Heading for talks with a strong framework

Politis says that agreement on the joint statement will probably be reached in the next 24 hours so that talks can start. The paper adds that the US has been a catalyst in getting the two sides to this point.

The draft statement, which President Anastasiades will discuss with party leaders today, outlines a strong framework for the talks and covers the basic demands of the Greek Cypriot side.

However, the Turkish Cypriot leader’s stand remains uncertain as he has yet to give the green light.

President Anastasiades flies to Athens this afternoon where he will meet with the Greek Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras and the Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, whom he will brief on the latest developments.

US says “courageous steps” are being taken

US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland yesterday spoke of “seizing the opportunity” and of “courageous steps” to heal the island’s division, the Cyprus Mail reports.

In a brief statement issued after separate meetings with President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, Nuland said she was persuaded that each was personally committed to making real progress in the “coming days and weeks”.

The paper says that Nuland had been scheduled to hold a news conference in the buffer zone yesterday but it was cancelled at the last minute without explanation in favour of issuing a carefully-worded announcement after the State Department on Monday played down speculation of growing US involvement in helping move the process forward.

US said at the weekend the “You’re not hearing about it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Security Conference in Munich on Saturday where he had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.

A state department spokeswoman, Jennifer Psaki, said late on Monday that the US was not engaged in any ‘new’ process or initiative on Cyprus. Referring to Secretary of State John Kerry’s remark that the US was “working on Cyprus quietly”, she told reporters in Washington “I don’t want you or anyone to over-read into what he stated.” She added: “Obviously, this is an issue we’re engaged in. Our position hasn’t changed.”

Nuland’s statement said she had “excellent discussions” with the two leaders.

“I am persuaded, after these discussions, that each leader is personally committed to making real progress in coming days and weeks toward ending the division of this island,” she said.

Both leaders assured her of their strong determination to reach agreement on a joint statement that would “define key principles to foster renewal of fruitful, results-oriented settlement negotiations”. “I assured them of President Obama and the American people’s strong support as they seize this opportunity and our continued engagement as they take courageous steps to heal the island’s divisions and bring security, economic prosperity, and hope to all the people of all the island’s communities,” said Nuland.

“The United States supports the development and early implementation of measures to build confidence and enhance cooperation on the island and in the region.”

Reports last week said the US was working with Ankara on the text of the proposed joint statement that aims at re-starting the stalled talks. US Ambassador to Cyprus John Koenig was said to be actively involved as a go-between in communications between Nicosia and Ankara but so far the Greek Cypriots have rejected Ankara’s proposal made through the ambassador. The sticking point remains the term “single sovereignty” in a federal Cyprus.

Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said yesterday that during the president’s meeting with Nuland efforts concerning the final formulation of a “substantive” joint communique were discussed.

“Also discussed at the meeting were ways and measures that will reinforce the efforts to develop an appropriate climate and reinforce, at the same time, the process for the solution to the Cyprus problem,” he said.

“The President briefed Ms Nuland on the positions of our side and reiterated that it is absolutely necessary to have a joint communique, which will indicate the beginning of an effective negotiation and that will, at the same time, have prospects for completion.”

3. Ban statement clarified

The UN Secretary-General Ban spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, on Tuesday gave further clarifications as regards Ban’s recent statement on the Cyprus problem, the Cyprus Mail reports.

“The Secretary-General’s remarks in answer to a journalist’s question on the Cyprus talks alluded to the political change in the Republic of Cyprus last spring and the immediate impact of the economic crisis at that time which had understandably required President Anastasiades’ full attention, and this meant that the President’s stated desire to resume the talks at that stage was deferred and the UN had clearly expressed its understanding of these circumstances,” Nesirky said during his daily briefing.

He added that “importantly the Secretary-General stressed that both leaders were committed to continue the negotiations and had agreed to have a joint communiqué before they resumed talks”.

Nesirky said that “he reiterated the UN’s continuing and full support to the leaders in this effort”.

Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides described these remarks as unfounded, pointing out that the talks were suspended in the summer of 2012 by the Turkish Cypriot leader when Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Nicos Emiliou had earlier made representations to the Director of the Office of the United Nations Secretary General Susana Malcorra.

Comments Ban made on Cyprus were interpreted as blaming the Greek Cypriots for a delay in negotiations, and the ‘downgrading’ of Cyprus from a UN member state to a ‘community’.

On Saturday Ban said of the Cyprus talks: “Unfortunately, these negotiations [were] suspended because of a change of government in the Greek Cypriot community of Cyprus. After that, there was an economic crisis. This kind of a political and economic situation has not been helpful in resuming the negotiations”.

Asked about the concerns raised in Cyprus following the Secretary General’s statement, Nesirky urged the reporter “to take a close look at the transcript of what the Secretary-General actually said”.

“I think that would help clear up some of the confusion that has been created and that’s really all I have to say on that at the moment,” he said.