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.