Council, namely that the position of the Secretary-General will be consistent with the last resolution as well as with all the other UN resolutions regarding the convening of an international conference”.

The Turkish Cypriot side expressed mild satisfaction at the outcome of the Greentree Summit yesterday, saying they were leaving New York having achieved much of what they’d set out to do, the Cyprus Mail reports.

“If the Special Representative’s report at the end of March is positive, Ban will call for the five-way conference to take place in late April or early May,” Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu’s special representative Kudret Ozersay said immediately after the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave his assessment of the summit yesterday.

“As the Secretary General pointed out, this will happen whether or not the Greek Cypriots oppose it with the excuse that all internal issues had not been resolved,” he added. "We leave this summit having achieved what we came for."

The Turkish Cypriot side had stated before the summit that getting a date for a multi-party conference would be seen as a major breakthrough, as it would herald the final stage of the talks ahead of a referendum. Although a date is still conditional on the special advisors report, Eroglu believes that “the conference is closer to happening today than it was yesterday”.

The representative seemed less pleased however with how the Turkish Cypriot side’s proposals on property, citizenship and the electoral system had been received by the Greek Cypriots, saying that “if they had been better received, there would have been more progress”.

“We thought our proposals would be acceptable to the Greek Cypriot side and that we’d be able to bridge the differences. The UN thought so too,” he added.

Eroglu’s spokesman Osman Ertug echoed Ozersay’s assessment but told the Cyprus Mail that Christofias and his team had refused to even read the documents presented by the Turkish Cypriot team.

“They politely accepted them and said ‘we’ll read them when we get back to Cyprus’. This is nothing more than a delaying tactic,” he said.

As Ban Ki-moon was making statements in New York, in Nicosia Greek Cypriot politicians were busy slamming UN envoy Alexander Downer for supposedly referring to the ‘Greek Cypriot’ EU presidency’ rather than using either the ‘Cyprus’ presidency or the Republic of Cyprus’ presidency’, says an article in the Cyprus Mail.

House President and leader of socialists EDEK Yiannakis Omirou denounced the comment saying it was unacceptable, and flagrantly violated all the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Cyprus, the UN Charter, international law rules and the principles and values of the EU.

DIKO described Downer as the “great subverter” and called for his immediate removal otherwise the UN would be in a difficult position when it came to safeguarding their credibility and impartiality.

AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said the comment was not accidental as Downer knew well that it was the Republic taking over the presidency.
However, the official transcript of Downer’s remark, obtained by the Cyprus Mail, the UN envoy made it clear he was only referring to the ‘Greek Cypriots’ in the context under which they are referred to by the UN in the negotiations.

He said: “… I think it’s very important that the two leaders do make substantial progress and as you know the Greek Cypriots take over the presidency of the European Union on the 1st of July. This will be a major responsibility for them. I know the whole of the European Union, that’s 26 other countries including some very big countries, will be looking to the Greek Cypriots, as we say in the context of these negotiations, to carry forward the presidency of the European Union.”

Former President George Vasiliou sees the two week deadline for progress in Cyprus, not as pressure on us, but as pressure on Turkey.

“As long as Downer's report says there is progress and if the progress is consistent with the Security Council resolutions, only then will he consider a multinational conference”, he said in an interview on Sigma television.

“Downer has a responsibility to write a report which shows that any progress that has been made has been consistent with the Security Council resolutions. What is Downer going to do if the Turkish side insists, as it has been, on two states, two air spaces, two this and two that? What can he say?”

Asked if this new scenario of a two week deadline, an upgraded role for Downer and the looming threat of a multinational conference scares him, he replied:

“What scares me is that 37 years have passed without a solution and voices are being heard today saying, since we've waited 37 years, we might as well wait for another 37 years”.

He said we must understand that time is working against us. As long as the international community supports the principles that President Makarios and subsequently the whole of the political leadership for a federal solution, we must take advantage of this support, otherwise the result will be destructive for Cyprus. “I can't stress this enough", he said.

Referring to the upgraded role of Alexander Downer, he said “we must stop always blaming third parties. It used to be de Cuellar, then Ghali, then de Soto. Things aren't like that. We have to stay steady on our positions and be persuasive”.

What has changed, he said, is that pressure on Turkey has increased. When the interviewer asked, whether the pressure was on our side because of the deadline, he said it isn’t to our advantage not to have a solution. Asked what if we're pressured to agree to a bad solution, he said that a bad solution was relative.

“There are many people who don't want federation”, he went on. “Let them say so openly. And let the people decide. Do you know what not wanting federation means? It doesn't mean partition as many believe. It means that our grandchildren will not live in a Greek Cyprus”.

President Christofias was partially correct in predicting that nothing would come of the talks in Greentree. There was no breakthrough in the deadlocked procedure while the progress achieved, according to the UN Secretary-General, was ‘limited’ despite the ‘intensive and robust’ discussions, says the Cyprus Mail in its editorial today.

What did come out of ‘Greentree 2’ was a change of peace procedure, as the three ‘nos’ Christofias was authorised to utter by the National Council were ignored by Ban Ki-moon. He set definite time-frames for the completion of the talks and the holding of a multilateral conference and implicitly offered UN mediation - if not arbitration - to assist the sides to bridge their differences.

Christofias was extremely naive if he seriously thought that he would be able to secure Ban’s agreement for the indefinite continuation of the talks at Greentree. In fact, Ban’s frustration and loss of patience with the two sides was blatantly obvious in the statement he read out yesterday. The diplomatic wording could not conceal this frustration with Christofias and Eroglu, who had ignored his urging ‘to make decisive moves’ that would pave the way to a settlement.

He would no longer be directly involved in the procedure – there was no mention of any other meeting with the leaders – leaving everything in the hands of his Special Advisor Alexander Downer, who would decide if there was adequate progress by March to justify the calling of a multi-lateral conference in late April or early May.
As Ban stressed, it was down to the leaders to ‘make the decisive steps to move to a final agreement.’ In what was a clear dig at Christofias he said: ‘At this stage of the talks, to maintain the momentum and continue negotiations even in an intensive manner, is not enough.’

The only thing, Ban did not mention in yesterday’s statement is what would happen if Downer reports in March that the leaders did not make the decisive steps, the differences in the core issues remained and that a multi-lateral conference would be pointless. In statements made yesterday, the Turkish side took the view that the failure by Ban to call a multilateral conference by May would signal the end of the procedure.
This interpretation is not unjustified, given that Ban has repeatedly spoken about the ‘endgame’ while also informing Christofias and Eroglu, more recently, that ‘talks have entered the final phase’. Christofias remained oblivious to all these messages, assuring journalists, last night, that there was no time-frame for a multi-lateral conference.

