Talks stuck in a loop?

There is no chance of going to an international conference on the Cyprus problem if the conditions set by the UN Security Council are not met first, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Speaking after a two hour meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, their first meeting since the two got back from talks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York, Christofias said they had discussed procedural issues during which he clarified the conditions whereby the Greek Cypriot side would consider moving towards an international conference.

“I was given the opportunity to clarify that forcing the process was unacceptable and that if the conditions set by the Security Council itself are not met, then in no case will we accept an international conference,” he said.

“I clarified what we mean by international conference, what we consider the content could be, as well as its composition,” he added.

The president said he made it clear that should a conference take place, the Republic of Cyprus would have to be represented.

“First of all, the SG has not made it clear who he intends to invite. So, we want to clarify this issue,” he said.

On the issue of property, Christofias said he expected the exchange of data as requested by Ban to be completed very soon, adding, “and I hope that at some point we’ll find a common language”.

He noted that to date the delivery of relevant data by the Turkish Cypriot team has been “very poor”.

The talks currently appear stuck on the election of the federal executive, though no deal is in sight yet on the property chapter either, the Cyprus Mail says. While Christofias wants to deal with territory and property together to get a sense of how many refugees will have the right to return, Eroglu refuses to discuss territory until a date has been set for an international conference.

The Turkish Cypriot leader has shown a keen desire to move the process to its endgame, calling on the UNSG to convene a conference regardless of whether progress has been achieved or not.

The two leaders will meet again next Tuesday to discuss property and again on February 28.

The National Council is convening for two all-day sessions to discuss developments in the Cyprus problem following the recent meeting between the leaders of the two communities and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York.

No statements were made after yesterday’s meeting during which Christofias reviewed the Cyprus problem, going over agreements made by previous presidents calling for a bizonal, bicommunal federal solution, in a bid to put things into perspective. Christofias suggested that veering from that framework would lead to partition.

Three parties expressed their positions - EVROKO, EDEK and the Greens – all more or less asking Chistofias to change his strategy.

Politis says that President Christofias defended his handling of the problem through a 50-page document and by saying that he himself improved things as compared to provisions of the Annan plan referring specifically to the executive power and the property issue. As regards the rotating presidency he said this would be not apply if the other side did not also accept cross-voting.

He recalled former President Tasos Papadopoulos’ statement that such plans never disappear saying that the talks did not start from a blank page since there had been previous commitments. He justified the course he had taken through a historical review starting from Archbishop Makarios and ending with Tasos Papadopoulos.

President Christofias rejected the call for a change in strategy by saying that this would be a disastrous choice. He insisted that a bizonal, bicommunal federation is a one-way street and warned of the danger of partition.

He also told the members of the National Council that an exchange of data had taken place as regards the property issue.

During today’s second all-day meeting DIKO, DISY and AKEL are expected to air their views.

Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has raised the issue of secrecy at his meeting with President Christofias on Tuesday, expressing his unease at the Greek Cypriot side's leaking of the draft solution document to the press without exchanging views on it, Ankara Anatolia news agency reports.

In statements after the meeting, Eroglu said that the Turkish Cypriot side would continue to maintain secrecy, adding that their aim was to reach an agreement soon.