UN issue second denial

The United Nations team in Cyprus once again denied press reports yesterday that UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer had sent either a letter or email or any form of communication to the European Commission opposing the Greek Cypriot request for greater EU involvement in the peace talks, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Asked to respond to an article in yesterday’s Alithia, which cited diplomatic sources saying the letter to Barroso came in the form of an email, UN spokesman Michel Bonnardeaux said: “There is no email nor letter or any other such communication to that effect.”

President Nicos Anastasiades refused to put the rumours to bed, instead hinting that relations with the UN Good Offices, and with Downer, have taken a turn for the worse.

Asked to comment on the initial report of a letter sent by Downer to Brussels, the president said: “No comment.”

When called to comment on the UN’s rebuttal, he replied: “Again, no comment.”

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, diplomatic sources have questioned the reasoning behind the fuss kicked up over correspondence which the UN is adamant did not take place.

One source said there appeared to be a coordinated effort by some to discredit Downer. Since Anastasiades took power, the Australian has come under heavy criticism. Another source said the president’s ire might have been prodded when Anastasiades met Barroso in Brussels, and the EU official reportedly told him that Downer had expressed some reservation about greater EU involvement.

If the government does have any gripes with Downer, he’ll have a chance to find out for himself when he arrives on the island next Monday for a new round of meetings. He will meet Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu separately as well as the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot negotiators, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Osman Ertug, respectively.

According to Cyprus News Agency, prior to his arrival, Downer will meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York.

In the meantime, both negotiators continue to lock horns over the wording of a joint statement which Anastasiades says has to lock down the basis of the talks and the methodology that will be used to reach the desired result.

Anastasiades yesterday briefed party leaders at the Presidential Palace on the latest developments in the Cyprus problem and, specifically, his recent visit to Brussels.

Speaking after the briefing, government spokesman Christos Stylianides said the negotiations on a joint statement were “important and tough”, expressing hope they would conclude as soon as possible.
“The goal is to have the best conditions so that the talks start right and conclude with the desired result,” he said.

Meanwhile, the AKEL leadership met with a delegation from the Republic Turkish Party (CTP), after which the two released a joint statement, saying: “AKEL and CTP agree that the talks must resume at the leaders level without any delay, respecting the basis of the negotiations as described in the joint statements between Christofias and Talat and the convergences achieved so far and focusing on the remaining issues.

“We believe an important window of opportunity exists to reach a comprehensive settlement which must be used effectively.”

Attacks on Downer harm the Greek Cypriot side

An editorial in the Cyprus Mail says even if the government had a legitimate reason to be unhappy with Downer’s decisions, why has it made it a public issue and not tried to resolve the matter, privately, through diplomatic channels? It is not as if there was any need to turn people or the political parties against the deeply unpopular Australian, who is already treated as public enemy number one.

Even if we accept that Downer had expressed his objection to greater EU involvement in the talks to Barroso orally, by sign language or by smoke signals, what did the president hope to achieve my making the information public? Would he achieve his objective of greater EU involvement by stirring more public hostility towards Downer? On the contrary, all he has achieved is to undermine his own credibility and standing as a sensible leader committed to a settlement, in the eyes of the UN and the international community.

It is not the first time he has directed his fire at the UN. A few months ago, he wrote an indignant letter to the UN Secretary-General, accusing Downer of trying to ‘upgrade’ a dinner he would host for the two leaders. It was an embarrassing overreaction – his fears more imaginary than real – but he was given the benefit of the doubt. But now he has turned on the UN for a second time, it could spark fears that he has a hidden agenda. Perhaps he will soon realise that these public attacks do much more harm to himself than to Downer or the UN.

UN reacts to rumours

The UN issued a strongly-worded statement yesterday refuting allegations in the press that UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer had written a letter to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, telling him that enhancing the role of the EU representative to the peace talks might not help the process. 

