No progress

The Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders met for almost three hours on Monday night in a friendly, informal meeting in the buffer zone that made zero progress in overcoming the deadlock on a joint declaration needed to kick-start negotiations on a Cyprus settlement, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Speaking after the meeting, President Nicos Anastasiades told waiting reporters that the road would be long.

“Unfortunately there is still a long way to go until we reach the desired outcome, a goal that will allow the resumption of a substantive dialogue between the leaders of the two communities and that will create well-grounded prospects for a successful conclusion.”

According to the paper, the meeting went well in terms of atmosphere but not on substance, with the two positions remaining apart.

Eroglu also read out a statement in which said he had proposed to Anastasiades to skip the joint declaration and start negotiations immediately.

Eroglu accused Anastasiades of turning the joint statement into a precondition, despite the fact the Turkish Cypriots were ready to resume negotiations from where they left off.

Although the two appointed negotiators have worked on a draft statement since the first week of September, “this exercise has reached a saturation point” because the Greek Cypriot side is trying to include issues of substance that need to be discussed within the framework of fully-fledged negotiations, said Eroglu.

“We proposed some new formulas to Mr Anastasiades in order to overcome these difficulties,” he said.

Eroglu said he proposed resuming fully-fledged negotiations with Anastasiades on the governance and power-sharing chapter as all issues of substance raised by the Greek Cypriots in the draft joint statement are elements of that chapter. The talks could resume on Anastasiades’ return from abroad – he leaves for Brussels today and then Lithuania, returning on Saturday- “with a view to concluding them”, said Eroglu.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said he also reiterated his proposal of May 30, 2013, that the two leaders visit the Apostolos Andreas Monastery together.

“I think the realisation of such a visit before Christmas will give a positive message to our respective publics.”

Eroglu concluded: “The message I want to convey to you tonight is clear: The necessary basis exists in the form of convergences which are on the negotiating table. I am ready to sit at the table without any preconditions, upon Mr Anastasiades’ return from abroad.”

For his part, Anastasiades refrained from entering into details, sticking to his demand for a joint declaration before talks can start in full.

He said he undertook the initiative for an informal meeting with Eroglu to ascertain whether the two could conclude a joint declaration that will pave the way for a solution of the Cyprus problem.

“It was a useful meeting that allowed the two sides to understand clearly both each other’s positions and the reasons that prevent a joint declaration.”

The Greek Cypriot intention is to continue consultations between the two negotiators with the ultimate goal being the conclusion of a joint communiqué to open the way for talks to resume, he added.

The paper says that the failure to reach an agreement keeps the process suspended, as Eroglu is sticking to his guns on demanding that the federated states be considered “founding states” in a new, reunited Cyprus, giving them sovereignty and “residual powers” to decide on matters such as citizenship.

On the other side, the Greek Cypriots are unlikely to agree to enter into talks without an agreed joint declaration addressing their concerns, as any failure of the peace process is seen as opening the door to Eroglu to push for cementing the division of the island by upgrading the breakaway regime.

 Peace talks in ‘very tragic situation’

The talks are currently in a “very tragic situation”, with the Turkish Cypriots eyeing a “divorce” post-settlement, Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis said,  following the unsuccessful meeting on Monday night.

Speaking to CyBC radio, Mavroyiannis said that Eroglu spoke clearly of two sovereign states and refused to budge from his “hard line positions” despite the president’s many efforts.

“He insists that we have two sovereign states that will decide one day to join together and share in common a small number of powers, and they will maintain their sovereignty, citizens and all characteristics of a sovereign state.”

It’s a “very tragic situation”, said Mavroyiannis.

While the meeting itself, which lasted over two and a half hours, was held in a “very good, friendly atmosphere”, Eroglu would not move an inch from his “extreme position”, he said.

“The president showed all the good will, calmness and patience, in an effort to present matters with a view to prospects for the future,” he said, adding, “instead of trying to discuss terms of reunification, we cannot, at this stage, be discussing the terms of a future divorce, because behind this extreme position, is the idea that one day, each will go their own way.”