But he conveniently failed to mention the time-frame for the end of the peace procedure.

Road map for Cyprus endgame laid out

The UN Secretary-General intends to call a multilateral conference on Cyprus either late April or early May, following consultations with the two sides and a review of the process from his Special Advisor, Alexander Downer.

Speaking at the end of two day of meetings he had at Greentree, New York, with the leaders of the two communities of Cyprus, the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, announced that the two sides have agreed to complete the exchange of data on property within the next two weeks.

He will then be providing a report to the Security Council on the status of the negotiations at the end of February and at the end of March he will seek a review of the process from his Special Advisor, Alexander Downer.

“If his report is positive, consistent with the relevant Security Council resolutions and following consultations with the two sides, I intend to call a multilateral conference either late April or early May”, the Secretary-General said.

He said the two sides came to Greentree with the three main challenges to resolve – the election of the executive, property and citizenship.

“I asked the leaders to use this time to make decisive moves. Discussions over these days were robust and intensive although limited progress was achieved”.

He stressed that at this stage of the talks to maintain the momentum and continue negotiations, even in an intensive manner, is not enough and that he has urged the leaders to take decisive steps to move to a final agreement.

He also reminded the leaders that this process is Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led. “The UN is not here to impose solutions upon the sides” he added.

Mr Ban Ki-moon concluded by saying that the United Nations remains convinced that it is in the interest of all Cypriots to reach a durable settlement.

“My Special Advisor and his team have been doing their utmost to assist the process. They remain ready to assist the sides in this important task”, he said.

Greentree talks were “intensive”

The UN Secretary-General spent six hours with the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus at Greentree yesterday, his Special Advisor of on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, said.

He told the press that the discussions focused on three of the core issues - the executive, property and citizenship.

“I think the best way to describe the talks today is that they have been intensive right from the very beginning”, he said.

After the Secretary-General left, Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the United Nations, and Downer himself, had further discussions with the two leaders and their teams, again focusing on these core issues.

“There is clearly still ground to cover in order to make for a successful outcome for this meeting and we look forward to a constructive day tomorrow”.

Downer added that the Secretary-General made his expectations clear that he is looking for the leaders to make decisive moves. He also reminded the two leaders that they must keep the big vision of a United Cyprus in their sights.

The Secretary-General will return today for a working lunch and then he will conduct meetings throughout the afternoon, spending another six hours or so with the leaders and their teams. In the evening he will be taking the two leaders and their spouses to Manhattan for a social dinner. He will hold a press conference on.

Asked about whether the two sides had provided outlines and data as the UN had requested, Mr Downer replied that “data is being provided and that has been important”. He added that the UN had seen the outlines and discussed them with the two sides.
He also said that Cyprus taking over the presidency of the European Union was a heavy responsibility as the whole of the EU, 26 other countries, including some very big countries, will be looking to the Greek Cypriots to carry forward the presidency.

“We need to try to aim to get this job done before then”, he said.

Asked why the question of territory was left out of the discussion, Downer explained that both sides have agreed that the final question of maps and figures that specifically defines the territorial boundary between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot federated unitary constituent states will be decided in the period leading up to an international conference.

“But that is not to say that discussions of territory don’t ever cross the lips of any of the participants. Of course there are discussions about property and territory and the relationship between them. As far as the United Nations is concerned, there are no rules barring people from discussing things. People can raise whatever they like. Whether decisions will be made is another question”.

Downer concluded by saying that the job of the United Nations is to urge the leaders to make agreements.

“We cannot do it for them and it’s very important that people understand this. We can’t want this agreement more than the two sides of this debate in Cyprus want it”, he said.

“Ultimately this is a matter for them. They have said throughout this process, since it began, that they wanted it to be Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led. We are not here therefore to own and to lead it, we are here to help. The success or failure of this process rests on the shoulders of the Cypriot leaders themselves. The longer this issue drags on the harder it is to solve”.

“We urged the leaders to seize this important opportunity to make real and substantial progress toward a settlement reunifying the island as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation”, the US State Department said in a statement yesterday.

In statements to Turkish Cypriot news agency before the meeting in New York yesterday, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis, Eroglu described the summit as “turning point”.

He said the Turkish Cypriot side has conveyed numbers on property and citizenship to the UN, as requested by the UN S-G in his letter of 6 January 2012.

He added that except for the issue of guarantees all other issues would be discussed during the summit especially those of property and the election of president. He said that the map and the numbers on the territory issue will be discussed at the very end and after a date for a multilateral conference has been set, and that the UN Secretary-General has been committed to this in a report he submitted to the Security Council. Eroglu said that they would ask the UN Secretary-General to set a date for a multilateral conference.



Referring to the issue of the cross-voting, Eroglu said that they had told the Greek Cypriot side during the first summit at Green Tree that the cross-voting could have no relation with the rotating presidency.

Eroglu said that President Christofias has been setting conditions and asking for the return of Morphou or the Karpass in order to negotiate.

He
also said there would be greater understanding Christofias realizes that his interlocutors are the Turkish Cypriots. 



If no solution is reached by 1 July, when Cyprus takes over the EU presidency, the UN Secretary-General will report to the Security Council whether a solution can be found to the Cyprus problem or not with his good offices mission. Negotiations after 1 July would be meaningless, he added.

“The negotiations have been going on for 43 years. There is no meaning in extending negotiations that lasted so long. There is no aspect of the Cyprus problem that has not been discussed. What is needed is the will for a solution”, he said.

The Turkish Cypriot side does not want a solution to be imposed in Cyprus either, Kudret Ozersay, special advisor of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said.

He said the Turkish Cypriot side is stressing the need to hold a multilateral conference on the Cyprus problem, not because it wants an imposed solution. 



”The Turkish Cypriot side does not want an imposed solution either. But if we do not complete all the elements of this last stage and we delay the solution of the Cyprus problem, the passage of time will impose another solution on us. When you run away from what you call imposed solution, you impose another solution on yourself, because of time.

He added that the Greek Cypriot side should understand that life goes on, and from the point of view of property, the economy, citizenships, generations change. 



Asked why they had arrived one day earlier in New York, Ozersay said that he had had meetings with the UN Secretary-General’s deputy for political affairs and his advisors and with permanent representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. He noted that these were preparatory meetings aiming at sounding things out before the tripartite summit, understanding what the intention of the UN was, sharing some views and putting forward the “determination of the Turkish Cypriot side regarding the solution of the Cyprus problem”.



“We saw that the UN is determined. I hope that these will turn into some concrete steps, that real negotiations will be held at Greentree and that these will bring concrete results”, he added.

Bridging documents and the total failure of Denktash

1. Bridging documents
Press reports from New York say that the UN have prepared a special bridging document which they will present to the two sides during the Greentree meetings.