“The United Nations in Cyprus considers the dissemination of incorrect information particularly unhelpful at this stage of the talks. The resulting speculation constitutes an unwelcome distraction”, the statement said.

The UN said it welcomed the EU’s participation in the talks and has “benefited from the regular presence” of Barroso’s personal representative at the talks, currently Pieter Van Nuffel from the European Commission’s legal service.

“The United Nations in Cyprus remains committed to assisting both parties in finding a lasting political solution to end the division of the island”, the statement concluded.

The Cyprus Mail covering the story says that the Greek Cypriot efforts for a greater EU role in the peace process seem to have soured relations between the Presidential Palace and UN Good Offices mission in Cyprus.

The paper also says that yesterday’s Alithia cited diplomatic sources confirming the existence of such a letter sent in the form of an email.

One diplomatic source close to the talks told the Cyprus Mail, “I am puzzled. This is the second major lie about Downer and they have both taken place under the current government. The first one was about him supposedly trying to upgrade the dinner when he and everyone else was bending over backwards to keep it low key.

“It makes you wonder if someone isn’t briefing Anastasiades with the intention of undermining the president in the eyes of the international community.”

Opinion poll just more point scoring from hard liners

The leading article in the Cyprus Mail today says that opinion polls in Cyprus are too often used to prove a point rather than to give an accurate reflection of public sentiment. Much depends on how a question is phrased, something pollsters are well aware of, and on the assumptions made. Case in point, it says, is a survey about the Cyprus settlement efforts presented by Sigma TV yesterday. 

Sigma TV, for which the poll was conducted, belongs to the Dias media group which has always taken a hard line on the Cyprus problem and steadfastly opposed all attempts made for a settlement. It was therefore inevitable some of its questions would be loaded. It asked for instance, “are we on a correct or dangerous course as regards the Cyprus problem,” to which 46.1 per cent responded that we were on a dangerous course and 38.6 per cent on the correct one.

But the pollsters did not define what constituted the ‘dangerous’ and the ‘correct’ course. Was it dangerous that the two sides had not agreed on the basis for new talks, or was this the correct course? Or are we supposed to make assumptions as well to understand the result? As the media group which commissioned the survey is opposed to a settlement, should we assume that the ‘dangerous’ course is related to the efforts to start a new bout of talks that might lead to a deal? For some the dangerous course is the one that leads to permanent partition, but for others it is the correct one.

An even more loaded question was, “do you believe the dilemma would be posed that if we solve the Cyprus problem, we will save the economy?” To this 54.5 per cent answered ‘yes’ and 41.5 per cent ‘no’. This was an even more disingenuous question as the implication was that there was some devious scheme to blackmail Greek Cypriots into accepting a settlement in order to ‘save’ the economy. There would be no dilemma.

A settlement could help speed up the recovery of the economy, but people would still be free to make their own decision about a deal. In 2004 many people voted ‘no’ because they felt it was in their financial interests to do so, whereas now they may believe an agreement would better serve their interests. When people’s financial interests make them oppose a settlement it is legitimate, but when these interests make them in favour, they pose a ‘dilemma’.

Loaded questions about the ‘dangerous course’ being followed and the ‘dilemma’ we would face are what we should expect from the closet advocates of partition, who have never had the courage to commission a survey on the real dilemma – re-unification or partition?

No reciprocal meetings without joint statement

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that according to unofficial information it acquired from a source close to the Cyprus government, in case no progress is achieved as regards the joint statement, the reciprocal visits of the representatives of the two community leaders to Athens and Ankara might not take place.

According to the paper, the source, which wished to remain anonymous, said that this should not be perceived as a precondition for the visits to Athens and Ankara. This view expressed by the Greek Cypriot side stems from the wish of the Greek Cypriot side to see progress on the issue of the text of the joint statement that will launch the direct negotiations between the leaders.