The Greek Cypriots cannot resume fully-fledged negotiations without first clarifying the basis of the talks, as specified in UN resolutions, and the methodology in a joint declaration, Mavroyiannis said.

“It’s not a question of terminology, but of a completely different approach. They are saying, let’s start the talks and see what happens on the way. We insist these issues have to be cleared up now,” Mavroyiannis said.

“The gap between us was made abundantly clear. We have a serious problem before us. We never underestimated its size. We will continue our efforts. But without movement on these extreme positions, we cannot see how to start with a meeting of the leaders and fully-fledged negotiations.”

Mavroyiannis confirmed that Eroglu handed over two draft proposals near the end of Monday’s meet. The one suggested skipping the joint declaration and entering into direct talks on the governance and power-sharing chapter, a proposal unacceptable to the Greek Cypriots who on the one hand, won’t proceed without a joint declaration, and on the other, do not wish to engage in peace talks chapter by chapter but by crossing through chapters.

The second proposal repeated “extreme” positions on the joint declaration.

Mavroyiannis today briefed the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on the informal meeting. UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer was updated on Monday night.

The Cyprus News Agency quoted a Greek Cypriot source as saying that the Turkish Cypriots are approaching the peace talks with a plan B already in mind.

This proves “we cannot build frail structures. Things have to be clear. We are ready in the framework of the process to provide the other side with safeguards which we consider self-evident, in order to meet their questions and insecurities. But we will not negotiate on issues pertaining to a clear basis (for the talks),” he said.

According to the Turkish Cypriot press, Eroglu acknowledged that agreement could not be reached on starting talks, adding that patience is needed in such cases.

Eroglu said the world needed to know the “realities” in Cyprus and called on the Turkish Cypriot youth to work to preserve the breakaway regime.

AKEL’s spokesman expressed “deep concern” at the turn things are taking and criticised the government for doing away with the two joint statements of the previous leaders, Mehmet Ali Talat and Demetris Christofias.

Ruling DISY said the meeting showed how critical it was to clarify from the start the basis and aim of the talks. If talks start without a common understanding on the basic foundations of a federal state, they will be “doomed to failure”.

DIKO leader Marios Garoyian said the Turkish side’s intransigent positions and the “Pontius Pilate” approach of the UN Secretariat have led matters to a dangerous impasse.

Leaders to meet today

The Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and Dervis Eroglu will meet today in a bid to agree on a joint statement from the two sides paving the way to the start of negotiations.

In a written statement, the government spokesman said that President Anastasiades had sent a letter to Eroglu asking for the meeting.

In the letter, Anastasiades said the two sides ought to “redouble our efforts towards adopting a joint communiqué for a first landmark meeting of the leaders.”

He noted that the present juncture is critical for efforts to give a “decisive thrust” aimed at achieving a political settlement.

The statement says that President Anastasiades had suggested they meet over the telephone when Eroglu rang him to convey his condolences over the death of former President Glafcos Clerides.

The meeting has been set for 6.30pm today at the Chateau Status in the UN-controlled buffer zone.

According to the Cyprus Mail, their respective chief negotiators and/or advisers will also be at the meeting, in the absence of UN officials.

A statement from Eroglu’s office called the meeting “a positive development” for resuming the Cyprus talks “from where they left off”.

In earlier statements Eroglu said the time has come for a bizonal federal solution in Cyprus on the basis of political equality and sovereignty and with the continuation of Turkey’s guarantees over the island. He accused the Greek Cypriots of wanting to have sovereignty over the whole island without seeing the Turkish Cypriots as their equals.

“They do not want a bizonal federation and the ‘de facto’ and effective presence of Ankara as a guarantor power.”

Davutoglu: Take advantage of window of opportunity

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called on the Greek Cypriots to start peace talks and take advantage of the “window of opportunity”.

According to Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris, Davutoglu made the comments after a meeting with his British counterpart William Hague in Turkey.

The Turkish FM said that negotiations in Cyprus should start the soonest possible. “We think that a window of opportunity is open in Cyprus. Let the negotiations start the soonest and let golden 2013 not be wasted,” he said.

“However, the meeting between the leaders has been continuously postponed by the Greek Cypriot side.”