Politis says that the two sides have not yet exchanged the 20 page documents they were supposed to have prepared, nor have they even handed anything over to the UN itself. According to a report on CyBC, the Greek Cypriot side hasn’t even prepared a document in view of the fact that the Turkish Cypriot side had gone back on previously agreed points.

Politis reports that the UN will focus on three subjects during the meeting. They will try to bridge the overall framework for a solution, they will try to clarify the Turkish Cypriot positions on government and weighted vote, and will try to achieve progress on the property issue. Christofias has said that progress on the property issue would be a prerequisite for the talks reaching an agreement on the framework for a solution.


Rauf Denktash, together with Archbishop Makarios, has left an indelible mark on the history of Cyprus, which shaped the political realities of our country such as they are today, says Makarios Droushiotis writing in the Sunday Mail and Politis.

Eloquent, sharp, hard-working and goal-oriented, it was he who transformed the Muslim population of Cyprus into a Turkish population. While Denktash has been portrayed as the villain in the Greek Cypriot press for his part in the island’s history, in reality, Denktash would never have accomplished much on his own.

Denktash did for his community what Makarios did for the Greek Cypriots. The former sought partition, the latter Enosis (union with Greece). Makarios backed EOKA, while Denktash supported the TMT organisation. Fighters or terrorists, depending on the point of view.

When Denktash began his struggle, the Turkish Cypriots were a minority. By the time he was done, the Turkish Cypriots had become a community of equal political standing with the Greek Cypriots and partners in the bi-communual Republic of Cyprus.

Today, it is a well-documented fact that Makarios signed the Zurich agreements so that he could return to Cyprus as president and subsequently revise the agreements in order to restore the balance to the pre-EOKA period: a majority and a minority.

Denktash read this, and saw the opportunity to gamble for more than what he had won in Zurich. In 1963 Makarios proposed 13 amendments to the Constitution, ostensibly to make it more functional. He had ulterior motives, obviously. Once the system established by the Zurich agreements collapsed, both sides were ready for a new showdown.

Refusing to settle for Greek hegemony, Denktash sought vigorously to turn the tables by integrating Cyprus into broader regional politics. Through their connection to Turkey, the Turkish Cypriots – once a minority – became a majority in the region.
Denktash rejected the concept of a common ancestry; as he once put it, the only truly Cypriot species on the island was the native donkey. To him, the separation of the Greek and Turkish populaces was a lifelong dream, and he succeeded in realising it.
The Turkish deep state was Denktash’s most steadfast ally in this long-running conflict.

Yet it was Greek Cypriot nationalism which did the most to aid his cause. The Greek Cypriot leadership, the church, the media and the education system were all constantly fuelling his ideological struggle. Denktash never wanted for raw material. He could speak and read Greek, and every morning studied the Cypriot press so he knew his adversary inside-out. By contrast, his Greek Cypriot opponents were ignorant about the Turkish Cypriot community. Because of their ignorance, they criminally underestimated the role of Turkey.

One of the core myths of this ignorance, which prevented the Greek Cypriot side from a rational analysis of Turkish policy, was that Turkish policy on Cyprus was monolithic and unwavering.
In reality, Denktash had not always been the favoured son of the Turkish state. He became that along the way, and he had Greek Cypriot nationalism to thank for it. At the beginning of his political career in the 1950s, Denktash had ties to the regime of Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, with whose help he set up the TMT organisation. The independence of Cyprus in 1960 coincided with a coup in Turkey. Menderes was arrested, sentenced to death and hanged. Denktash then found himself sidelined, and the government of Mustafa Inonu - who supported the implementation of the Zurich agreements in Cyprus - tried without success to disarm the TMT.

Following the events of 1963 the Turkish government forced Denktash into self-exile in Turkey. 1964 was a dramatic year for Cyprus. Georgios Grivas returned to the island. A Greek army division was despatched to Cyprus to keep Makarios' overtures to Moscow in check, while Turkey looked the other way.

After three years in exile, in 1967 Denktash tried to illegally re-enter Cyprus with the help of the army. He was arrested, held at the old mental hospital (at what is now the site of the planned Qatari investment) and finally deported to Turkey, even though he was a Cypriot citizen. To the Turkish Cypriots, he was already a hero.

The next wave of hostilities that broke out in Kofinou in November 1967 led to a reshuffling of the deck. The Greek division was sent packing, and Denktash returned to the island, legally this time. His reception at Inonu Square marked the largest mass gathering in the history of the Turkish Cypriot community.

In 1968 Denktash began talks with Glafcos Clerides aimed at resolving the Cyprus dispute on the basis of the Zurich agreements.

In 1973 Denktash became the leader of the Turkish Cypriots.
The coup of 15 July 1974 that was engineered by the Greek junta changed the situation radically. July 20 1974 was the most important day in Denktash’s life. The Turkish army gained a foothold in Cyprus, forcing out the Greek population from the northern part of the island. It was out of the ashes of this tragedy that Denktash forged his empire. The Turkish state in Cyprus, with or without quotation marks or the prefix "pseudo", became a de facto reality. Makarios, himself in exile in London, proposed an immediate return to the Zurich agreements, but Denktash got his own back by responding that the agreement was now inapplicable. It was his turn to play for time. Denktash's vision from 1974 until his death was the international recognition of the "state".

The status quo became the new point of convergence between the nationalists in Cyprus. Greek Cypriot leaders would continue their "unyielding" struggle, while Denktash enjoyed the fruits of "independence" and would assume the position he always craved as part of the leading clique of the Turkish deep state.

Denktash became the hero of Turkish policy, much like Makarios had been for Greece in the 1950s and 1960s. But the abscess ruptured in the early 2000s when the Turkish Cypriots rose up, having realised after decades of self-delusion that they had no future in a pseudo-state that was under Turkey's shadow. They wanted to be partners in a true European state.

From his office, Denktash could hear the roar of the crowds demanding a solution and accession to the EU, and saw his own vision shaken to its core; the deep state was also being questioned in Turkey itself with the rise of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Greek Cypriot leadership at the time persisted in a static analysis of developments, convinced that the clash between Erdogan and Denktash was a PR gimmick. In reality, they dreaded any developments and sought out the safety of the status quo. Tassos Papadopoulos, with the support of Demetris Christofias, fiercely resisted any attempt at tearing down the wall. While everyone else was living a dream of reconciliation and reunification, Denktash, who was extremely savvy of Cypriot politics, predicted that "this honeymoon will not last long".