Anastasiades: Don’t push us into talks for the sake of talks

President Nicoa Anastasiades yesterday warned Europe not to push the Greek Cypriots to enter into a new round of peace talks while the basic principles underlying a solution were being challenged, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Asked to comment on his recent trip to Brussels, he said: “Everybody understands that what is needed is a real impetus to the new round of talks. I believe and hope that they will not pursue in any way the resumption of talks – which will not happen in any case- just for the sake of talks and to record a supposedly temporary success that the talks have resumed.”

He said the government was determined to enter into a dialogue to end the occupation as soon as possible.

“But when the basic principles that will form a solution are challenged, it is inconceivable to think that talks on the Cyprus problem under these conditions could bear fruit,” said Anastasiades.

“We may be experiencing a major economic crisis, but I want to make it clear once and for all to everyone: we will not bend under any economic conditions.”

He added: “The message I want to convey to certain international players is that we will not succumb to pressure to engage in dialogue for the sake of dialogue.”

In a message to the international community, the president argued that nobody wanted to reunite the country and free it from occupation more than the Greek Cypriots, but “at the same time they must understand and pass on to Ankara and the Turkish Cypriots that some bold steps should finally be taken to restore trust. They must happen immediately.”

Steps could be taken with regard to confidence-building measures, or efforts to agree on a joint statement, which would not put in doubt the single sovereignty, citizenship and international personality of a reunited Cyprus.

He refused to comment on rumours that UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer had sent a letter to the European Commission saying that enhancing the role of the EU at the talks - a Greek Cypriot demand - would not help the peace process.

Talks stumble

The Cyprus Mail says that President Nicos Anastasiades has been “backed into a corner” over his three demands for a joint statement prior to the resumption of talks, ‘bold steps’ from Turkey and greater EU involvement.

It says still no date has been set for a meeting of the two leaders, while the two sides continue to argue over the joint statement, each calling the other intransigent while claiming the fault lies elsewhere.

Not only has a date not been set yet, the two sides have not even agreed on when the respective negotiators will fly to Ankara and Athens.

According to international relations expert Hubert Faustmann, the Greek Cypriot demand for a joint statement before the resumption of talks has backed them into a corner, while the Turkish Cypriots put themselves in the wrong by departing from the agreed basis of the talks. A “face-saving strategy” is now needed for both to get out.

The Greek Cypriot argument that they need to ensure their interlocutors mean business before they start on a new process, which they cannot afford to let fail, is a fair point.

But Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu’s readiness to start talks immediately without any preconditions has put the ball back in their court.

As one source close to the talks put it, making Eroglu look flexible is no easy feat.

And somewhat predictably, the UN will be more concerned with locking in what has already been achieved, to avoid backtracking, and work to close the gap on the remainder by actually getting the talks started.

“The talks are always both a blame game and resolution attempt. In the blame game, the Greek Cypriots will look like the party that won’t start the talks because that is an easier sell than the Greek Cypriots’ concerns,” said Faustmann.

While some analysts do not rule out an agreement on Varosha coming near the endgame, just before referendums are held, the general view is that the chances of opening the ghost town prior to that, and without a simultaneous agreement on Tympou (Ercan) airport are slim to nil.

Anastasiades’ trip to Brussels on Friday resulted in apparent expressions of support for greater EU involvement in the talks by the leaders of France and Germany. The presidents of the European Council and Commission were also reportedly warming to the idea, according to the state broadcaster, but wanted to examine the possibility after the talks started.

According to a Turkish Cypriot source close to the talks, efforts to upgrade the EU’s presence at the negotiating table will not succeed at the current stage.

“I think the EU is not divided on this issue. They say they are ready to give more support if both sides ask them, but they are not ready to do it against the will of one side. Nothing can happen without the two sides agreeing. Are they going to put a gun to Mr Eroglu’s head?”

As regards the joint statement, the two negotiators, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Osman Ertug, have made progress on this, but appear to have hit a snag on the words ‘single sovereignty’ and ‘single citizenship’.

