US Vice President Joe Biden visits Cyprus

It is “long past time” for a Cyprus solution, US Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday as he stepped off Air Force Two at Larnaca airport on a two day visit to the island, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Biden, who is accompanied by his wife Jill and a large entourage, is the first US Vice President to visit the island since Lyndon Johnson in 1962. The Bidens were greeted by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and US ambassador to Cyprus John Koenig.

In a brief statement on arrival, Biden said he had been looking forward to the visit a long time.

“I came here at the invitation of your president and the government of the Republic of Cyprus and I wanted to come to primarily underscore the value the United States attaches to our growing cooperation with the Republic of Cyprus. This relationship is now a genuine strategic partnership and it holds even greater promise,” said Biden.

He said he and President Nicos Anastasiades would sit down Thursday to a shared agenda, which would include Cyprus’ growing leadership in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus’ support for the mission to eliminate chemical weapons from Syria and help prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, its role in Europe and in the regional energy security and continued cooperation on search and rescue, crisis response and counter-terrorism.

“There’s much to discuss,” said Biden, adding that he and Anastasiades would also discuss the situation in Ukraine.  “We have to be resolute and united in the face of Russian intervention,” Biden added.

He said he also knew that the Cypriot people had faced tough economic challenges and made painful sacrifices but he was pleased to see the government make good on the progress of economic reform.

“I believe the economy is beginning to turn the corner and we look forward to working with you to deepen our trade involvement and restore growth and prosperity,” the US Vice President said.

He said the Cyprus settlement process would be “an important focus of our conversations,” and he was looking forward to meeting the leaders of both communities.

“The United States, I want to be clear about this, recognises only one legitimate government of the Republic of Cyprus and my visit and meetings throughout the island will not change that. It is my personal position, it’s the position of the United State of America and it’s the position of the entire world, save one country,” he said, referring to Turkey.

“And it’s long past time… 40 years… that all Cypriots are united in a bicommunal, bizonal federation.”

His anticipated meeting on Thursday with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu had already sparked fervent protests mainly from Greek Cypriot opposition parties that had argued that by meeting with Eroglu in the north, the US official would lend recognition to the break-away state.

Biden said he was encouraged by the steps that had recently been taken, the joint declaration on February 11, the visit of the Greek Cypriot negotiator to Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot negotiator to Athens, support from the international community, and “the seriousness of purpose we’ve seen in this process thus far”.

“After so many rounds of talks and so many years of stalemates, it’s legitimate to ask the question whether this time can be any different?”

Biden said the question reminded him of the words of former colleague George Mitchell, the US envoy for Northern Ireland, whom he quoted as saying: “We had 700 days of failure and one day of success”.

“Peace is always possible,” said Biden. “But it requires engagement, not just from leaders but from citizens. In that respect I’m encouraged to hear about the joint initiatives from Cypriot political and civic and business leaders, historic religious services and dialogue, and the restoration of sacred sites throughout the island.”

“I’ve heard that the local press assumes I’m coming with a plan for peace in my back pocket to solve the Cyprus problem. I’d like to put that rumour to rest. I came here on behalf of the United States to help you get a solution, not to present or impose one.”

The US Vice President said he had been personally following events in Cyprus for more than 40  years, “long enough to know that only Cypriots can decide on a vision for your future and only Cypriots can exercise the courage necessary to make that vision real.”

“Imagine what can happen if you make sure that this time is different, that this time a solution is reached.”

He said it would mean incredibly greater prosperity, greater security and a future of limitless possibilities for a generation free from the strait jacket that decades of division had imposed on the island.

“This island can and should be the bedrock of stability and opportunity for Europe and for the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Biden.

He said the story of the 20th century in Europe was one where barriers fell and peace and prosperity rose up in their place. “That can and should happen on this beautiful island. I travelled to Cyprus today because I believe this time can be different. Whether it will, depends on the people of this island,” he concluded.

The U.S. Vice President and his wife Jill, who are staying in Limassol, later had dinner with President Anastasiades and his wife Andri at their Limassol home.