The year 2004 was the most critical juncture in Denktash's career. For the first time he and the Turkish generals were unable to impose their policies on the Turkish government, and yet Papadopoulos and Christofias continued to speak of PR games.
Not having got wind that changes were afoot in Turkey, Papadopoulos and Christofias wagered on Denktash's intransigence and negativity. When things turned out very differently, they were already trapped at Burgenstock, whereas Denktash refused to attend so as to avoid a clash with Turkey.

The nationalist camp panicked. Instead of conducting negotiations, as he had committed to in writing, Papadopoulos talked to Serdar Denktash behind the scenes in a bid to jointly block the process. Eventually, Papadopoulos found an outlet by tapping into people's fears, and with Christofias' support he maintained the status quo.

Denktash, always a straight talker, expressed his admiration for Papadopoulos, even thanking him in public: "Papadopoulos saved us, and for that I thank him."

At Denktash's funeral, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said of the man that he was "one of the true heroes borne of our nation".
A vindication of the deceased? When it comes to eulogies, perhaps yes, but history is a different matter. In nations such as ours, heroes who brought about national disasters are a dime a dozen, whereas fighters are treated as traitors.
What did Turkey gain from Denktash's policies? Nothing whatsoever. She lost far more than the conquest of a third of the island. Cyprus neither has the strategic value which was once attributed to it, nor did it ever become the unsinkable NATO aircraft carrier - a myth peddled for decades - nor did it add anything of strategic value in the region.

Cyprus is like a stone in the shoe of a giant, constantly nagging at the giant who is unable to remove his shoe and discard it, because the giant (or Turkey) is incapable of abolishing its own national myth. And the threat of partition for the sake of compromise that would salvage Turkish pride is no longer considered a hazard by Greek Cypriots, but rather as security. That which Greek Cypriot nationalists consider to be Denktash's total success, once you scratch the surface you realise, is his total failure. And theirs.

It’ll take a miracle, says Christofias

It would take a miracle for the New York talks to succeed, President Christofias said in London en route to the Greentree meetings with the UN Secretary-General, the latest effort to solve the Cyprus problem.

Speaking at a meeting with Turkish Cypriots in London, Christofias was pessimistic as to the prospects for the meeting.

He said serious differences between the two sides persisted and no real negotiations were taking place. “We don’t negotiate in fact,” Christofias said. “I don’t believe in miracles but anyway, maybe a miracle will happen at Greentree Two … I hope so.”

He said that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu had reneged on his pledge to continue the talks from the point they had left off with his predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat.

Upon arrival in New York later, Christofias said there was no chance of the Greek Cypriot side agreeing to an international conference without prior agreement on the basic aspects of the Cyprus problem.

He rejected Turkish Cypriot charges that Greek Cypriots were stalling, adding that the way will open if the Turkish side showed good will and honoured what had been agreed.

The UN Secretary-General is looking forward to a productive meeting with the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, the UN said last night.

The meetings at Greentree will be held on Monday and Tuesday,
the second meeting between the two leaders and the UN chief there and the fifth time that the Secretary-General is meeting with Mr. Christofias and Mr. Eroglu in the framework of the Cyprus negotiations.

“The United Nations is providing all possible support to these Cypriot-led negotiations. The Secretary-General looks forward to a productive meeting and concrete progress,” the spokesperson added.

Ban has conveyed his expectations to the leaders for a resolution of the issue. “He believes that with political will and firm commitment the two leaders can and should reach a much-needed settlement on Cyprus”, the spokesperson concluded.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called on the two Cypriot leaders to show the necessary political will and use the opportunity at the forthcoming Greentree meeting for the reunification of Cyprus.

“I share the assessment of the Secretary-General that a window of opportunity currently exists and that an agreement is possible,” Barroso said.

He further said that the two leaders and the United Nations could continue to count on the European Commission's full support.

“All Cypriots, the European Union and the entire region will benefit from a united Cyprus,” Barroso said.

National Council and Denktash funeral

The National Council convened on Monday and set the framework for the way the Greek Cypriot side will handle the forthcoming Greentree meeting on the Cyprus problem.

“The framework includes the non-acceptance of deadlines, arbitration, or the convening of an international conference without agreement on the core issues related to the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem,” said government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou, in a rare joint statement following the three-hour all-party meeting. “For convening such a conference the consent of both sides is required”.

Stefanou stated that there had been a consensus among most of the parties, however, there were some differing opinions particularly regarding the holding of an international conference.

“When we have the support of the National Council on the talks, the president becomes even more powerful,” added Stefanou.

The statement added that from President Christofias’ briefing it was clear that no progress had been made since the two leaders’ last meeting with Ban.

DIKO head Marios Garoyian, however, said that the party stood firm on its opinion that the Greentree meeting should have been postponed, “because certain essential requirements have not been met, there has not been progress in the negotiations and of course Turkey has not fulfilled its commitments to the UN,” the Cyprus Mail reports. DIKO’S firm position is that a meeting at an international level cannot take place without agreement on internal aspects of the Cyprus problem, he said.

House President Yiannakis Omirou echoed a similar sentiment in giving his full support to the framework under which it was decided that the president would proceed at Greentree, but he described the risks as “huge, very clear and real”.

“We agreed that after Greentree the National Council should meet again to discuss an alternative national strategy to address any deadlocks that we may have been led to unfortunately due to the handling [of the talks] during the last year,” said Omirou.

UN Special Advisor Alexander Downer met with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara yesterday and according to the Turkish News Agency Anadolu discussed possible outcomes of the Greentree meeting.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon sent the letters inviting the two unwilling leaders to New York in what is believed to be his last attempt to force them into an unhappy marriage, says the Cyprus Mail’s satirical column Coffeeshop. The comrade’s camp was so disappointed with letter’s content - asphyxiating time frame and multi-party conference - it was in denial for the first 24 hours.
The Turkish media reported its arrival and contents, giving an opportunity for the comrade’s sidekicks to imply there had been a UN plot - the Turks received the letter before us, they protested as if this were a big diplomatic conspiracy. All the hacks made an issue out of this instead of asking the obvious question, “So what?”
This suited the government’s propaganda purposes, as all talk was about the late arrival of the letter rather than its content. And when politicians or hacks mentioned its content the comrade and his spokesman expressed outrage, that they were citing the interpretations of the unreliable and biased Turkish media.
But they were still not prepared to release the letter so that we could learn the truth and not have to rely on the misinformation spread by the Turks.

Had there been a UN conspiracy? The UN insisted that the invitations were sent out at the same time, so it could be that the comrade’s flunkeys did not check their boss’ Inbox on Saturday morning to see that it had arrived. Or perhaps the plan was to pretend the comrade had never received it and therefore not go to New York next weekend, claiming that he had not received an official invitation. Eroglu messed up this plan by leaking it to the Turkish media. On Friday the comrade wrote back to Ban accepting the invitation, while expressing reservations about the usefulness of the meeting in the light of Eroglu’s intransigence. It was sheer bad lack that Rauf passed away after the reply had been sent. Had he died a bit earlier, the comrade could have declined Ban’s invitation on the grounds that it would be disrespectful to hold negotiations so soon after the death of Denktash, while the Turkish side was still in mourning for him.