The Turkish Cypriots will only incorporate these Greek Cypriot demands if the words ‘residual powers’ and ‘internal citizenship’ are also thrown into the equation.

The dispute appears to be fundamental as it tackles the question of what kind of a federation a reunified Cyprus will actually be.

“Yes, we’re demanding to have something substantial if the two leaders are to meet,” said a Greek Cypriot source close to the talks.

“(The Turkish Cypriots) feel very comfortable by saying let’s start, but if we’re going to start, we want to make sure the talks will be result-orientated.

The source said the Turkish side was trying to destroy any possibility of a settlement through the constant erosion of the basis of the talks as set out in UN resolutions.

“We are not asking for a single word more than what is in the UN Security Council resolutions.”

He argued that the past joint statements of Christofias-Talat are not clear enough on what the end goal should be.

“They say single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship are agreed in principle but that these need to be discussed in the negotiations. So where is the clarity?”

The Greek Cypriots say they are “determined” to move forward and tackle the fundamental issues so that when the two leaders meet, it will be a landmark both in terms of substance and process.

“We are embarking on an exercise to do things differently and, at last, be result-orientated, because we care about a settlement and want to make sure we get it right.”

On the process, the Greek Cypriot negotiating team wants to take a “holistic” approach to the talks, recognising that all chapters are interlinked and interdependent.

Until now, the Greek Cypriot source argued, the convergences reached in the last five years contain nothing on territory, security, guarantees, and very little on property.

“Even on issues like power-sharing and governance, a lot of work has been done but this work stands in the air, because we don’t yet have a basic understanding and agreement on the core issues and on the basis for governance.”

By including ‘residual powers’ of the constituent states that will make up a federation in the draft text of the joint statement, the Turkish Cypriots are challenging the notion of single sovereignty and eroding achievements of the past, said the source.

“There is not a single core issue on which there is agreement,” he said.

“Nobody likes a lack of progress, but we prefer to face the difficulties now and get it right rather than start something that will collapse soon after,” he added.

For his part, the Turkish Cypriot source said the reason they were not keen on a joint statement in the first place was because they were afraid that some core issues will make the sides engage in continuous negotiation, “which is what has happened”.

The Turkish Cypriots are happy to start with a more general statement to get the ball rolling with reference to a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality where all relevant UN resolutions will be respected, all past convergences upheld and EU principles applied.

Eroglu has already given a written statement to the UN Secretary-General saying that he agrees to all past convergences and high level agreements.

“We say let’s focus on the remaining issues, property, territory, security and guarantees. We want to start talking about them from tomorrow.

“But Mr Anastasiades wants to use specific references of an evolving transformation of the Cyprus Republic with single sovereignty and citizenship,” he said.

“Can you imagine Eroglu agreeing to a position that is more flexible than that of Talat?”

He argued that a federal government should not interfere with the powers of a constituent state. “This is what federations are all about,” hence the demand for ‘residual powers’ in the text, otherwise you’re talking about a unitary state.”

The Turkish Cypriot source added that when the UN prepared a draft text as ‘food for thought’ for the two sides, the UN respected this balance, but Anastasiades immediately attacked the UN for injecting confederalist elements into the statement.

“This is creating lots of question marks for the Turkish side because if you describe residual powers and internal citizenship as confederal now, how are you going to agree to that in months ahead. You are demonising these concepts.”

On the UN draft text, the Greek Cypriot source countered that the idea is to make suggestions that may or may not be useful to either side.

“The Turkish Cypriots have transformed food for thought into a document. We are not going to play this game, and the UN doesn’t want this either.”

Faustmann argues that ultimately the negotiations will have to resume, and he believes the power struggle within DISY’s coalition partner DIKO could be key to achieving progress.

