Eide says it’s up to the two sides to find a way back to the table

UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide yesterday acknowledged that his proposal for a twin-track process to resolve the hydrocarbons dispute so that Cyprus talks could resume had not created “much enthusiasm” on either side, the Cyprus Mail reports.

President Nicos Anastasiades told Eide during their 90-minute meeting that there would be no returning to the negotiating table until Turkey ceased violating the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

He also explained to Eide why the Special Adviser’s proposal for a twin-track process through parallel discussions on hydrocarbons had been rejected by the Greek Cypriot side.

“I respect and understand that, so that was what I had to propose,” said Eide.

“So in a sense now it’s more the two sides that have to find a way to create the conditions that they can speak. What I am concentrating on is now what we do in order to make sure that the talks will be speedy and effective once we are back at the table. And I remain optimistic that we will get there but I am not able to say exactly when we will get there,” he added.

“I feel that the situation can either get better or it can get significantly worse,” he said.

He said he was encouraging both sides to think of ways where they could re-approach each other in such a way that the talks could continue.

But the government spokesman’s comments after the meeting were clear. “Our decision to return to the negotiating table cannot be secured while there is a continuing violation of the sovereignty of the Republic,” said Nicos Christodoulides.

“We developed our argument as to why the proposal of Mr Eide could not be accepted. There can be no dialogue under threats and intimidation.”

If Turkey changed its stance and demonstrated in practice that it respected the sovereignty of Cyprus a dialogue could be resumed.

“It is clear who is responsible for the situation we are in today so the party responsible should take those actions that will make it possible to resume the dialogue.”

Eide also met with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, Bayrak reported. Speaking at the end of the hour long meeting, Eide said that he had been listening to the views of both sides on how the negotiations could resume.

“I don’t know when the negotiations will resume but when the talks do resume we must move fast”, said Eide, pointing out that the Cyprus issue is reaching a point of truth.

He said that the Cyprus problem and the uncertainty that ensued has been going on for too long and that both sides are reaching a point where they have to make decisions.

Eide also said that both sides need to exert an effort to return to the negotiating table, expressing the hope that a comprehensive settlement will be reached in a reasonable time once the talks resume.

Eroglu on his part said that he had told the UN Special Envoy that the Turkish Cypriot side is still at the negotiating table and is ready to resume talks from where they left off.

“Since it was they who left the negotiating table we believe there will be a great benefit for Mr Anastasiades to return to the table without any preconditions. As I informed Mr Eide, my team and I are still sitting at the negotiating table. The important thing is for Mr Anastasiades to regain his health and return to the table”, he added.

Davutoglu says they will drill as well

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutogu has said that if necessary, Turkey would not only continue to explore within Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but also carry out drilling.

“The eastern Mediterranean is also our sea. No one can close the Mediterranean to us. If necessary we can start drilling as well,” he said. 
”The natural resources around the island should be acknowledged as the catalyst for peace and that both communities in Cyprus had equal rights to the island’s whole EEZ.”

“There will be no hesitation in using these rights,” he added.

Davutoglu called for the resumption of settlement talks. “Our call is clear: intense negotiations that will lead to a solution, and immediate peace,” he said.
 He proposed the establishment of a joint committee to share out the island’s natural resources so as to promote peace on the island.

UK: hydrocarbons must be used for benefit of all Cypriots

Britain recognises the right of Cyprus to exploit its hydrocarbon reserves within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), UK Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said repeating the UK’s position that they must be used for the benefit of all Cypriots, according to the Cyprus Mail.

Speaking after a meeting with President Anastasiades, Lidington said: “The policy of the British government is very clear that we recognise the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus and the right of the Republic of Cyprus and only the Republic of Cyprus to develop whatever hydrocarbons there may be within its waters.”

“We also have the consistent view that hydrocarbon resources are to be used for the benefit of all Cypriots… that after all is one of the great prizes to be won through a Cyprus settlement,” the British minister added.

‘Accept the division of Cyprus’

Jack Straw, the former British Foreign Secretary has called on the international community to accept the division of Cyprus, according to the Cyprus Mail. 


In an interview with Turkish news agency Anadolu in London on Tuesday, he said the island’s division needed to be accepted as a reality.


“If it had been possible for there to be a happy, united island, well, that would be the best solution, with a bi-zonal, bi-communal constitution. But the majority of people living on the island in the Greek-Cypriot part don’t want to accept that,” Straw said.


“So my view is the international community should accept the reality that there is division and that you have partition,” he said. “And then these two rather small nations would be able to develop their own relationship and I think it would be a cleaner system.”

Hurriyet: Anastasiades is an alcoholic

The internet news site News.it reports that an article in Turkish daily Hurriyet refers to President Anastasiades’ health, his addiction to alcohol and the progress at the talks.

The article says that Anastasiades’ decision as to when to have a heart operation depends on how long it will take him to get rid of all the alcohol in his system.

The writer of the article claimed to have had numerous emails from Greek Cypriots who accuse him of ‘hitting below the belt’ by calling Anastasiades an alcoholic. “Is it though?” he wonders.

He said the ‘problem’ cannot be considered a personal matter for Anastasiades, as it has also affected the Cyprus talks, in view of the fact that in the last couple of months, a number of “unfortunate” incidents have taken place that stem directly from the president’s alcoholism. He added that his close friends and associates confirm that Anastasiades starts drinking around lunchtime and gets very angry if he cannot find his favourite whiskey. He wonders how come in July the president started railing against the Greek Cypriot negotiating team and throwing chairs around, especially since the Turkish side hadn’t proposed anything new that day that could have enraged Anastasiades to such a degree. The problem lies with his alcoholism, the writer continues, something that cannot remain in the private domain.

He concluded by saying that the Turkish side wishes him a speedy recovery so that he will return healthy to the negotiating table, even though it has begun to dawn on both communities that reunification isn’t going to happen.