Everyone now is terribly worried about what will happen at Greentree. Our entire ruling elite are terrified of what would happen, particularly if the comrade is forced to agree to a multi-lateral meeting. It is difficult to understand why they are taking the whole thing so seriously, given that the cowardly comrade would never sign a deal. The worst thing that could happen would be that our side might be blamed for the collapse of the negotiations and there would not be another UN initiative. This must surely be a cause for celebration, especially by all those who were against the talks from day one and warning that we were heading for the closure of the Cyprob.

The column also bids farewell to Denktator Rauf Denktash, former lawyer, politician, community leader, pseudo president, terrorist, ultra-nationalist fanatic, committed Greek-hater, amateur photographer, big eater, English School old boy and Paphite.

Described as smart and witty by those who met him, he was also a ruthless, hard, arrogant and belligerent personality with dictatorial tendencies and the belief that he always knew best.
Denktash was the most successful politician Kyproulla ever produced as he was the only one who achieved his long term goals - to partition the island and set up an ethnically pure Turkish part controlled by Turkey. His achievement might not have been in the best interests of the Turkish Cypriots who are on the way to becoming a minority in the north, but Rauf never much cared for them, making no secret of the fact that his allegiances were with Turkey and that he would not be bothered if all the Turkish Cypriots were replaced by Turks in the north.

A Greek uber-nationalist skettos drinker referred to Rauf as the “last Greek politician on the island”, because he unwaveringly believed in the centuries-old enmity between Greek and Turk and was convinced that the two communities could never live together peacefully. The bald and overweight warhorse never subscribed to modern ideas like conflict resolution, confidence-building, healing of past wounds and other such nonsense, considering it a national duty to maintain the historic hatred, hostility and suspicion that poisoned Greek-Turkish relations for centuries. Like a true Greek nationalist he never believed there was a Cypriot national identity, memorably saying that the only true Cypriot inhabitants of the island were its donkeys. And he spoke as much on behalf of the Greek Cypriots when he slammed re-unification by repeatedly stating that you could not have a successful marriage between two unwilling partners. The problem was that as long as he was the leader of the Turkish Cypriots and blocked all re-unification attempts, the Greek Cypriots could live under the illusion they were willing partners. Only when Rauf was unceremoniously dumped by Ankara and the way was opened for the marriage, did we realise that he was right - we were unwilling partners as well.

The funeral of Rauf Denktash is the main topic covered by the Turkish Cypriot press today. The papers refer to the participation of a large number of Turkish and foreign officials at the funeral and to the messages of condolences from various organizations.

Turkish daily Hurriyet covers the funeral on its front page under the title “Farewell to a hero” and reports that a crowded delegation of Turkish officials, including President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as other government members, participated in the ceremony.

Kibris reports that Denktash was buried yesterday after a ceremony and a religious service following the noon prayers at Selimiye Mosque. Soil brought from Turkey, from Hala Sultan Tekke in Larnaka and from his son Raif’s gave was sprinkled onto his grave.

In his message in the book of condolences Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Denktash’s death was a great loss for the entire Turkish world and added that the biggest heritage that his life dedicated to the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot people is undoubtedly the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Prime Minister Erdogan said that Denktash’s death “is undoubtedly a painful loss for Turkey as much it is for the TRNC people. However, the struggle launched and carried out with courage by Denktash in Cyprus will be become struggle of the citizens of the TRNC and Turkey with the same sincerity and will be carried on with the same determination”.

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen reports that no Greek Cypriot politician attended the funeral and only former President Glafkos Clerides and the MP of the Maronites Antonis Mavrantonis sent a wreath.

Kudret Ozersay, special advisor of the Turkish Cypriot leader, has said that the Turkish Cypriot side will go to Greentree following the directions of the course drawn up by the UN Secretary-General, Kibris reports.

Ozersay claimed that the Turkish side could not do this alone and added that what they could do is to force their interlocutor to “dance with them” with the proposals they will submit, even though this interlocutor “is not very much willing to do so”.

Ozersay argued that prior to the Greentree summit both sides know what the other side could accept on specific issues and added: “This food has been cooked long enough. What should be done from now on should be to enter into a give a take in the real sense at the Greentree meeting”.

He said that after the first summit at Greentree many meetings have been held and added that during these negotiations the issues of property, the election of the federal government and the international agreements which could be made by the constituent states were discussed. He further noted that some debates were also made with UN officials on the issue of citizenship.

Ozersay argued that even though not much progress was achieved at the talks held after the first Greentree summit, the preparation which was made could constitute the grounds for a give and take at the second Greentree.

Ozersay said the fact that both sides submitted a document to the UN, which could constitute the basis for a give and take, and some other developments indicate that the procedure has come to a critical point. He recalled that before the Annan Plan the UN had also asked the sides to submit similar documents.

Noting that it is possible for the process to collapse, Ozersay alleged that President Christofias does not want to use the word “give and take” because he sees the give and take process as a point of giving concessions.

Replying to criticism that the Turkish Cypriot side is negotiating on Turkey’s directions, Ozersay said that the Turkish Cypriots are the ones negotiating all six chapters except those of security, the international dimensions of the guarantees and the withdrawal of troops. “We need no one’s permission”, he said.

Denktash dies

1. Denktash dies
Former Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, who died at the age of 88 on Friday, will be given a state funeral on Tuesday, Bayrak reports.
A week of official mourning has been declared until Friday 20 January. A period of mourning will be observed in Turkey as well.

In a message of condolences, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that the death of such a heroic leader, was not only a loss for the Turkish Cypriots but a loss for the entire Turkish nation.

"He dedicated his whole life to the rightful national cause of his people. The TRNC is the biggest heritage he left behind. His struggle towards a lasting and fair settlement in Cyprus, reaching to a successful end, will be the most significant gain of his people. Turkish Cypriots will always find motherland Turkey by their side while maintaining their honourable struggle", Gul said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Denktash has a unique place in the heart of the Turkish nation with his lifelong struggle for the national cause. "He will live forever in the lands of the TRNC" he said.

Former Turkish President and close friend of Denktash, Suleyman Demirel also sent a message in which he underlined the extremely significant role Denktash had played in the establishment of the "sovereign TRNC state".

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon in a message of condolences said: "Mr Denktas was a long-serving and historic Cyprus Turkish leader with whom the United Nations had a long relationship in the framework of UN-facilitated talks for the reunification of Cyprus and related to its peacekeeping responsibilities on the island."