DIKO’s leader Marios Garoyian faces a leadership challenge from party deputy Nicolas Papadopoulos in early December. If Papadopoulos wins, it is considered likely DIKO will withdraw from government, leaving Anastasiades and DISY nearly isolated at the presidential palace and in parliament, where a raft of troika-related measures still need to be passed.

“One reading of why the Greek Cypriots are playing hard at the moment is to back a hard line position on the Cyprus problem. This would make Garoyian’s life a little bit easier and could help get him re-elected,” said Faustmann.

According to the academic, “the most promising new element in the negotiations” is the agreement for Mavroyiannis to visit Ankara for talks.

“The direct channel between Turkey and the Greek Cypriots is very important, much less than the Turkish Cypriots going to Athens because Greece is not part of the problem,” said Faustmann.

A Greek Cypriot going to Ankara “allows a lot of misperceptions and prejudices about each other, nourished by the fact they are not talking to each other, to be tackled. It allows them to build trust, an essential part of an agreement which has been missing.”

It remains to be seen whether the coming days, weeks and months will bring real hope of a solution.

“The real question is to what extent there is a serious interest in Ankara to settle,” said Faustmann.

The Greek Cypriot source said this remains to be confirmed, but on all issues, the Turkish approach is no longer an out of hand rejection. “We see a bit more openness, a kind of gathering momentum.”

A similar rare note of cautious optimism was expressed by the Turkish Cypriot source, who said he could see a trend in the talks leading towards a common language that will “break this deadlock”.

“I think it’s a matter of time, but we are losing precious time unnecessarily.”

There is a long-standing joke in Cyprus problem circles that you’ll never lose betting against a solution. But times are tough. The economy’s tanked. There’s gas in the sea waiting to come out. Maybe, just maybe, a few hopefuls will go after the long odds.

Negotiators to visit Athens and Ankara next week

The two negotiators on the Cyprus problem, Osman Ertug and Andreas Mavroyiannis, will embark on their first visits to the respective Greek and Turkish capitals next week, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports.

The paper adds that they will be meeting with undersecretaries at the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministries.

The paper says that the Greek Cypriots are setting great store on these meetings, but they will be disappointed if they expect to gain anything outside of the negotiations during the contacts in Ankara, since the negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side is not Turkey but the Turkish Cypriots.

The source also denied reports in the Greek Cypriot press that Ertug will meet in Athens with Demetris Karataides, the honorary ambassador, advisor on the Cyprus problem to the Greek Foreign Ministry.

Moreover, Politis reports that Osman Ertug has asked for a meeting with his Greek Cypriot counterpart, Andreas Mavroyiannis in order to finalise the dates of these respective meetings to Athens and Ankara. The paper adds that Ertug had also acknowledged that there were problems in the joint press release to be issued for the start of negotiations and suggested that the Anastasiades – Eroglu meeting to kickstart the talks should take place without one.

The EU ready to help

The European Commission is ready to add its weight to the talks on the Cyprus problem if both parties request it and if the United Nations agrees.

This statement is included in a strategy document accompanying the annual progress report on Turkey. The same document also refers to the Cyprus problem and the sovereign rights of member states to conclude bilateral agreements for the exploitation of their natural resources.

"It is now urgent that Turkey fulfills its obligation for full implementation of the Additional Protocol and makes progress towards normalization of relations with Cyprus, because this could create a new momentum in the integration process, allowing in particular progress in the eight chapters covered by the conclusions of December 2006".

The Commission urges the avoidance of any kind of threat, source of friction or action which could damage the good neighborly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes and sees as critical the commitment and contribution of Turkey in specific ways to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

As regards Cyprus, the European Commission expects that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities will resume their negotiations for a comprehensive settlement under UN auspices.

The Commission expects that the two sides will quickly engage in substantive issues with the intention of achieving a successful outcome.

“All parties are encouraged to contribute to creating a positive climate through the steps that will be beneficial for the Cypriots in their daily lives and prepare public opinion for the necessary compromises," it stresses.