He added that Turkey was ready for any kind of step that would pave the way forward for the process and asked Hague to help speed up the issue. 
“It is in no one’s interest to continuously postpone peace,” said Davutoglu.

Hague agreed that a window of opportunity exists for the settlement of the problem in the coming months, noting that a great international effort is being exerted on the issue.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the visits of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot negotiators to Ankara and Athens has been delayed until after president Anastasiades and Eroglu meet.

Why all the hypocrisy over Clerides?

Loucas Charalambous in an article in the Cyprus Mail says that the insufferable hypocrisy that for so long has plagued the political life of this country has also infected the death of Glafcos Clerides.

He says that Clerides’ biggest mistake was surrounding himself with the wrong people, people did not share his own political philosophy. When the time came for him to realise his political vision and reunite Cyprus, these people turned against him, betraying him in the most cruel fashion, allying themselves with Papadopoulos, Lyssarides and Christofias, and fighting him with unbelievable bitterness.

For four whole days after his death, he says, hypocrisy swelled through the accolades heaped upon Clerides’ political acumen. Clerides’ undeniable qualities were praised even by people who had never respected the, in fact had even fought him, going so far as to accuse him of seeking to dissolve the Republic and turn it into a Turkish “protectorate” when he had been brave enough to came out in favour of a settlement in 2004, urging people to vote for it in the referendum and appealing to the public’s logic and political good sense if we were to salvage whatever was left.

The reason for this hypocrisy is plain to see. It’s not because they’ve suddenly had a change of heart. They are just scrambling to take advantage of the former president’s death in order to earn brownie points in the political game. This is the truth sadly, this is the calibre of our politicians, and so we can all stop wondering how it is that we’ve come to this sorry state of affairs.

Federation not confederation

President Anastasiades has said that he will not enter into a dialogue on the Cyprus problem knowing that the preconditions set by the Turkish Cypriot side will not lead to a bizonal, bicommunal federation but rather to a confederation.

“I will not accept anything less than a single sovereignty, a single international personality and and a single citizenship”, he said speaking at an event, organized by the 1955-1959 EOKA Fighters.

He added that the message he wants to send abroad and to the United Nations is that “the Greek Cypriot side is ready and determined to enter into a dialogue of substance. We are not interested in procedures and blame games. We want a solution and we are absolutely honest and determined about this”.

Eroglu responds to Anastasiades

Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, in a written statement accuses President Anastasiades of calling him “arrogant”,  Bayrak television reports.

He said he himself has always been respectful to the Greek Cypriots’ sensitivities and personalities, adding that it is interesting that the Greek Cypriot leader made these accusations after a visit to the EOKA House.

“It seems that Mr Anastasiades is not pleased with my insistence on our sovereignty and the continuation of Turkey’s active and effective guarantee. It is obvious that Anastasiades is continuing to evaluate the EOKA ideology even today, and dreams of taking us back to the pre-1974 conditions”, Eroglu said.

He warned Anastasiades that he is mistaken if he thinks he can persuade the Turkish Cypriots to come under Greek Cypriot sovereignty.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to sit at the negotiating table without preconditions and end the Cyprus problem with a federation based on bi-zonality and political equality, Eroglu said: “We will never sacrifice our political equality and the equal status of the founding states”.

He said that the Greek Cypriot side is resorting to all sorts of tricks to delay the process, the latest example being the joint statement.

Pointing out that all chapters will be negotiated once the talks begin again, Eroglu said that the Greek Cypriot leader has rejected all convergences reached to this day.

“Anastasiades wants current DIKO President Karoyan to win the party elections. He doesn’t want to be accused of being flexible at the negotiating table. This is the kind of games they are playing”, he said.

“We have been waiting for him for the past 9 months. He set up his government, introduced austerity measures. But his continuing delaying tactics are leading us to question his sincerity”, Eroglu noted.

Spokesman replies to Eroglu

The Greek Cypriot side does not intend to enter into a blame game with the Turkish Cypriots, so will not comment on Mr Eroglu’s remarks, Government Spokesman Christos Stylianides said yesterday.

