Cyprus-Forum.com

[halil]

President Mehmet Ali Talat has met with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in New York.
During the meeting, the President called on Mr Ban to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue.
He also handed over a package of proposals putting forward confidence-building measures aimed at improving relations between the two sides and opening new crossing points.
For his part, Mr Ban said that it is very difficult for the UN to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue for the time being unless both sides show real commitment towards a settlement.
Responding to reporters’ questions after the 40 minutes long meeting, President Talat called his discussions with the UN Secretary General as very useful.
The President said that he reaffirmed the Turkish Cypriot Side’s position on the Cyprus issue and underlined the need for an urgent solution to the Cyprus problem.

Reiterating the Turkish Cypriot People’s readiness to work towards bringing about a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem, he warned that time is cementing the division of the island.

The President said he had asked the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue with the aim of restarting the negotiations process to bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem by the end of 2008.

Explaining that he had presented to Mr Ban a package of confidence-building measures, the President explained that these proposals are a revised version of those made last July and that there are also some new ideas as well.

`For this reason, we expect a positive response from the UN Secretary General, the UN and the Greek Cypriot Side` he said, noting that building confidence is a necessity to settle the Cyprus problem and bring peace to the island.

The President said that he proposed taking measures that would include military arrangements as well, and opening new crossing points between the two sides to build confidence.
But, he added that it would not be right to provide further details about the proposals before getting a response from the United Nations and South Cyprus.

Responding to a question, the President said the Turkish Cypriot Side has received no information about the Greek Cypriot Administration’s proposals on the opening of new crossing points.

On the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot people, President Talat pointed out that the removal of the isolation is an issue waiting on the agenda of the international community and the UN for a long time.
‘The international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People is unnecessary and unjustified. And I asked the UN Secretary-General to do his best on the issue’ he said.

For his part, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said it is very difficult for the UN to take a new initiative on the island for the time being, unless both sides in Cyprus show real commitment towards settling the problem.

Mr. Ban called the meetings he held with the two leaders as useful in gaining a better understanding of the situation on the island and in explaining the UN’s point of view on the issue.
He also noted that he had asked the two leaders to implement the 8-July Agreement fully.

The UN Chief said he was encouraged by the meeting held between the two leaders in September but added that he was disappointed to see that no progress was achieved at the talks.

Noting that he called on President Talat to continue to show flexibility and to take initiatives to open a window of opportunity for dialogue, Mr Ban said he invited the President to fully cooperate with efforts aimed at building confidence and opening a new crossing point at Lokmaci Barricade.

On the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People, he said `negotiations are locked and I am thinking seriously what kind of an action to take but one thing I learned is that it is very difficult for me to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue for the time being unless both sides show real commitment towards a settlement`.
But, he added that he will continue to maintain his interest to the Cyprus issue.

[Andros]

Bayrak:

On the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People, he said `negotiations are locked and I am thinking seriously what kind of an action to take but one thing I learned is that it is very difficult for me to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue for the time being unless both sides show real commitment towards a settlement`.
But, he added that he will continue to maintain his interest to the Cyprus issue.

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The above is exactly what I am getting at, almost identical to what was being said prior to the Annan Plan, until we were suddenly confronted with a speedy new Cyprus initiative. Unfortunately Ban Ki Moon, who had apparently "accidentally", or deliberately, referred to Mehmet Ali Talat as "His Excellency" also agreed to not knowing the complete works of the Cyprus issue. That to me is a clear indication of a UN Sec General that may cause us serious problems in the future. Surely the head of the UN should have known how to greet any leader of a community or the President of a country prior to meeting them, and surely such a UN Sec General should also understand that the Cyprus issue is not only about agreeing to a finalised written document!

[Viewpoint]

Bayrak:

On the international isolation of the Turkish Cypriot People, he said `negotiations are locked and I am thinking seriously what kind of an action to take but one thing I learned is that it is very difficult for me to launch a new initiative on the Cyprus issue for the time being unless both sides show real commitment towards a settlement`.
But, he added that he will continue to maintain his interest to the Cyprus issue.

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The above is exactly what I am getting at, almost identical to what was being said prior to the Annan Plan, until we were suddenly confronted with a speedy new Cyprus initiative. Unfortunately Ban Ki Moon, who had apparently "accidentally", or deliberately, referred to Mehmet Ali Talat as "His Excellency" also agreed to not knowing the complete works of the Cyprus issue. That to me is a clear indication of a UN Sec General that may cause us serious problems in the future. Surely the head of the UN should have known how to greet any leader of a community or the President of a country prior to meeting them, and surely such a UN Sec General should also understand that the Cyprus issue is not only about agreeing to a finalised written document!

They are not interested, it was all a polite brush off....the rejection of the Annan plan was a big slap in their fac as well as ours, who wants to go back to square one start all over again and be rejected yet again.