"The Secretary General expresses his condolences to the family of the late Rauf Denktas as well as to all Cyprus Turks," said the message.

The Special Adviser of the Secretary-General, Alexander Downer, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Lisa Buttenheim issued a joint statement expressing their condolences to the Turkish Cypriots and the Denktash family.

"Mr Denktash was a preeminent figure whose dedication to the Turkish Cypriot community was steadfast through decades of leadership" their statement said.
President Demetris Christofias contacted Serdar Denktash via the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervish Eroglu and offered his deepest condolences to the Denktash family.

2. Press reactions
Under the title "Everybody will be here", Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar reports that Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and the General Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, will be attending the funeral.
Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika reports that Denktash’s daughter, Ender Vangol, told the press that Denktash’s last words were: "Tell them… tell Christofias! This is an independent state".

Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News says that on his deathbed Denktash was talking or whispering to his daughter. "What are we going to do with all those people to be displaced … How are we going to make territorial adjustments?"
Denktash’s death was greeted was met with barely a sound from the Greek Cypriot press and politicians.

"I don’t think it is the time to make assessments of the actions of Rauf Denktash, who was in any case, a big personality. His actions, like those of Greek Cypriots or Greek actors were not the best for the Cypriot people," President Christofias said.

"Denktash was consistent in his vision for partition. We certainly cannot agree with the vision of Rauf Denktash but it would be wrong at this moment to make a general assessment and accuse Denktash," he added.

In this hour of grief for many Turkish Cypriots and Turks, Christofias called for people to show "prudence and respect for the feelings of many of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots".

An obituary in the Financial Times says Denktash was a leader who clung to the idea of partition. It says when the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan plan in the referendum in 2004, he ironically saw his life’s work vindicated by the Greeks, at the very moment when his own people disavowed him.

3. Davutoglu discusses Cyprus with UN S-G
"We are on the threshold of an important opportunity in the Cyprus issue, and it is significant not to miss this opportunity", Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has said.
Speaking to reporters in Beirut on Sunday, Davutoglu said that he had held a long meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of a UN conference there and that they had discussed the developments in the region as well as the Cyprus issue, Ankara Anatolia news agency reports.

"Ban attaches importance on making progress rapidly during the Cyprus summit which will be held in New York soon", Davutoglu said, adding that Ban told him that Turkey's initiatives about Cyprus issue were important.

3. Turkish Cypriot side well-prepared for Greentree
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu told the Turkish Cypriot assembly that each side was preparing a 20 page draft document to take with them to Greentree, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis reports.

Moreover, Bayrak reports that Osman Ertug has said that the Turkish Cypriot side will soon respond to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s letter that was sent to the two leaders in Cyprus, ahead of the Greentree summit.

"The Turkish Cypriot side has a clear stance. We’ll go to the summit well-prepared, with the aim of successfully finalizing the process."

"We will do our best to push for the launch of that process, bearing in mind Ban’s expectations. The give-and-take is possible if supported by the international community. The European Union’s stance at this point is important in terms of influencing the Greek Cypriot side," Ertug added.

4. Downer says problem could be solved but could also collapse Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cyprus, has said he wants to celebrate a solution which will be reached by the leaders at Greentree with a lunch on the Bosporus.

In an interview with Turkish daily Milliyet, Downer stressed that efforts should be exerted to reach a solution in Cyprus by 1 July 2012 when Cyprus takes over the EU presidency.

"There is no alternative other than a federal solution", Downer said noting that since 2008, the solution process in Cyprus has cost the UN around 10-15 million US dollars.

Downer said that "we could solve the problem by June" and added that "after the problem is solved I want to go to the Bosporus in Istanbul and have a wonderful meal". He said that the Prime Ministers of Turkey and Greece, together with President Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu should join him at this meal.

"The Greentree summit is a critical stage", he said. "After this summit we should move towards a multilateral conference. If the sides do not achieve progress on the main issues, we, as UN can do nothing more. The UN has no Plan B. There could be no other solution in Cyprus other than a federal solution, because the UN Security Council is exerting efforts towards this solution".
He also said that everyone should be ready for the possibility of a solution not being found. "I hope there will be no collapse. Everybody should know that the collapse is also among the alternatives".

"Both sides should realize that we are entering a very critical phase. We know very well the positions of both sides.

He said a solution is possible with Eroglu and Christofias and that they are both exerting great efforts towards a solution.

"What is important is to find creative approaches for being able to find an agreement, rather than the hope for an agreement. Now is the time for the people to work body and soul for a solution."

Downer said that uncertainty still exists on the most difficult issues, which are citizenship, territory and governance and power sharing. He noted that the Turkish Cypriot side wants all settlers to remain on the island, while the Greek Cypriot side insists they be limited to 50 thousand. He said the Greek Cypriot side wants land back, including Morphou and the Karpass, which will secure the return of 100 thousand Greek Cypriot refugees to their homes, while the Turkish side rejects this. He said that the Greek Cypriot side accepts the rotating presidency but wants election of the president and the vice president with the method of cross-voting, which the Turkish side describes as unfair.

Downer interview and Turkey's plan B

The talks at Greentree in New York this month between the two leaders and UN chief will either be a success or failure, said UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer on Wednesday, thereby excluding the middle ground assessment that has dominated previous tripartite meetings, the Cyprus Mail reports.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Downer said the goal is to get a “good result” on three pending issues: governance, property and citizenship.

Downer repeated the view that an agreement was possible with the necessary “political will”.

“If an outline agreement can be found on the remaining core issues then many of the other details can be sorted out later”, he said.

“There are basically three core issues that the leaders must resolve: first, the method of electing a rotating president and vice-president; second, a way of settling the granting of citizenship, and third, the property issue which cannot be solved until there is agreement on territory,” said Downer.

The UN diplomat said the peace process could be successful but if it transpires that the divergences are too big to narrow the gap, then there is little the UN can do about it.

Asked about the intentions of the leaders in the talks, the special adviser said it would be “unfair” to say that either one or the other did not want to reach an agreement. He suggested, however, that reaching an agreement required an understanding that you can’t get everything you ask for.

Downer described the Cyprus problem as “the most difficult issue” he’s had to contend with.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Davutoglu has said that the “bi-zonal bi-communal solution model” in Cyprus will be abandoned if the negotiations process comes to a deadlock because of the stance of the Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar reports. Addressing a meeting of Turkish Ambassadors held in Ankara, Davutoglu said that a solution model based on two independent states will be adopted by the Turkish side instead of a bi-zonal bi-communal solution. He argued that the negotiations, which will be launched in the future, will be based on two independent states. Moreover, under the headline: “Two separate states”, Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes cites information published by Turkish NTV television and ABhaber website, that Turkey’s Plan B is ready in case the Cyprus talks collapse. Both sources said that if no solution is reached by July when the Republic of Cyprus takes over the EU presidency, Ankara will change the basic parameters of the negotiations.