“President Anastasiades has repeatedly made clear that the Greek Cypriot side is ready to enter into substantive negotiations, at the earliest possible, with the aim of achieving a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem”, he added.

He said consultations are currently taking place aimed at adopting a joint declaration which will include the basic principles of a solution to the Cyprus problem as these are recorded in the relevant UN resolutions. These basic principles will be “the safety valve and the guarantee” that the negotiations will have a positive outcome.

“The Greek Cypriot side entered this consultation with sincere political will and a constructive approach, and will continue the effort with the same disposition. It expects from the Turkish Cypriot side to show the same political will”, he said.

Erdogan: there is no country called Cyprus

Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that there is no such country as Cyprus, Kibris reports.

Replying to questions after a conference in Poland on  “Turkey-EU Relations”, Erdogan claimed that the “south Cyprus Greek administration”, as he described the Republic of Cyprus, had been accepted into the EU for political reasons and not because it was in harmony with the European laws.

Ertug: Greek Cypriots have moved slightly

The Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu’s special representative Osman Ertug has said that the Greek Cypriot side is “moving slightly” on the issue of the joint declaration, adding that efforts are continuing, Kibris reports.

Speaking after an hour-long meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus Alexander Downer, Ertug said that although the Greek Cypriots continue to persist on their “hard line”, they have again submitted a draft joint declaration in which they have moved “slightly”.

He added that on their part, the Turkish Cypriot side had put forward “bridging” proposals during the meeting.

Turkey’s plan B

Turkey has prepared a Plan B for Cyprus in the event that no solution is found within the framework of the UN and that this involves a two-state formula, according to Turkish daily Haber Turk.

The paper quotes a source in Ankara as saying that the new approach is that “a solution will emerge from the non-solution”. It adds that Ankara believes that the parameters on the island have changed with the discovery of natural gas deposits and the water which Turkey plans to transfer to the north part of Cyprus through pipelines.

Ankara’s assessment is that the Greek Cypriots will not be able to extract the natural gas and if they do attempt to extract and use it, “a new partnership agreement with the TRNC or a discussion of the two states will be needed”. The paper says that Ankara believes that the only realistic option for transporting the gas to the world is via Turkey.

A curious war over a notorious joint statement

Loucas Charalambous writing in the Cyprus Mail on Sunday refers to the debacle surrounding the joint communique that President Anastasiades requires for the talks to start.

For two months now, Anastasiades has been saying on a daily basis that there will be no talks before a joint communiqué is issued and for two months now he has been coming up against the refusal of the Turkish side to accept that this would include the provision that the federal state would have single sovereignty and a international personality.

But how serious is this policy? In article 2 of the Annan Plan, paragraph 1(a) states clearly that “Cyprus is a member of the United Nations and has a single international legal personality and sovereignty.”

In the document of convergences prepared by the UN (Convergences 2008-2012), on page 14 it states: “In accordance with the agreed principle of a single international legal personality of the united Cyprus, external relations, including the conclusion of international treaties, shall be the competence of the Federal Government.”

As is well-known, the Annan Plan was approved by Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot community in the most official, the most legitimate way available to democratic societies – a referendum. It is therefore clear that the Turkish side had already agreed that the federal state of Cyprus would have a single international legal personality and sovereignty. We are the one who did not agree to this, as we rejected the plan.

The big question now is, why is Anastasiades creating an issue out of it now? Also, why has he created such a big issue without a real reason? What purpose is this mindless tactic serving?

Answering the question, Charalambous says it seems that the last thing on Anastasiades’ mind is a settlement of the Cyprus problem. All he cares about now is pandering to Marios Garoyian and the other opponents of a settlement.

He goes on to say that a naïve person might ask, since the Turks have already agreed to single sovereignty, why do they have a problem with including a reference to it in the joint communiqué? The answer is pretty straightforward. They have cottoned on to Anastasiades’ games and are trying to exploit his political stupidity. With the president insisting that the Turkish side did not accept single sovereignty, it is now trying to re-sell it to him also seeking something in exchange.

Anastasiades, the writer says, has been divorced from common sense ever since he married Garoyian and became a different man.