Biden’s visit will not ‘upgrade the north’

A statement issued by the President’s office said yesterday that “in order to avoid any attempt to exploit the meeting for other purposes, the US Vice President will meet Mr. Eroglu not in his usual office but in an adjoining building, without any symbols whatsoever.”

According to the Cyprus Mail, the statement was issued to downplay complaints from Greek Cypriot political parties that the north is to be ‘upgraded’ by the meeting.

Biden will see Eroglu in the latter’s capacity as leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, the statement added, indicating that Eroglu did not have the status of head of state. The adjacent building cited is understood to be situated in the same complex as Eroglu’s ‘presidential’ office. According to a White House briefing, the meeting will take place with Eroglu on Thursday afternoon at his residence.

Since Biden’s trip was announced, opposition parties – DIKO, EDEK the Citizens’ Alliance and to a lesser extent AKEL – have been warning that the status of the breakaway north would be enhanced once the American VP travels there and meets officials, and somehow impart legitimacy to the regime.

Davutoglu pays flying visit to the north

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday made a quick visit to the north of Cyprus most likely, according to the Cyprus Mail, to ensure Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu was on the same page ahead of the US Vice President’s visit. Observers believe Eroglu is not quite as enthused about it as the Cyprus government.  Earlier last week he hinted he thought Biden would favour the Greek Cypriot side, but Davutoglu said Biden would liaise “equally with both sides” encouraging them to solve the Cyprus issue.

Davutoglu hailed the coming week’s visit by US Vice President Joe Biden as a “positive and important step” but quashed any expectations of ‘big news’ on Varosha, saying it was always an issue to be decided as part of a comprehensive settlement. “Once you go along with individual solutions then at some stage you create a new status quo, which can prevent a comprehensive solution,” he said.

Davutoglu let it be known that he himself was deeply involved in the negotiations. He said he was visiting the north to discuss the developments in the Cyprus issue since December but specifically referred to “the recent increased international interest”.

He added that CBMs must be equitable and balanced. If Varosha was to be discussed as a CBM, then something of equivalent or equal value would also have to be on the table. “Otherwise while increasing the confidence of one side you may reduce the confidence of the other,” he said.

Davutoglu said he had met his US counterpart John Kerry in London two days ago and that the Secretary of State had expressed US support for a Cyprus solution. Kerry is also due in Cyprus this year. He assured Davutoglu that US support would continue after Biden’s visit. “Peace in the Eastern Mediterranean passes through a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem,” said the Turkish Minister.

Anastasiades and Talat have lunch

Greek and Turkish Cypriots should intensify efforts to resolve the island’s division in a manner that will not ignore the concerns of either community, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Monday.

Speaking after an informal lunch with former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, the president said they exchanged views on how to become more productive in the current negotiating process.

“At the same time we agreed that we must work harder to speed up the whole process,” Anastasiades said. “We expressed hope that with understanding and a lot more will, we will achieve a solution as soon as possible that will not ignore the concerns of Greek Cypriots nor those of our Turkish Cypriot compatriots.”

The two men met for lunch at the initiative of Anastasiades who sought to allay concerns that the meeting would affect his dealings with the current Turkish Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu. “On the contrary, I think our talks will help in further understanding, but also managing the dialogue we have with the elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot community,” the president said. Anastasiades said he and Talat agreed that everyone must show determination to solve the Cyprus problem as soon as possible. “We must realise that as a country we are a member of the EU, we are all European, everyone living on this blessed island legally, and we must all work together on enforcing the (EU) acquis commuitaire and human rights with full respect and prospect,” Anastasiades said.

Talat said it was a fruitful meeting in which they exchanged views on the ongoing negotiating process. “The aim is to achieve a comprehensive solution and to do this we must understand each other,” he said. Talat suggested introducing Greek language lessons in Turkish Cypriot schools and Turkish language lessons in Greek Cypriot schools. The idea, he said, must be supported by the leaders of the two communities and the mass media on both sides of the divide.

