Last talks?

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus met last week for what could very well be their last time given the lack of progress to date and the obstacles arising in the coming months, the Cyprus Mail reported.

Although aides to the two leaders were still meeting on property, no new meeting was fixed between President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Eroglu before UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer goes to New York in mid-April to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Eroglu said after the meeting that, as far as the Turkish Cypriot side was concerned, they had made it clear the meeting was at least the last one until Ban decides whether or not to call an international conference.

The Turkish side has already said it will not come to the table for as long as Cyprus holds the six-monthly EU rotating presidency, which begins on July 1.

Downer said if the leaders wished to meet before mid April, it was up to them. Even though he would not be on the island, he said his staff would facilitate a meeting if the leaders wished.

“The timing of the leaders’ meeting is ultimately a matter for them because as I have often said this is a Cypriot-owned and Cypriot-led process,” said Downer. “That was one of the bases for these negotiations laid down at the very beginning of this process. So, that’s really a matter for them.”

Downer’s report on the status of the peace talks is due to be completed last Friday, depending on the outcome of the property discussions between the leaders’ respective aides, Giorgos Iacovou and Kudret Ozersay.

According to sources, the outcome of negotiations between the aides would have a clear impact on the ‘flavour’ of Downer’s report. It is believed the two sides were seeking agreement on the basic ground rules of a mechanism that would be instrumental in solving the massive property issue enabling Downer to write about a positive development in the final phase of the talks in his report.

Downer has in the past said the two sides need to overcome obstacles like property and election of the executive before a multilateral conference can be called. On the other hand, the UN adviser did seem buoyed by his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu last week in Brussels, suggesting the latter may have hinted at more flexible positions at the eleventh hour.

Speaking after the meeting, Christofias said the Greek Cypriot side was ready to continue talks until a “common language” can be found, irrespective of Downer’s report.

Asked about the possibility of an international conference, Christofias said he did not believe the UN S-G would convene such a meeting because there was nothing to justify it.

“None of the obligations and commitments undertaken before the Secretary-General have been met,” he said, as Eroglu had not stuck to what had previously been agreed between his predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat and Christofias.

A meeting on the international aspects of the Cyprus issue could take place if and when the internal aspects of the problem have been solved, he said.

“The issue of governance is still open, the issue of citizenship is still open, the issue of property is still open, and the issue of territory is still open. These are important aspects of the Cyprus problem. So convening any meeting is not justified,” said Christofias.

Asked about reports that Eroglu had sent a letter to Ban saying he would accept cross-voting for the federal executive if the UN chief calls an international conference, the President said Eroglu made no such reference in yesterday’s meeting, suggesting the rumours could be a communications ploy to influence international opinion.

Eroglu later confirmed that he had sent a letter to Ban saying that if an international conference was called, the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to discuss a lot of issues.

The UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Mr Alexander Downer, last week briefed via video conference the UN Secretary Council on the developments in the Cyprus problem.

After the briefing, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, whose country currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, said Downer had made the point that over the last few years substantive amount of agreement had been reached between the parties but that there was still significant gaps on a number of issues and that in line with the resolution that was adopted last year he will be doing a report, a personal report to the Secretary-General in the second half of April on the basis of which a decision will be taken on the way forward.

“Obviously all member-states offered Mr Downer their full support in his work in trying to help facilitate a Cypriot-owned resolution into the issues”, he added.

Replying to a question the Ambassador confirmed that the Turkish-Cypriot side wanted a deadline to be set for the talks but that the Greek Cypriots take the opposite view.

“We believe that the conditions are right for agreement to be made if the necessary political will is there and the compromises are made on both sides. So we certainly hope that with the facilitation of the UN Good Offices it might be possible for the two sides to reach agreement in the next few months”, he concluded.

Turkish Cypriot daily Haberdar reported yesterday that it has acquired some details on the plan of the Turkish side regarding the opening of the occupied city of Varosha under Turkish administration, that all the preparations have been completed and that this time it’s serious.

Citing information from reliable sources, the paper says the decision of the Turkish side on this issue will be taken after the UN Secretary-General’s releases his report on Cyprus on 19 April and not after 1 July, as was reported. If Ban does not call a multilateral conference, this will be perceived as an indirect declaration that the talks have failed whereupon the ‘Varosha Project’ will be launched”, the paper says.

Turkish daily Milliyet had reported last Sunday that the Turkish Cypriot side has decided to unilaterally open the occupied city of Varosha for settlement under Turkish control on 1 July, 2012, when Cyprus takes over the EU presidency.

“According to this plan, all Greek Cypriots who owned property there in the past, will be able to return”, writes the paper.

The issue was put forward the previous week when Dervis Eroglu visited Ankara and Ankara had reacted positively, the paper said.

Citing diplomatic sources, the paper says the Turkish Cypriot side is trying to draw up a new Cyprus strategy and chose to open Varosha on the very day when the Greek Cypriots take over the EU presidency.

The number of Greek Cypriot property owners in Varosha will be calculated, as will the number of those who have since died. The Greek Cypriots who owned property in Varosha before 1974 will be given back their homes and the Immovable Property Commission will solve any legal problems that may arise.

As regards whether or not the talks should continue after 1 July, the Turkish Cypriots were given to understand that the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan was against their continuing, whereas Turkish President Gul insisted that they should not be interrupted.

A diplomatic source said Erdogan was very supportive of the Turkish Cypriots and that their relations had thawed after he visited the island last July. The same source said that Ankara s stance is that ‘if necessary the TRNC will be annexed’.