Downer extends his stay by 24 hours

The UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer has extended his stay on the island by 24 hours to hold further meetings with the Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis and the Turkish Cypriot negotiator Osman Ertug, the Cyprus Mail reports.

The meetings are part of efforts to bridge the gap between the two sides with a view to concluding a joint communiqué for the resumption of Cyprus talks. Downer had been due to leave the island on Friday but instead will leave late on Saturday after more meetings.

The Cyprus News Agency said on Friday that the situation remained fluid but Downer’s extension of his stay was seen as a glimmer of hope in the effort to come up with a joint statement.

“Things are not easy,” the agency quoted sources as saying.

Erdogan: Let’s solve the Cyprus problem now

Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said yesterday that the Annan Plan has been shelved and put into the freezer and added that a ‘Ban Ki-moon Plan’ will “certainly be formed” to solve the Cyprus problem, Kibris reports.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Erdogan said the following:

“If south Cyprus gives assurances, if it is determined, we could make the necessary suggestions to northern Cyprus in the same manner, as long as Greece makes the necessary suggestions on this point and we say let us end this issue the soonest under the presidency of the UN Secretary-General”, he said.

He referred to a meeting he had on the Cyprus issue in St Petersburg with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at which he had said that, as guarantor powers, Greece and Turkey and even Britain, could undertake a more active role in the negotiations and lead the issue to a conclusion. “Let the delay not continue here”, he said.

Erdogan remarked that Mr Reinfeldt believes and trusts President Anastasiades more. “We, of course, trust and believe the president of the TRNC”.

“Let us take the steps. We had an Annan plan before us once, but that has almost been shelved now, it has been put into the freezer. Now a Ban Ki-moon plan will certainly be formed. Then, let us form this plan, let us take the step quickly and arrive at a conclusion, we say”, he stressed.

Davutoglu hopes Cyprus talks will start soon

Politis reports that Turkey’s Foreign Minister has expressed the hope that the talks on Cyprus will start as soon as possible.

Speaking after a meeting with EU Commissioner on Enlargement, Stephane Fule, he said Ankara wanted to procedure for solving the Cyprus problem to be speeded up, for the two leaders to meet immediately and then to go to an international conference with the participation of the four parties under the auspices of the UN. He added that a solution to the Cyprus problem would bring peace to Cyprus and would strengthen Turkey’s negotiations for joining the EU.

Mr Fule, who is currently on a visit to Turkey, said that Turkey’s relations with the EU had been given a new impetus as a result of the opening of a new chapter. The aim, he said, is for all the chapters to be opened.

Eroglu: we have no information on a new plan and the ball is on the Greek Cypriot side

Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, has said that the emphasis was on a Cypriot-led plan, not an imposed plan for solving the Cyprus problem, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis reports.

Speaking after a meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, Eroglu said that he does not know whether a new ‘Ban Ki-moon plan’ will come up and pointed out that such a proposal had not been submitted to them and they know nothing about this issue.

Asked to comment on Erdogan’s statement that Turkey could “make suggestions” to the Turkish Cypriot side if the Greek Cypriot side comes closer to an agreement, Eroglu replied that the Turkish Cypriot side has always been in close contact with Turkey over the Cyprus talks.

He said that he had told Downer that the Greek Cypriot side has turned the issue of the joint statement into a pre-condition and that no result had been reached because of the allegedly increasing demands and obstacles put by the Greek Cypriot side.

President Anastasiades, he said, is “playing with time” and that the Turkish Cypriot side “could not save him from the political difficulties he is facing”. Eroglu argued that he has to think about his “people” and that his action take this into consideration. He added that the deadline the UN Secretary-General had set is over and that the “ball is on the Greek Cypriot side”.

Eroglu said that if President Anastasiades wants a solution, he should come to the negotiating table and if he does not want a solution, he should say so openly. He reiterated that the two sides could start the negotiations without agreeing on a joint statement.

According to Kibris, Eroglu said that the Turkish side yesterday submitted its sixth document of proposals on the joint statement and that it is not possible for them to go further than this point, while the  Greek Cypriot side had not submitted anything new.