Biden’s visit is a giant leap forward for Cyprus

A recent editorial in the Cyprus Mail, says it was no surprise that the announcement of the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden sparked a considerable amount of negative comment. This was in keeping with the anti-US sentiment that has been cultivated by Cyprus’ politicians and media since the presidency of Archbishop Makarios, who misguidedly pursued close relations with the Soviet Union and countries of the so-called Non Aligned Movement while demonising the West.

Very little has changed since then, despite the end of the Cold War. The Soviet Union may have collapsed, but the country’s opinion-formers now market Russia as Cyprus’ international protector and most reliable ally. While the economy depends on Russian business, on the diplomatic front, Moscow’s support had been greatly exaggerated as it has never gone beyond the offering of help with UN Security Council resolutions of no real consequence, and the sale of military equipment.

Compare this with how the US has helped Cyprus. The US stopped Turkey from invading Cyprus two times (1964 and 1967), was behind two settlement plans (1964 and 1978) that Greek Cypriots rejected and only stopped trying to help the two sides reach an agreement after the 2004 referendum. Even more importantly, the US was the main provider of aid after the invasion. From 1974 to 1981 it gave a total of €131 million in aid, making Cyprus the biggest ever, per head recipient of US humanitarian aid. However, this was never acknowledged by Greek Cypriots (the amounts of US aid received was never officially announced) who also ignored the fact that Soviet aid during this period was next to nothing.

Everyone in Cyprus was too busy blaming the Turkish invasion on the US, embracing Soviet-controlled AKEL’s propaganda that the invasion was a NATO-US conspiracy, a claim repeated in the ‘Cyprus file’- despite the lack of real evidence – prepared by the House of Representatives last year. The US could have done more diplomatically to try to stop the invasion, but to claim that it had orchestrated the whole thing is not supported by the facts. Interestingly, the Soviet Union did nothing to dissuade Turkey from invading, but nobody in Cyprus ever questioned its acquiescence.

Since the rejection of the Annan plan in 2004 the US gave up on the Cyprus problem – it did not help that we had two presidents in this period who were stridently anti-American – satisfied that the status quo ensured stability. But this changed with the discovery of hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean, rekindling Washington’s interest in a settlement that would allow the exploitation of this valuable energy resource in conditions of stability. This would serve the interests of all countries in the region and especially of its two closest allies, Turkey and Israel, which have been gradually mending their relations.

Greek Cypriot politicians have questioned America’s new-found interest in a settlement, accusing Washington of pursuing its strategic interests in the region. But what is wrong with that? Cyprus should be exploiting the fact that a settlement of the Cyprus problem would serve the regional, strategic interests of the US. In fact, the Anastasiades government has recognised that this is a big opportunity and seems to be making all the right moves. But even before the show of American interest it made its pro-Western, pro-NATO outlook very clear and has moved to strengthen relations with Israel.

The government is already reaping the benefits of this radical change of foreign policy. It was thanks to the US that the joint declaration, which looked like a lost cause, was finalised last February, while Biden is expected to announce a plan for the development of Famagusta, including the fenced area, during his visit. The conducting of a study about the opening of the fenced area may be a small step but it goes some way towards satisfying President Anastasiades’ long-standing demand. It is a slice of very good fortune that a settlement would serve the immediate strategic interests of the world’s most powerful country, a big opportunity that should be seized.

It is not often that a Secretary of State refers to Cyprus as a strategic partner of the US in the eastern Mediterranean, as John Kerry, who will also be visiting the island, had recently done. In this context, Biden’s visit this week, the first by a US Vice President since Lyndon B. Johnson’s visit in 1962, is a symbolic confirmation that Cyprus has been welcomed to the West. After 54 years of independence and misguided anti-US policies Cyprus has finally made the big leap and joined the grouping of nations to which it always belonged politically and culturally.