The EU expects results this time not just discussions

The EU will make every effort to achieve a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, the Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said yesterday, adding that the decision for Athens and Ankara to hold meetings with the negotiators from the two communities was encouraging.

Introducing the progress reports on the candidate countries, Mr. Fule referred to the Cyprus problem stressing that the EU will make every effort with all parties to achieve a comprehensive solution.

“This time we should not only have discussions but also results”, he said.  “I expect a constructive attitude from all sides and I ​​really hope that this time the whole process will result in the long awaited political settlement".

Cyprus problem is a European problem

The Cyprus problem is a “totally European problem”, according to Andreas Mavroyiannis, the Greek Cypriot side’s negotiator speaking at an event in Limassol yesterday.

He added that the solution of such a European problem should not contain any element that does not correspond with its identity as an EU member-state.

“This must be fully understood”, he added, “because without this there can be no negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem”.

He also said both Cyprus and Greece have counted on Turkey’s application for EU membership as an impetus for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem by agreeing to Turkey starting entry negotiations with the EU and stressed that care should be taken that this doesn’t turn against us leaving Cyprus hostage to Turkey’s entry process.

The truth about Kyrenia

An online article by Constantinos Odysseos refers to a recent hubbub created by a statement made by DISY MP Nicos Tornaritis who said that when the Cyprus problem is solved Kyrenia will be under Turkish Cypriot rule. He said the article caused an uproar from a number of people who criticised Mr Tornaritis for telling the truth. He says these people are hypocrites acting as if they didn’t know what we have been discussing for 37 years now.

He goes on to say that had Mr Tornaritis spoken in the usual way full of false emotions, such as for example: “even if a thousand years were to pass, the soul of Kyrenia will always be Greek, so that the great great grandchildren of our great great grandchildren who will still have the undying desire to return within them, will one day enter the gates of Kyrenia”, they would have applauded him in tears.

The writer adds that even though he would much prefer a unitary state, he realises that there is no way this can be achieved. It is an undisputable fact that Kyrenia would not be among the areas that will be given back to the Greek Cypriot state, but will remain under Turkish Cypriot rule (ie Cypriot rule). That does not mean that the Kyrenians will lose their rights to their property. The Greek Cypriot side’s position is that they should have the right to return. The Kyrenians have been the biggest victims of the 1974 events. They have lost their properties, have been displaced and if there is a solution they will have to go back under Turkish Cypriot rule. This is the raw truth. Selling them lies is, of course, much more pleasant than telling them the truth.

But this is no reason not to solve the Cyprus problem, he says, because otherwise Kyrenia will end up completely under Turkish rule. Because that is what partition would mean - the complete loss forever of our land. What some people are saying, namely that federation is akin to partition, is a complete and utter lie. 

The writer stresses that he believes that Turkey’s intransigence is the reason why the Cyprus problem hasn’t yet been solved and that Turkey is just waiting for the right time to partition the island. What he doesn’t understand, he says, is why our side continuously seems to be trying to delay things, thereby in effect helping Turkey in its aims.

He says there aren’t many Greek Cypriots who are happy with the way things have turned out over the last 60 years and explains that it is the endless mistakes made out of political naivety (if not stupidity) on the part of our leaders that have brought us to this point. If we’re not careful we will lose the chance to free our country for ever, he says, and Turkey will succeed in the aim it set in 1955 – the partition and Turkification of Cyprus.

Pre-negotiation manoeuvres

Niyazi Kızılyürek writing in Yenidüzen argues that by creating an artificial urgency to solve the Cyprus problem now or never, Turkey is really trying to get rid of the idea of federation as a solution, and is actually aiming for a two-state solution.

He refers to a recent statement by the Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Özdil Nami after a meeting with Ahmet Davutoğlu in Ankara who said that the “Turkish Cypriots need to be integrated into the world,” and expressed the desire for a solution in two months with March 2014 as the target. Nami added that "This problem should not go on for longer than 50 years. If this is not possible, the world should come up with a different answer to the question of what should be done in Cyprus?"