Turkish daily Hurriyet says that Turkey aims to hold a conference modelled after the Burgenstock talks by March to discuss the Cyprus issue, a Turkish diplomatic source said.“The January 22 to 24 meeting and the follow-up process should be perceived as a turning point”, Deputy Turkish Prime Minister Besir Atalay, who is responsible for Cyprus affairs, told a group of journalists. “If the January meeting of Cyprus leaders paved the way for a higher level meeting such as an international conference with the participation of guarantor states, then there could be relief in the talks”, Atalay said.

Asked if he was optimistic about the success of the process, Atalay said he wanted to be optimistic and still believed a surprise might emerge from Greentree.Asked what kind of surprise, he said a decision to take the direct talks process to a higher-level, an international meeting or conference, very much like the Burgenstock stage of the failed Annan Plan, namely a meeting with the participation of Turkey and Greece, and if it wants a third guarantor country, Britain as well, and with the EU and some other countries making contributions as observers.He added that such a conference would sort out the remaining differences of the sides, particularly on property, territory, refugees, and would put the last touches to the power-sharing scheme and, naturally, the guarantee system.Kibris also reports that asked what would happen in case of failure of the Cyprus talks, Atalay said: “We always have a plan B in our foreign policy regarding Cyprus.”

The Cyprus government has denounced Turkey and called on the international community to tell Turkey that its policy and stance on the Cyprus problem conflicts with the UN resolutions.

“Statements by Turkish officials about a Plan B and a solution on the basis of two separate states again reveal the real intentions of Turkey’s policy on the Cyprus problem which are not a solution and reunification of Cyprus, but partition”, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said.

“Our response to the Turkish policy is our commitment to the solution of a bizonal, bicommunal federation from which Turkey is trying to disengage, as well as the assumption of sustained initiatives in order not to allow Turkey to invest in the unproductive passage of time to consolidate the faits accomplis of the illegal invasion and occupation”.

Ban warns time running out for Cyprus deal

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon warned Cyprus's Greek and Turkish leaders they were running out of time to settle their dispute over the island, and urged them to break a deadlock in talks at a summit in New York later this month, Reuter’s reports.

In unusually blunt letters to both leaders, Ban laid out the differences between the divided Cypriot communities that are still blocking efforts to reunify the country.

"The negotiation ... currently finds itself at an impasse on several issues," Ban wrote in both letters dated 4 Jan, seen by Reuters on Monday.

"I am concerned that opportunities to successfully conclude negotiations will be limited once the Republic of Cyprus takes up the presidency of the European Union on 1 July 2012," he added in the letters.

Diplomats fear Cypriot politicians will be distracted by the presidency of the EU and spend less time on peace talks. They say the presidency could also alienate the island's Turkish leaders and widen differences between the two sides.

But both sides remain divided on how they would govern the island together and demarcate territory. Disagreements have also hit efforts to hold an international conference to hammer out the final phases of a settlement, wrote Ban.

President Christofias yesterday announced that the National Council would convene next Monday to discuss developments in the Cyprus problem in view of the forthcoming meeting in New York, including the latest letter sent by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the two communities.

Speaking after his meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu on Monday, Christofias said he was saddened that everyone had rushed to criticise his government, based on an interpretation of the letter by Turkish Cypriot news agency Anatolia which was circulated yesterday.

He admitted that Ban referred to the talks reaching the final stages and July being a landmark date, but he added this should not be interpreted as a timeframe for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

The president also said the SG underlined the need for convergences on domestic matters, before he meets with the two leaders on January 22.

“(Ban) is effectively noting that we have reached a dead end in these matters and he is calling on both leaders to work intensively in the time that is left, in order to break this dead end. That is the whole essence,” said Christofias.

The president said it would be wrong to turn down an invitation by the UNSG, though he promised the Greek Cypriot side would not deviate from its initial principles of “one state, with one sovereignty, one nationality and one international personality”.

He also said he had made it clear that the Greek Cypriot side cannot be forced to change its positions on issues that have almost been concluded and on which Mr Eroglu has changed position.

“It is Mr Eroglu who should return to the positions that have been agreed and not us to be forced to move further”, he said.

He said he and Eroglu had discussed procedural issues before the meeting at Greentree and that significant differences on the issues of governance, property and territory still remain.

“I again raised the question that, if in these two weeks that separate us from Greentree no convergences are achieved, what would be the point of Greetree?”

The Monday meeting was the last between the two leaders before they go to New York, although not the last of their representatives and their teams.

“If the Leaders wish to meet again before Greentree, they certainly can do that and we would be happy to facilitate that within the next couple of weeks”, Alexander Downer, the UN Special Advisor said afterwards.

Asked if he had seen the necessary “determination” he had talked about the previous week, Downer replied: “They are working at it very hard”, adding that their representatives and their teams are going to meet on two occasions during the course of this week with clear plans for those meetings which they hope would make a solid contribution to the process.

“They want to be able to go into and come out of the Greentree meeting with some solid convergences”, he said. “Every effort is being made to get as much converged before Greentree rather than leave everything to two days in America”.

Determination needed, says UN

The talks on finding a solution to the Cyprus problem went through a very difficult period recently, UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer said on Wednesday and the leaders of the two communities need to show some determination and make more progress if they want the Greentree meeting in New York this month a success,

Speaking after a meeting between the two leaders, Downer highlighted the short time left to make progress before the two leaders meet with the UN chief in Greentree estate in New York on January 22.

“We don’t have all that long now until the Greentree meeting, so we are working very hard to try to make some progress between now and then and we’ll just have to see how we get on.

“This has been a very difficult period in the negotiations recently and so we need to demonstrate some determination to try to get over some of the difficulties and obstacles,” said the UN diplomat.

He said both sides have prepared and handed over to the UN draft outlines of how they see an agreement. They will exchange those outlines with each other on their completion.

Asked whether the Greentree meeting was coming too early for the two sides to make enough progress, he said this was not an issue of time, but politics.

“The obstacles that stand before an agreement on the core issues at the moment can be resolved, but the question is whether they will be resolved”, in other words whether the two sides were willing to make the necessary political compromises. “Whether they are going to happen or not, I have no idea.”

“We need to make more progress between now and the meeting in Greentree, to make sure that it is a successful meeting. It’s obviously a challenge,” said Downer.

Asked what would happen if there is no agreement, Downer said: “If there is no agreement, then we have complete deadlock. The Secretary-General will obviously have to think about what the next steps would be under those circumstances and discuss that with the leaders”.

