New blow for talks
EFFORTS TO get “technical” talks started on the basis of the July 8 agreement received a further setback yesterday when the Turkish Cypriot side called off a meeting between Tassos Tzionis and Rashit Pertev, the representatives of the two community leaders.
Mehmet Ali Talat said the Turkish Cypriot side needed time to “re-evaluate” the UN-brokered process, and hold consultations with Ankara.
He met Michael Moller, UNFICYP’s chief of mission, and explained to him the Turkish Cypriot side’s need to “evaluate the latest developments on the issue,” and for this reason the Tzionis-Pertev meeting had to be postponed.
Yesterday’s meeting was dubbed crucial, as it would determine whether there has been a breakthrough in the efforts to set up committees and working groups as envisaged in the July 8 Gambari agreement.
While the UN showed no cause for alarm, and pressed ahead with their effort to make progress, the US and Britain were also involved in backstage diplomatic moves.
Greek Cypriot political parties slammed the Turkish move as a clear sign they did not want a settlement. They said the Turks were clearly dragging their feet, trying to wreck the Gambari deal.
The Greek Cypriot politicians said the Turks aimed instead at “upgrading” their breakaway state, while hoping this helped Turkey’s EU accession talks.[/quote]
This was reported by the Cyprus Weekly. He is probably waiting for fresh instructions from Ankara. Talat, a beacon for unification? Yeah right.....
