Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

Last chance for peace in Cyprus'

Monday, January 17, 2005

DIPLOMACY


Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas¸ says new Cyprus talks may start after April and warns this is the last chance to reunite the island
ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

  A new process for the reunification of Cyprus may start following Turkish Cypriot parliamentary and presidential elections in April, but any failure this time would end in permanent division on the island, Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas¸ said.

  ?The new process will be the last try and will either lead to a unified Cyprus or to a two-state finale,? Denktas¸ told reporters

  [HH] Patience running out:

  Denktas¸, who held talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog<breve>an last week in Ankara, said Turkish Cypriots had run out of patience awaiting Greek Cypriots to exert an effort to find a solution on the island.

  ?If this process also ends up with Greek Cypriot ?no,' then Turkish Cypriots will shape the strategy for establishing their own independent state in the world,? he said.

  The Turkish Cypriot foreign minister also announced that the immediate goal of the Turkish side would be to convince the international community to lift the policy of economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots and said diplomatic efforts would be accelerated in the coming weeks towards this objective.

  ?Our goal is to bring the international community to such a point where the isolation of Turkish Cypriots will cease,? he said, indicating that this would force a reluctant Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to return to the negotiating table.

    

[brother]

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that his priority was a solution on the island, adding that TRNC’s isolation should be brought to an end in order to bring Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to the negotiation table. “Papadopoulos doesn’t have any intention to take any step until Oct.3,” he said. “But he will have to change his mind if TRNC’s isolation is ended.” Asked whether there was a new plan for a solution, Talat said that plans other than the Annan plan were only rumors. /Cumhuriyet/

[Alexandros Lordos]

Asked whether there was a new plan for a solution, Talat said that plans other than the Annan plan were only rumors.

Obviously referring here to the "European Solution" plan, (which we have already discussed), currently being prepared by various european professors ...

[Alexandros Lordos]

Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that his priority was a solution on the island, adding that TRNC’s isolation should be brought to an end in order to bring Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos to the negotiation table.

The problem, however, with just "ending isolation" is that secessionist tendencies will be encouraged amongst TCs ... and it will also make the GCs extremely bitter and suspicious of any future peace proposals ...

Assuming that a solution is not coming soon, we need to end isolation in such a way, such as would leave both sides feeling that they have won something, and also in such a way as would help to build trust and encourage the tendency for reunification ...

In fact, we have recently had one very interesting proposal, namely, re-opening Famagusta under UN control, so that GC residents could return to rebuild the town with the help of TC workers, and at the same time re-opening Famagusta harbor for international trade, under the direct control of the European Commission. Both communities would benefit from such a development, and they would get a first taste of co-operating and living side-by-side after 30 years of separation.

Unfortunately, Talat poured scorn over the proposal.

[-mikkie2-]

Alexandre,

I have pointed this out many times, but its not just Talat that pours scorn on the idea!

To me its the perfect opportunity to build bridges but the biggest problem is that Famagusta port is used by the Turkish Armed Forces to re-supply and maintain their army in Cyprus. That is the main reason why it won't happen!

What about the offer for TC's to use part of Larnaca port under their own juristiction?

[insan]

The problem, however, with just "ending isolation" is that secessionist tendencies will be encouraged amongst TCs

Most probably it would but nevertheless and most probably balance the rejectionist tendencies amongst GCs; actually GC rulin and leading elites I mean. We need this balance for a fair challenge. Although I don't consider the Cyprus problem as a challenge, unfortunately that's what the ruling elites of both parties turned it into.

There are two solution thesis which revolve around two different, main cores as it has been in the last 40 years.

1- The core of the GC solution thesis: A "protected" TC minority in a GC state.

2- The core of the TC solution thesis: A "politically equal" TC community in a bi-communal FRoC.


Even all other issues have been resolved I'm definitely sure of that the negotiation would go deadlock on this issue as it did in 1972 after the four years of negotiaitons.

I have no doubt that both parties haven't changed their stance concerning the core point of the Cyprus problem.

[Piratis]

We need this balance for a fair challenge.

I agree with that. Currently the Turks have behind them the Americans and the British, and because this balance favors them they are trying to screw us as much as they can.

If the balance becomes more "balanced" then they will stop asking for outrageous things, and we would meet in the middle of the road which is a strong federation.

Therefore we should not make anything that will make the balance to favorer even more the Turkish side, but exactly the opposite.

This can partly be achieved if we remain firm during the Turkey - EU negotiations.

[brother]

piratis soon this game is coming to head and just standing there and not budging you will play into the hands of the turks and will be seen as unreasonable within your own E.U and one by one lose support of your peers, the signs of this was seen post referandum.
Now is the time for solution that can be shown as a win-win position so both sides are happy with only the divisionist feeling bitter.