The two sides simply “reiterated their positions” at the last meeting on the Cyprus problem between the two leaders, President Christofias said on his return from the talks.

"The differences remain and the UN is calling on us, naturally, to intensify our efforts, to achieve progress, and some results before Greentree”, he said.

He said the Greek Cypriot side was ready to proceed “on condition that one side does not impose its will on the other. It is mostly up to the other side, not to retreat, but to return to what has been agreed”.

He said that the Turkish side cannot be prevaricating and reconsidering issues that have been previously agreed upon.

“We are looking for a compromise on what the Turkish side has moved away from. This is the situation. It is not attractive in any case”, he added.

The Turkish Cypriots are more sincere than the Greek Cypriots in trying to reach an agreement in the island, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu told reporters after the latest round of talks.

According to Ankara Anatolia news agency, he also said that he wanted to reach an agreement in Cyprus more than Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and UN Secretary General's special advisor for Cyprus Alexander Downer.

"This is because the Turkish Cypriots need an agreement more than the Greek Cypriots", Eroglu added.

“For us, the Cyprus talks are going well”, he said. “We discussed with the Greek Cypriots the 6th chapter. There is deadlock on the property issue. We submitted a proposal of 60 pages on the property issue alone. The UN embraced it. On the EU issue, so that an agreement isn't undermined through legal challenges in court over its status as EU primary law, we have some problems over enshrining it into the EU constitution. The economy issue has practically finished, the domestic security issue is almost completed. The guarantorship issue will be discussed at the international conference. There is a deadlock on the issue of governance and power sharing. They're trying to backtrack on the issue of the presidency.”

Commenting on the January summit, Eroglu said: “Christofias very clearly opposes arbitration and a timetable. However, the UN Secretary-General declared that the negotiations will have an end. We will try so that we may reach a solution by June, when the Greek Cypriots will take over the EU's rotating presidency.”

Commenting on a recent statement he made that if the Cyprus talks failed, the TRNC would be renamed as Cyprus Turkish State, Eroglu said: “While the negotiations are being carried out, it is not possible to refer to a plan B. Our state exists, our motherland recognizes it. If there is no solution, we will continue the same way, as how the TRNC is today. However, constitutional amendments may be necessary. There are delays at the assembly level. The amendment, regarding the police falling under civilian control is necessary.”

President Christofias said he was eager to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the Cyprus problem.

“The key to the problem is in Ankara,” Christofias told Turkish Cypriot daily Hurriyet in an interview on Wednesday.

“If he invites me I will go at once. I think Erdogan does not drink raki for religious concerns, but I can drink coffee, raki or anything,” Christofias said, adding that he would meet Erdogan in either Istanbul or Ankara.

Negotiations to end Cyprus’ division are proceeding poorly, he said, noting that if progress isn’t made soon, there would be no reason to go to New York at the end of the month.

He called on Turkey not to call the Greek side of the island a “half country” in reference to Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s statement in November 2011 about the prospect of Greek Cyprus taking over the European Union presidency this year as a “half country” leading a “miserable union.”

“It is very insulting to say this to an EU member country, especially when we are in favour of Turkey’s membership in the EU. This attitude does not demonstrate respect,” said Christofias. Other EU countries do not support Turkey’s attitude either, he added.

Powerful actors in the EU would still have problems with Ankara joining the union even without the Cyprus problem, Christofias said.

Some of these countries are worried about Turkey’s domestic problems, economy and population, whereas others are against Turkey’s membership because it is a Muslim country, said Christofias, but added that he did not agree with the second reason.

Christofias also said natural gas would begin flowing to the island within four years and that would benefit everyone if an agreement were reached.

He called on Turkey to recognize Cyprus as a sovereign state, to contribute to a solution and to leave the island alone.

Turkey’s EU Minister, Egemen Bagis, yesterday said President Christofias could meet with Turkish officials if Dervis Eroglu, the Turkish Cypriot leader was present, Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar reports, implying that such a request could be realised only with a four-party meeting, where Turkey and Greece are present.

Bagis, reportedly said: “Let President Dervis Eroglu take Christofias by the hand and come. Our Prime Minister will meet them,”

With political will the Cyprus problem can be solved in six weeks, let alone six months time, Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has said, as there is no aspect which has not been discussed or negotiated, he said, according to Turkish news reports.

He added that Turkey will continue supporting the ongoing talks and expressed hopes that a result will come up after the Greentree summit in New York, a result that will be in the framework of the UN’s parameters and which could lead to an international conference on Cyprus.

“We are continually exerting efforts for this. Our message is always directed towards the implementation of a comprehensive solution in Cyprus, the soonest possible”, he said.

“After the January summit, it is possible for an international conference to take place, maybe in February or March, referendums in April or May, and as a result of this, the new state to be established in July 2012. In this case, the President of the new state, which will undertake the EU term presidency, will be from the one side and the Foreign Minister from the other side. In this way, the EU will show that it is a peace project. But if the EU hands over the EU term Presidency unilaterally to the Greek Cypriots, something that will reinforce them, then the EU will lose its dignity. We should speak openly about this”, Davutoglu said.

Asked to comment the possibility for tensions escalating if Cyprus takes on the EU Presidency without a solution, Davutoglu warned that Turkey will not approve the “continuation of this game”.

President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu last night jointly hosted a dinner in honour of the UN in the mixed village of Pyla.

According to the Cyprus Mail, the dinner was a “jolly affair”, with the two leaders expressing their hope for a comprehensive settlement, saying this could be achieved even within 2012, only a day after it appeared the outlook for the New York Greentree talks at the end of this month was bleak.

The leaders and the UN team, which included Special Adviser Alexander Downer, had dinner at the Greek Cypriot restaurant Trochos and then headed to the Turkish Cypriot restaurant Amnesia, a kilometre away, for coffee.

Downer over dinner waxed lyrical about the “beautiful island” of Cyprus and how “warm friendly and extremely hospitable people were” and that “warmer and friendlier people” could not be found anywhere but in Cyprus.

He continued by saying that he dreamt of the day when the two leaders would be on the front page of Time magazine as the two people who reached an agreement in Cyprus, resulting to the island’s reunification. “I think all this is possible”, Downer said.

Christofias said he hoped 2012 would be ’the year of the solution’, adding that this was possible. He noted that despite the problems, “we shall work more intensively to find a common language, the Cypriot language” in order to overcome the difficulties.

Eroglu said he agreed with everything that Christofias said, although he is insisted that a solution be reached before Cyprus takes over the presidency of the EU in July.

“I do believe that with our strong efforts, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots can find a comprehensive settlement in this island,” Eroglu said.