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UN Chief’s man urges both sides to act

‘Get together’

By Menelaos Hadjicostis

A YEAR of stalemate since the July 8 agreement prompted the UN Chief’s top man in Cyprus to publicly urge the leaders of both sides to honour their signatures and re-energise the dormant peace process.

"Now more than ever, this island needs a renewal of confidence and mutual trust in a joint commitment to resolve the Cyprus problem once and for all," UN Chief of Mission Michael Moller told a UN peacekeeping force medal ceremony yesterday.

"Almost a year on from the 8 July agreement, it is time to fulfill the expectations raised when the leaders of the two communities signed their first agreement since the late seventies."

The rare public appeal underscored the significance the UN attaches to the agreement that Moller and other foreign officials have openly called the only diplomatic avenue now open to achieving progress in stalled reunification efforts.

Also indicative of that significance is Moller’s attempt to equate the July 8 agreement with the 1977-79 High Level agreements that outlined the parameters of a future reunification deal.

In his speech near UNFICYP headquarters, Moller said UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon has urged the two leaders to build on progress achieved to date and to move from discussions on zprocedures to real engagement on substance.

Fully-fledged

Also, the Security Council has urged all parties to move to fully-fledged negotiations, saying the status quo is unacceptable and that time is not on the side of a final Cyprus settlement.

Moller said everyone agrees the Cyprus problem must have a Cypriot solution and that it is essential Cypriots feel their voices are heard in helping shape a solution.

"For this to happen, civil society must be allowed to freely engage and express itself within and between their communities," Moller said.

A Nicosia initiative, the July 8 2006 agreement between President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat aims at preparing the ground for a return to full-fledged negotiations for a comprehensive reunification settlement.

Papadopoulos said agreement is engineered to give one last opportunity at a settlement the best possible chances at success.

Working groups

The agreement envisages the creation of working groups composed of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot officials that would meet in tandem with technical committees.

While the technical committees would address day-to-day matters, working groups would grapple with issues closer to the core elements of an overall Cyprus settlement.

Thorny issues, such as property, would be touched on as talks built up enough momentum to propel them in that direction.

But Nicosia accused the Turkish Cypriot leadership of being reluctant to engage in talks because of fears it would dash all hopes of reviving the defunct UN reunification blueprint turned down by Greek Cypriots but embraced by Turkish Cypriots.

Compounding that reluctance is a Turkish Cypriot apprehension to discuss issues dealing with the sell-off of Greek Cypriot property in the Turkish-held north.

That apprehension is thought to be grounded in the fear that talks on property would stymie property sales as foreign buyers – comprising the overwhelming majority of property purchasers – would opt out of pouring money in what would seem as an uncertain investment.

Pressure

Pressure has been mounting to get moving on the agreement – also known as the Gambari process -despite a consensus that progress is unlikely before Turkish general elections on July 22nd.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt last week told Talat the Gambari process shouldn’t be waylaid by "technical difficulties" if full-fledged reunification talks are to get back on track.

From the Cyprus Weekly