The writer also says that in the negotiations so far the Turkish side has mostly received, for example on issues such as governance, power-sharing, EU and the economy. On the issues of territory, property, security and guarantees, where the Turkish side had to give, there has been either no progress at all or no significant progress.

As regards territory, the Turkish side has hardened its stance in recent years, he says, referring to another speech by Nami in which he said the Turkish side had conveyed to its counterpart that “we will not be able to make the territorial concessions we made in the Annan Plan. Ten years have passed since then. There have been additional investments in regions except Varosha, which were subject to territorial adjustments. Life goes on. For that reason, it is more difficult to make the same concession. But the territorial adjustment will be more or less similar to how it was in that map."

In addition the parties are poles apart over security and guarantees, which are very important for the Greek Cypriot side. The Turkish side wants the Guarantee and Alliance agreements signed in 1960 to continue as they are, whereas there is no leader on the Greek Cypriot side who would agree to such a thing. Thus, he says, it is not clear how a federal state will be established. 

What’s more, he says, the Greek Cypriot side advocates that the Cyprus Republic should be restructured and transformed into a bi-zonal federal state and want the establishment of a kind of “Second Cyprus Republic.” The Turkish side on the other hand is fixated on the “virgin birth” scenario.

Claiming that the Cyprus problem may be solved in two months when there are so many divergences, and when the negotiations are being carried out by Osman Ertuğ, can only be a tactical manoeuver, the writer says. 

What the Turks are actually saying, he says, is: “We either solve the Cyprus problem in two months or the world has to forget about a federal solution and move towards a two-state solution.” Last March, Davutoğlu said, “we are ready to negotiate a two-state solution.” What a two-state solution would mean for the Turkish Cypriots would be becoming Turkey’s Gibraltar in Cyprus. 

The writer expresses the belief that Turkey is trying to do away with the federal state model by creating an artifical “urgency” about a federal solution. They have other plans, he says. He quotes Sami Kohen, who, he says, usually has good information about what is going on behind the scenes, and who wrote in Milliyet a few days ago that the idea that these new negotiations are the ‘end’ of the Cyprus problem is gaining strength on the Turkish side with a large number of people believing that formlising the independence of the TRNC is the best way to end the problem if there is no solution this time either. What’s more, Davutoğlu does not hide that they discussed “the recognition of TRNC” with Nami.

The writer concludes by saying that if all this is a tactical move aimed at pressuring the Greek Cypriot side into a solution, it is a useless, wrong approach that will not bring about the desired result.  

He adds it is impossible to legitimize the TRNC, which was established on territory, 80 per cent of which belongs to Greek Cypriots, who have been forced out at gunpoint. The Cyprus problem is not merely a problem of Turkish Cypriots’ integration into the world. It is also a problem of restoring the violated rights of Greek Cypriots. For this reason, what is expected of the Turkish side is not to try and corner the Greek Cypriot side, but to act with a sense of responsibility and put forward a federal solution, a solution based on the principle of a federal, democratic state, and the notion of a pluralistic community, not on the establishment of two separate “ethnic-ghettos” side by side.  

Applications to the IPC continue

In an interview with Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi, Gungor Gunkan, the chairman of the Immovable Property Commission established by Turkey in the north of Cyprus, says that more than 138 million pounds sterling have been paid out as compensation to Greek Cypriots to date.  He added that the Committee has over 5,000 pending applications, a number that is continuously rising. So far only 569 applications have been resolved.

He said that 671 applications which have not yet been examined concern properties in the closed city of Varosha. He noted that they are advising applicants with property in Varosha that the status of this city is part of a comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem and that the Commission would act having this as starting point.

Gunkan said that many of the origina owners of property have passed away and that it is their inheritors who have been applying,  many of who do not even know where their property is and are only interested in compensation.