Nami and Downer are hopeful

“We going through critical days. We hope that we will have a positive result soon”, Ozdil Nami, Dervis Eroglu’s Foreign Minister said yesterday after being briefed on Eroglu’s meeting with Downer, Kibris reports.

He added that the two sides are at a better point on the issue of the joint statement than they had been and that the differences between them had decreased. However, he noted, it would not be correct to say that everything is finished.

In statements on his part, Downer said things are advancing in the right direction and added that he still hopes that an agreement will be reached on the joint statement today before his departure from the island.

Downer: there is no ultimatum

The Cyprus Mail says that the much-anticipated meeting between President Anastasaides and Alexander Downer yesterday saw the Greek Cypriot side talk tough and the UN Special Envoy reject the idea that an ultimatum had been issued.

According to government spokesman Christos Stylianides, the Greek Cypriot side would not enter talks without a joint declaration that would include the basic principles of a settlement.

“The president made it clear to the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy that he will not participate in talks for the sake of talks if there is no joint declaration beforehand that will include the basic principles of a settlement as defined by the UN resolutions,” Stylianides said.

The meeting had been initially scheduled for 12pm but was pushed back as discussions between the UN and the Turkish Cypriot side for the joint statement were continuing, the paper says.

The spokesman added that the president asked that the meeting take place in the afternoon, to give the UN time to exhaust their efforts with the Turkish Cypriot side.

The UN Special Envoy said after the meeting with Anastasiades that discussions were “inching ahead” and expressed the hope that the two sides would come to an agreement.

Downer also tried to dispel the impression that when the UN Secretary-General had said he hoped the impasse would be overcome when Downer returned to the island from November 4-8, which was interpreted by the Greek Cypriot side as an ultimatum.

“The SG didn’t say that. I appreciate it has been interpreted this way but the SG was simply alluding to the fact.. it wasn’t the SG it was a spokesman of the SG… that I was coming back here this week and he really wanted to see the joint declaration,” Downer said. “But this doesn’t mean that when the end of this week arrives and the joint declaration hasn’t been agreed, it will lead to some other consequence.”
The UN official added: “… this is not an ultimatum, there is no ultimatum.”

The paper adds that Downer avoided giving a straight answer when asked whether he thought he still had the President’s trust.

“The UN will do all it can, consistent with the Security Council resolutions, to contribute towards and achieving a solution to the Cyprus problem,” he said. “And I spent quite a few years on this myself, and at this stage the challenge is to get this joint declaration concluded. The SG accepts the strong determination of President Anastasiades to achieve a solution here and I know he is working very hard at it. It is not about me.”

He added: “I find this a very interesting job, but it is not really about me, this is about Cypriots and about trying to ensure that at this stage the joint declaration can be agreed and so every effort is being out into that, not to talk about myself.”

Bagis says Ban Ki Moon plan will come

Turkey’s EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, Egemen Bagis, who is in Brussels for the start of talks with the EU on Chapter 22 regarding regional policy and coordination, has said that in the even of a Cyprus settlement, positive developments will also occur regarding Turkey’s EU accession process, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis reports.

Bagis said that, as a result of the negotiations that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer is holding with the sides, “a new plan will materialize by the end of the year which will be a corrected version of the Annan plan. The Ban Ki-moon plan will be put to a simultaneous vote on both sides at the beginning of 2014 and envisages the foundation of a United States of Cyprus, with a single sovereignty in the world, where each side will determine its own domestic affairs based on political equality on the island”.

He added that he expected this would also lift the obstacles on chapters 14 and 16 to Turkey’s negotiations with the EU, which he said “are being blocked for political reasons”.

“The Greek Cypriot side, which is preventing the opening of the chapters, should come to its senses and not jeopardize and mortgage the interests of Turkey, the EU and the 500 million of citizens of the EU member countries, and do what it is correct.”

Eroglu says Cyprus problem must end now

Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, has said that the Cyprus problem which has been continuing for 50 years must end.

