New Cyprus foreign policy

Six months worth of work was done in New York, Cyprus Foreign Minster, Ioannis Kasoulides, adding that the ground has been laid for talks to start and so that the efforts towards a solution of the Cyprus problem can be substantial.

According to Politis, the Minister also said that his contacts in New York were not just on the Cyprus problem, but that a great part of his discussions on Cyprus’ relations with the US, the island’s role in the Middle East, its new foreign policy and the new image it is trying to create in regional politics.

He said Cyprus has a key role to play in the fight against terrorism, drugs, weapons of mass destruction, and the trafficking of persons, according to the Cyprus Mail.

“Cyprus’ principal role right now is its participation in the fight against terrorism, in combating trafficking of materials of weapons of mass destruction, organised crime, drugs and people trafficking,” he said.

These were the main points of focus, said the Minister, who noted that Cyprus’ responsible role in the region is being recognised.

Kasoulides has embarked on a clear policy shift since taking over the ministry, stating his intention to move Cyprus away from, at best, “doubtful” positions of the past to clear positions on key issues, with Western values and interests as its compass.

He expressed hope that as a result, the improved relationship between the US and Cyprus will bear fruit in the coming months.

Evidence of this paradigm shift was seen in Cyprus’ clear support for the new interim government of Egypt, opposition to the Assad regime in Syria and stated desire to apply for membership of NATO’s anteroom, Partnership for Peace.

Asked about the Cyprus problem, he said the two sides need to prepare the ground so that the two leaders could meet, issue a joint declaration and agree on a new methodology for the talks from this point on, to ensure that the two sides can “achieve results and not talk for the sake of talking”.

On energy matters, Kasoulides highlighted Cyprus’ right to explore for and exploit hydrocarbons within its exclusive economic zone. He added, however, that energy could also play a motivational role in achieving cooperation with neighbouring countries, including energy-hungry Turkey, and between the two communities in Cyprus.

We are committed to a solution, says Gul

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has told the UN General Assembly that his country, as guarantor power in Cyprus, is fully and sincerely committed to finding a just and negotiated solution to the Cyprus problem, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports.

“Repeated attempts towards a peaceful settlement have ended in failure, including the rejection of the Annan Plan in 2004. Turkey, as a guarantor, is fully and sincerely committed to finding a just and negotiated settlement. We therefore expect the international community to urge the Greek Cypriots to reciprocate by engaging in result-oriented and time-framed negotiations in good faith. Those who must solve this question are the Turks and Greeks of Cyprus. They must start negotiating as soon as next month, with no ifs or buts. The settlement of the Cyprus question is essential to a stable and peaceful Eastern Mediterranean”, he said.

New procedure could help break prejudices against Turkey

Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper reports that Kudret Ozersay, Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu’s former representative, has said that a proposal on the issue of reciprocal visits by the special representatives of the Cypriot leaders to Athens and Ankara had been raised in 2011 in Geneva but the then President Christofias had wanted time to think about it.

Ozersay said that, while this procedure will not solve the problem by itself, it was a positive development because it could help dispel certain Greek Cypriot prejudices about Turkey.  

Peace for gas?

A report in the German newspaper Die Zeit says that the value of Cyprus’ natural gas deposits comes to between 30 and 100 billion euro, enough to cover the island’s public debt and bring prosperity to the country.

It adds, however, that Cyprus’ insistence on building a massive liquification terminal and transporting the gas on ships is not logical in view of the fact that the gas could be transported by pipeline through Turkey, which is only 70 km away. This plan makes no sense financially since it would cost around 15 billion euro, practically its entire debt, while it would also lose five years in construction time. 

The paper refers to the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and quotes a UN official as saying “The solution could be simple. Peace in return for gas”. The official goes on to express the fear that if Cyprus were to make a unilateral move towards exploiting the gas, Turkey could very well object.

Moreover, the paper says that the EU should act towards finding solutions. It says the EU has more power to influence things on the island now than in the past since Cyprus depends on the Europeans for money.

Mavroyiannis says agreement could be reached in a few months

Agreement on the fundamental issues of the Cyprus problem could be reached within a few months if the two sides are clear on what they are negotiating towards, Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis said yesterday.

In an interview with Cyprus News Agency, Mavroyiannis stressed that there must be “clear and tangible” results from the first meeting of the two leaders, Anastasiades and Eroglu.

October was a welcome milestone for starting the talks, as long as the necessary preparatory work was done, said Mavroyiannis.

The Cypriot diplomat said no programme of meetings had been scheduled between him and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Osman Ertug yet, but that he would make himself available at any time.

“The coming weeks are quite critical. Things are not easy but I am optimistic that we can succeed. And the more clear the result of the first meeting of the leaders, the better for all of us,” he said.

He said he favoured taking a holistic approach to the talks, not a piecemeal discussion, going chapter by chapter, since the issues at play are interconnected. All issues should be put on the table for discussion, noting that the Turkish Cypriot negotiating team wants to negotiate on issues it believes it has something to gain and refuses to negotiate on issues where it feels it has something to give. “This situation cannot continue forever.”

He hoped that the Greek Cypriots would be able to convince their interlocutors that real progress could be made if everything was put on the table as they too have things to gain. It’s not just about extracting concessions from the Turkish Cypriots, said Mavroyiannis. He noted, however, that so far the two sides had “big difference in our approaches”. A way needs to be found for them to come closer so that a meeting of the two leaders could be well prepared, otherwise there was no point in Eroglu and Anastasiades meeting, he said.

“Everything is at our disposal… We are talking about free negotiations that will lead to an acceptable outcome at a referendum”, he added, but said he was against a timeframe.

“We do not accept that there will be this timeframe which acts like a guillotine. In other words, when you get there, you stop. It feels suspect and leads one to the think that those who support this line have something else in mind.”

He added: “We believe there is no plan B that is implementable. We want to sit at the table, discuss seriously, day and night if possible, to solve the problem.”

Asked how long it might take, he said: “As soon as possible,” assuming the result will be the existence of a functioning European state. “I don’t believe we need more than a few months to come up with something, at least on the fundamental issues.”

Asked to comment on whether Turkey had shown any change in approach, Mavroyiannis noted some indications that Turkey has a slightly different and more positive approach to a solution. “They look a little more willing to act to see if something can be done,” he said.

A positive step that could turn out to be a catalyst

An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says that for years our politicians had been arguing that the only way to solve the Cyprus problem is through direct talks with the Turkish government and that ‘the key is in Ankara’. They were right, because there could never be a settlement without the agreement and support of the Turkish government, which has been running the occupied north ever since 1974. For Ankara, however, this was not an option as it had always disingenuously argued that the Cyprus problem was a bi-communal dispute, which had nothing to do with Turkey but that the responsibility for reaching a deal belonged to the two communities.

In Cyprus there was the predictable knee-jerk reaction by the small hard-line political parties which identified all types of risks. Direct contacts would supposedly lead to the downgrading of the Cyprus Republic (or its disappearance from the talks) and, inevitably the upgrading of the pseudo-state; it would also pave the way for the dreaded ‘four-party conference’ which was by definition a bad thing. It was the usual paranoid rhetoric the hard-liners routinely resort to when there is a move away from the normal procedure that never yields results.

The reality is that Anastasiades achieved the objective of having direct contact with the Turkish government during the talks. There is no harm in the Turkish Cypriot negotiator having direct contact with the Athens government as part of the deal – the agreement has to work both ways. Nobody can say with any certainty that this agreement would make the difference once talks start, but it is a positive step that could turn out to be a catalyst for real progress.

This is what the hardliners fear and not the supposed downgrading of the Republic.