“The properties are becoming Turkish”, said Gunkan. “This means that in a possible solution they will not be mentioned as Greek land”.

Guncan noted that at the rate they are going “we will finish this job in 96 years. However, this is an enormous financial burden. Certainly, it cannot continue like this. I hope that the Cyprus problem will be solved with a political solution”.

Replying to another question, Gunkan said that all the properties in the occupied area of Cyprus, including the military zones, are under the responsibility of the so-called Immovable Property Commission and added that the army informs the commission about its views concerning property in military zones, but because most of the cases concern compensation of Greek Cypriot property that is located in military zones, the problem ceases to exist when the Greek Cypriot properties are purchased by the Commission .

Call for greater EU involvement

Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said yesterday that the government want greater EU involvement in the talks on the Cyprus problem.

“We want the EU to contribute to efforts to solve the Cyprus solution. We do not want them to simply be observers and raise the flag like a linesman whenever something to be agreed in discussions violates EU laws”, he said in an interview on CyBC television.

Moreover according to the Cyprus Mail, the government would like to see the European Council, whose president, Herman Van Rompuy is currently in Cyprus, appoint a special envoy to the talks, believing that a more senior Council representative would have more political weight than just a technocrat. The government wants any solution to be prepared within the framework of Cyprus’ obligations to the EU as a member state and in line with EU values and principles. In other words, the paper adds, the Greek Cypriot side wants to see the rights and obligations emanating from EU law enshrined in any solution, rather than a host of derogations from EU law to satisfy Turkish Cypriot demands.

Press reports suggest that this idea has not been warmly received either by Turkey, the UN or the EU.

Regarding efforts between the two sides to prepare a joint declaration ahead of the official launch of the talks, the minister warned that the two sides should first agree on the basis of a solution, the process with which to reach it, and the end goal, before any talks could continue.

“Do you want to start the talks with a lukewarm joint statement which will not set out the basis and principles? …What is the desired result of the talks? We have to know what we are going to negotiate on,” said Kasoulides.

President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday briefed party leaders at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on the latest developments in the peace process and efforts to agree on a joint statement.

Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said members of the working groups that will support Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis in the talks should be decided by the end of the week.

Turkey wants talks to resume as soon as possible

"We want talks to resume as soon as possible and to be concluded swiftly under a timetable," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Gumrukcu has told AFP. "We are not rediscovering the wheel. The Cyprus problem remains unresolved for 50 years and the issues to be addressed as well as settlement parameters are clear-cut," he said.

"We are not naively optimistic, but we are receiving positive signals from the other side. There's an important window of opportunity for a settlement," he added. "If we can utilize this chance, many issues considered risky today such as energy resources will create an opportunity for peace and cooperation in the entire eastern Mediterranean."

EU wants to see Cyprus reunified

The President of the European Council, Mr Herman Van Rompuy, who is in Cyprus for a one-day visit, told the press after his talks today with President Anastasiades, that  “our shared goal is to see Cyprus reunified”.

“I encourage the parties to seize this window of opportunity. A united Cyprus would obviously fortify its place within the EU. For that, a settlement would need to be in line with the principles on which the Union is founded. Both communities are encouraged to make full use of the acquis and to find creative compromises to end the division of Cyprus”, he said.

Downer starts meetings

United Nations emissary on Cyprus Alexander Downer, over the weekend embarked on a series of meetings to prepare for the resumption of negotiations for a Cyprus solution.
Downer met with President Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu and on Monday will embark on a series of meetings with the negotiators of the Greek and Cypriot communities, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Osman Ertoug.

Downer, who met Greek foreign minister Evangelos Venizelos in Athens yesterday, said he hoped that the procedure for  the negotiations will be formulated within the coming week.

He further stated that the proceedure was equally as important as the actual negotiations.

Venizelos repeated the Greek government's position that applying confidence building measures suggested by president Anastasiades will help give a new momentum to the negotiations.