Coffeeshop: The Yankees are coming

Just when we thought things could not get any better for Prez Nik they have, says the Cyprus Mail’s satirical column Coffeeshop. Two weeks after his triumphant, official visit to Germany during which Chancellor Merkel treated him like a new best friend, he will be playing host to one of the most important people in the world, the Vice President of the US of A Joe Biden. Somebody up there must like Nik a lot, because after the mega-disasters he suffered in the first couple of months of his presidency everything has been going exceptionally well for him. And now the leader of tiny and inconsequential Kyproulla will have no lesser person than Biden as his official guest, to show his foes that he has hit the big time.

It is not often that an American VP visits the island of love and sunshine. The last time was more than 50 years ago, Lyndon B. Johnson visiting in 1962, and allowing the deluded Makarios to think that he was some big-shot statesman who could play big league diplomacy, with catastrophic consequences for the country. Hopefully these high-profile encounters will not go to Prez Nik’s head and he will keep both feet on the ground. He will also be aware of the tragic irony of Biden’s visit. He is arriving because the Yanks are hell-bent on Cyprob settlement that would bring his presidency to a premature end, if agreed, and unceremoniously terminate his socialising with the world’s top dogs. The fact that Biden hopes to announce some plan for the eventual re-opening of the fenced area of Famagusta – a condition Nik had set for moving on to a settlement – would suggest the Yanks do not only mean business, but they are also in a bit of hurry.

There is a small hope that things will not go according to plan because Dervis Eroglu appears unwilling to play ball with the Yanks over the visit. The dour Dervis has reportedly been in a stroppy mood and has been threatening to throw a spanner in the works. US ambassador John Koenig met Turkish Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay more than half a dozen times last week in an effort to finalise the arrangements of the Biden visit to the north and, more importantly, the text of the statement about Famagusta that the VP hopes to make while he is here. Eroglu, apparently, wants stuff in the text that Nik’s government would never agree to. The hastily arranged illegal visit (as the CyBC describes it) by Turkey’s foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu to the north on Saturday, was supposedly aimed at bringing the jumped-up Eroglu into line. The errant Eroglu, I suspect, will have his ear pulled, his bottom spanked and do as Davutoglu tells him to do. The Yanks must have received certain assurances from the Turks about Biden’s visit and it is unlikely Davutoglu would allow the Harpo Marx lookalike to make a fool of him.

Our own bash-patriotic salesmen of negativity have been moaning about Biden’s visit because his meeting with Eroglu in the north would lead to an ‘upgrading’ of the pseudo-state. We have been hearing this nonsense about ‘upgrading’, for the last 15 years, every time some important foreigner visits the north. We also hear it every time a Turkish Cypriot visits a foreign country and meets representatives of the government. If this ‘upgrading’ that Junior, Lillikas and Omirou are losing their sleep over, was actually taking place all these years, the pseudo-state would have been a fully-recognised member of the UN by now. It does not cross their minds that if the Yanks wanted to recognise the north, they would have done it. Why would they do it sneakily, by sending their VP to visit Eroglu? Is it because they are afraid of Junior and Lillikas’ reaction or have we perhaps threatened to impose sanctions on the US, if it chose to recognise the north? We should stop worrying about the upgrading of the north and start considering the upgrading of our political thinking which is a dire necessity.

Junior has been leading the moaning against Biden’s visit, with childish arguments, that show he has not yet grown out of political puberty. “Who stands to gain from Biden’s visit, us or the pseudo-state that would be upgraded?” asked the smart Junior, adding that the “major and negative issue” was the VP’s visit to the occupied area and his so-called official meetings there. Surely we can call these meetings ‘unofficial’ or, if we are feeling daring, ‘illegal’, thus preventing the upgrading of the pseudo-state. I think, Junior’s abject negativity cannot be attributed solely to his DNA. He must subconsciously feel jealous of Nik who, two weeks after being given the royal treatment by the German Chancellor, he would be entertaining the VP of the USA. When Junior’s dad was president he was only a little more popular than Saddam Hussein on the international scene. There were no official visits or invitations and he was regularly given the cold shoulder treatment by fellow leaders at European Council meetings. Now he sees the hated Nik next to world leaders, he feels no national pride for the drastic upgrading of Cyprus’ presidency, since his late father’s time.