ELAM disrupts Talat meeting

Around 100 members of the far right party ELAM disrupted an event on the Cyprus problem in Limassol on Wednesday night at which former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat was leader, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Reports said they shouted slogans and held Greek flags outside the municipal cultural centre just before the event was scheduled to start. They then managed to enter the lobby and hurl a flare inside the hall, which landed at the feet of the American Ambassador who was attending the event. A Turkish Cypriot journalist who tried to take photos was slightly injured.

Interviewed for Sigma TV, the police chief said that he had been tired and had gone to bed as he had been all the previous night inspecting police stations. He added that the deputy chief had been notified about the possible ELAM presence at the event.

Politis reports that two men and a woman were arrested yesterday, that arrest warrants were issued for two ELAM members and that more arrests would follow. 

In the north all the Turkish Cypriot covered the incident. According the Kibris, in statements afterwards, Talat said that the culture of peace must be constructed on the island in order for the solution in Cyprus to be lasting and for such “extreme elements” to be isolated.

Talat described ELAM’s reaction as “a little extremist” and added that the police behaved very tolerantly to the protestors. Talat recalled that he had recently given a similar conference in Paphos, where there had also been protests, but the Paphos police had taken more effective measures compared to the police in Limassol.

Talat said that we must face the extreme activities and isolate them in order for the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots to have sustainable peace in a united Cyprus. He noted that if we do not achieve this, no solution could be reached.

The paper adds that President Anastasiades called Talat and apologised to him, promising that the necessary measures will be taken. Moreover, some Greek Cypriots who spoke at the conference also apologized to the Turkish Cypriots. Anastasiades said that the insufficient police measures and the passive behaviour of the police would be investigated and that what was necessary would be done.

After the conference, the 35-member Turkish Cypriot group, which participated in the conference, returned to Nicosia escorted by police.

According to Kibris, the attack was also condemned by the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay, who said that “with this mentality we could reach nowhere in the 21st century.” In a statement through the social media, Ozersay noted that “a very serious struggle should be

Kibris’ columnist, Hasan Hasturer, who was participating in the conference, wrote in his column that the incident should neither be overestimated or underestimated. He says that ELAM is a threat to both the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots and points out that the behaviour of the Greek Cypriots who were in the conference room was very positive.

“No one left the room. The Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots who were there exhibited silent resistance. The conference was not left half-finished. This would be tantamount to surrendering to the fascists,” he said.

Furthermore, according to daily Kibris Postasi newspaper, Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu issued a written statement condemning ELAM’s behaviour and arguing that “the animosity, which some parts of the Greek Cypriot community still feel towards the Turkish Cypriots and reaches the point of violence, is regrettable and unacceptable.”

Eroglu described as “saddening and thought provoking” the fact that the police did not take the necessary measures. He described as “worrying” the fact that “such violent incidents happen especially in a period during which the negotiations reached a critical point and measures which will overcome the lack of confidence between the two sides are on the agenda”. He said that he expected the Greek Cypriot side to take the necessary measures so that such incidents are not repeated in the future.

2. Varosha could be a ‘game changer’

The return of Varosha to the Greek Cypriot side would be one of the “game-changing steps” the U.S. believes would create a new dynamic for the Cyprus talks, ambassador John Koenig said yesterday, the Cyprus Mail says.

Speaking after a meeting with ruling DISY leader Averof Neophytou, he said: “We share the view that such steps could contribute very, very positively to the conclusion and implementation of a comprehensive settlement. These are not two different things. They are part of the same effort, after 40 years, to successfully reach a settlement and implement a settlement that will reunite the island and protect the interests of all Cypriots.”

Koenig said the US speaks with the Turkish government and with the Turkish Cypriot community with regard to CBMs for Cyprus, but said he would rather not use that precise term.

“We discuss these at every opportunity with all of the parties involved,” he said.

Koenig said he had briefed Neophytou on his recent visit to Washington and on what US Secretary of State, John Kerry, had said regarding the Cyprus problem, “which is high on his priority list.”

“We see a very significant opportunity for a settlement of the Cyprus problem for a new united Cyprus with very positive perspectives in all fields,” said the ambassador.

Koenig did not comment on a statement by Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu that Kerry would visit Cyprus next month, while Government spokesman Christos Stylianides said Nicosia had no such information.

The Cyprus Mail says that only days away from the second meeting of President Nicos Anastasiades and Eroglu next Monday, the two sides did not appear to be in sync, either on Varosha as a CBM, or on what the next stage of the talks might entail.

Eroglu and his chief negotiator, Kudret Ozersay, have been talking in recent days as if the two sides were ready to begin the give-and-take part of the process. However, Stylianides was adamant this was not the case. “This is the beginning of the road, the solution is not ready, what it takes is hard negotiation, we need to form alliances and be determined based on the EU principles,” he said.

Stylianides said that during their upcoming meeting the two leaders would assess what has been discussed so far between two chief negotiators.

Greek Cypriot negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis is expected to press home the Varosha issue during his visit to the US.

But while the Greek Cypriot side insists that the give-and-take stage is not near, on the Turkish Cypriot side, Ozersay said conditions were ripe for that step as soon as the leaders get together, even by Monday. “If this whole process is called ‘Cyprus negotiations’ and not ‘chats’ the only remaining step is ‘give and take’,” he said.

Eroglu yesterday went as far as to say the Turkish side’s aim was to end the negotiations with simultaneous referenda before 2015. “We think that we should quickly pass into the mutual give-and-take process and end the negotiations with an agreement. The Greek Cypriot side has started acting as if it is not in a hurry but the world’s attention is focused on us,” he said.

Eroglu said that he would bring it up with Anastasiades on Monday.

The negotiators have discussed the agenda for the meeting, but Ozersay said that while they agreed on some elements, there were others they had disagreed on.

He said the Greek Cypriots wanted to bring two subchapters to the table, but Ozersay said this could be done by the two negotiators rather than the leaders.

He said there was general agreement on the law but not on elections for the federal administration, the creation of decision-making mechanism, property, security and guarantees.

The negotiators are due to meet again on April 8, 11 and 15, Ozersay said.

Earlier this week Turkish President Abdullah Gul met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the nuclear summit in the Hague and discussed Cyprus among other topics.

According to a spokesman of Ban, both agreed that it was critical to maintain the current momentum in the Cyprus talks.

“The Secretary-General encouraged Turkey to continue to engage actively and constructively in the Cyprus issue,” said the spokesman.

3. Cyprus talks could lead to reunification this time, says Downer

The process for the solution of the Cyprus problem is in good shape and there is positive momentum, outgoing Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General Alexander Downer said today, the Cyprus Mail reports.

He will be submitting an end of assignment report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon before his term expires at the end of April.

Speaking to the press, Downer said the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus have demonstrated commitment and courage, and that there have been important achievements in the past five years.

He referred to the joint declaration that was signed on February 11, which marked the resumption of talks for a Cyprus settlement, noting that the process is in good shape and there is positive momentum.

He expressed hope that this round of talks would eventually lead to the reunification of Cyprus as a bizonal bicommunal federation, and pointed out that the leaders could achieve this and had the public urging them on.

Downer said his time in Cyprus had been memorable and intense.