In an interview with Kibris, Eroglu said: “If no agreement is reached, we will sit and evaluate the situation under the circumstances that will exist at the time. Meanwhile, we are focusing on sitting at the negotiating table and solving the Cyprus problem within 3-5 months. We have local elections, Turkey has local elections, then presidential elections and afterwards parliamentary elections. That is, both north Cyprus and Turkey will be very busy with elections. Therefore, if there is a will, we should finish within 3-5 months.”

Asked to comment on the issue of the single sovereignty, single citizenship and single international representation and the complaints of the Greek Cypriot side that the Turkish stance has changed on issues on which agreement had been reached, Eroglu said that “the partnership state will of course, have a single international identity and a single identity and that it will have one citizenship and one seat at the UN”.

“It will be sovereign as well, but where will it be getting its sovereignty from? Now we are saying this: what is the solution we are looking for? A bi-zonal, bi-communal federal partnership state based on political equality, a federal republic. Now, if you say that these founding states will have no characteristics and that they will not give any power to the partnership state, then who is founding this partnership state we call the Federal Republic of Cyprus?” he added.

Asked to clarify the Turkish view as regards so-called “internal citizenship”, Eroglu said: “Those who are now citizens of the partnership state will become citizens of the Turkish or Greek founding states. The Greek side says that only the partnership state should have citizenship. We say that given that this will be a federation based on political equality, these people will also be citizens of our administration as we are a founding state. This is not only for us, but for the Greek Cypriots as well. That is, the Greek Cypriots who are citizens of the partnership state will be citizens of the Greek Cypriot founding state as well. This is what we call internal citizenship.”

Downer back in Cyprus

Politis reports that the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Alexander Downer had separate meetings in Nicosia today with the negotiators of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, Andreas Mavroyiannis and Osmen Ertug, while tomorrow he is expected to meet with President Anastasiades.

Meanwhile the Acting Government Spokesman Victoras Papadopoulos said that the Anan plan is dead as far as the Greek Cypriots and President Anastasiades are concerned, and that a new plan is awaited, one that will meet the expectations of the people. 

He added that the joint communique for the start of talks should contain the basic parameters of a solution. He admitted that there was pressure from the UN on both sides to sort this out within four days, but they did not consider this as blackmail.

Eroglu calls for new partnership

Kibris reports that Dervis Eroglu has stated that the Turkish Cypriot side yesterday gave to the UN “its last proposal for a joint communique”. He also said that an end should be put to the issue of the joint communique in the event that the Greek Cypriot side rejects it. In a written statement he calls on President Anastasiades to take advantage of Downer’s presence on the island and sit down at the negotiating table continuing from where they had left off with the aim of reaching a solution in the first quarter of 2014. He added that the UN Secretary-General also agrees with this view.

Speaking earlier at another event, Eroglu said that a solution that provides for the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus into a federation is unacceptable for the Turkish Cypriot people, Eroglu has said, as it was “contrary to the experiences and existing realities on the island” and could cause the victimization of the Turkish Cypriots once more.

He said that the time for an agreement in Cyprus has come and claimed that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready for “a new partnership”, which will have a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal structure based on political equality. Eroglu said that the “partnership state” which will be established, will be formed by two “founding states” of equal status and will have one seat at the United Nations, one identity in the international arena and a single citizenship. At the same time, he argued, the founding states will be able to “act sovereignly” and will have the right to grant “internal citizenship”. He added that Turkey’s “active and effective guarantees” are an indispensable condition for the Turkish Cypriots.

Cyprus Football Association and Cyprus Turkish Football Association sign landmark arrangement

A major milestone in the history of Cypriot football was reached at FIFA headquarters in Zurich today with the signing of a provisional arrangement for the organisation of football in Cyprus, between the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and the Cyprus Turkish Football Association (CTFA).

Under the arrangement, the CTFA becomes an associate member of the CFA in accordance with the CFA’s statutes and regulations. Furthermore, the CFA will continue to be a member of FIFA and UEFA as well as the governing body responsible for organising, servicing and administering football in  Cyprus. Both parties agreed on the setting up of a steering committee to work towards implementing the arrangement.

The arrangement, which is based on the FIFA and UEFA statutes and only concerns football-related matters, aims to unify and facilitate the progress of football within the football communities on the island through a relationship based on trust, mutual respect and goodwill.

“Both the Cyprus Football Association and the Cyprus Turkish Football Association are today providing the whole world with an excellent example of how football can build bridges and bring people together after a long period of conflict,” said FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

Anastasiades meeting ambassadors

President Anastasiades has been having various meetings with ambassadors of UN Security Council members in Cyprus. On Friday he met with the American ambassador, while today he had successive meetings with the ambassador of Russia and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom and tomorrow he will meet tomorrow with the Ambassadors of China and France.

In a written statement the Government Spokesman, Christos Stylianides said that during these meetings Mr Anastasiades repeated the need to reach an agreement on a joint statement, which he said “will define clearly and without any trace of doubt the basic principles for the solution of the Cyprus problem, principles, which have repeatedly been recorded in a number UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus”.

He specifically recalled that the most recent UN resolution of 30 July 2013, refers to resolution 1251 of the Security Council, which establishes that the solution to the Cyprus problem will be based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as this is defined in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, with one single sovereignty, one single international personality and one a single citizenship.

The spokesman also pointed out that the resolution expresses the need for the adoption of confidence-building measures and calls for and expects an agreement on such measures.

“It is self-evident that what is expected from the United Nations is to promote the implementation of the relevant decisions and resolutions of the Security Council, as the Charter of the Organization foresees”, he said.

“The proposals of our side are fully consistent with the above resolutions and decisions of the United Nations and correspond to the concerns of the Greek Cypriots, without ignoring the rights of the Turkish Cypriots, creating in this way a new dynamic but also a new prospect in the dialogue that is under way. We want to hope that there will be an proportionate response by the Turkish Cypriots, so that the dialogue is conducted more effectively.”

He expressed the hope that the United Nations will meet their obligations as these emanate from the above resolutions, in order to create the prospect for the meeting of the two leaders and for the dialogue on substance, so that we are led to a solution of the Cyprus problem shortly.

Concluding he mentioned that everything that has transpired as regards Mr Downer would will be discussed at a private meeting he will have with President Anastasiades on Wednesday.

Bagis: We are near a solution

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris reports that Egemen Bagis, Turkish EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, has said that positive developments are happening on the Cyprus problem.

In statements yesterday to a television station, Bagis said that at the moment no chapters are closed, because of an EU decision providing that no chapter will be closed as long as the Cyprus problem is not solved. He added, inter alia, the following:

He added that he hoped that the chief negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side will soon be going to Ankara and that of the Turkish Cypriot side will go to Athens and that “a new UN plan, like the Annan Plan, perhaps a Ban Ki-moon Plan, will emerge.”

He added that if the Cyprus issue is solved, we are at the point of being able to easily open 12 chapters and close 10 chapters in Turkey’s negotiations with the EU. We are at the point of passing some issues with a little work and further increasing that number.”

Eroglu: Turkish Cypriot side is ready to agree on a mutually accepted joint statement

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said that the Turkish Cypriot side is ready to agree on a mutually accepted text of a joint statement and added that the Turkish side’s “constructive proposals” on this issue are still on the table.

In a written statement issued yesterday, Eroglu said that the “joint statement text exercise” should not be prolonged any further.

“We are ready to hold the meeting of the leaders, which will launch the negotiations from the point they were left, even without the joint statement that has been turned into a precondition by the Greek Cypriot side. Come and let us continue the negotiations from the point we were left and reach the comprehensive solution which the two peoples expect from us in the first quarter of 2014”.

Eroglu said that the Turkish side supports UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s expectation in the direction of determining the date of the meeting between the leaders that will launch the negotiations. He added that in his statement of 1 November 2013, Ban Ki-moon ascertained important things regarding the point reached in the efforts exerted in Cyprus for finding a just and lasting comprehensive solution within the framework of his good offices mission. He noted that the expectation of the UN Secretary- General regarding the resumption of the negotiations and his warning that a limited window of opportunity exists, underlined once more that the waste of time in the negotiations must end.

He said that the Turkish Cypriot side does not share the Greek Cypriot “attacks” made against the UN Secretary-General because of his correct ascertainments.