Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Kikapu the majority of GCs did not understand the AP and they opted for the wait and see what the EU will bring as they were guaranteed entry I truly believe that if the EU door was firmly shut if they rejected the AP they would have scraped a 51% yes but faced with a crying president begging them to reject a plan that would send them all to hell and the prospect of getting all they want via an EU enforced solution swung the resounding no.

It appears you can label it what you want confederation or federation the bottom line is the contents and the structures contained within, obviously we have different ideas of a solution and the chasm appears to wide to bridge as neither side is willing to compromise, so it looks like status quo all round and surprise surprise more of the same. We are used to it Kikapu and even if President Talat stood up tomorrow and said we have agreed a solution we would all laugh and say yeah yeah pull the other one.

Rather than responding to your post about the past VP, I'm going to wait and see what develops between Talat and Christofias in the coming weeks. For the time being, the Anan Plan is Dead and Buried..................RIP.!!!

I agree to wait and see what develops between the 2 leaders but the AP may be dead in your mind and many GCs but this ghost will be around for along time to come, in fact any "new" plan will have the general contents of this ghost.

[wallace]

And why not use blocks from the AP? It is there anyway so let's use it. But as it is it will not be accepted.

[Viewpoint]

And why not use blocks from the AP? It is there anyway so let's use it. But as it is it will not be accepted.

Obviously the GCs wont accept it as is they have resoundingly said no but their demonizing it has not helped them accept that the AP or call it what you want will be used as a basis.

[Get Real!]

No I can't....I'm naive....please explain VP.

Zero for effort, faced with GC intransigence and their despot attitude not even GOD himself could agree a solution with GCs. Thats why we do not believe GCs will agree anything that does not give them all they want so thats why we would not believe our President as we know he has an impossible task.

The task is as impossible as Turkish Cypriots getting Turkey to cede territory to them in Turkey so that they may create a new state. Applying a little common sense will go a long way and save your people heaps of time and heartache...

Instead of complaining about "intransigence" have a loser look at what you're asking because chances are it's unacceptable.

Why is asking for a say in your own future unacceptable.

That's NOT what you're asking for so quit lying.

Your demands are either...

a) An undemocratic arrangement where you step all over the human rights of GCs with a disproportional electoral weight.

b) Partition via a disproportional allocation of territory that again tramples all over the GC human rights.

Forget it!

[halil]

CYPRUS PEACE PLATFORM SENDS LETTER TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL
The Cyprus Peace Platform has sent a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between TC leader Mehmet Ali Talat and the Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias, urging him to call on all parties involved in the Cyprus problem to launch negotiations aimed at finding an immediate and comprehensive solution to the Cyprus Problem.
The letter to be passed on to the UN Secretary General was handed to a UN official at the Ledra Palace Checkpoint today by a group of representatives from the platform.

Later the English and Turkish versions of the letter were read out by the Co-president of the Cyprus EU Association Mustafa Damdelen and the platform spokesman-the President of the Cyprus Turkish Secondary School Teachers’ Union Adnan Eraslan.

The letter states that the platform has been supporting efforts towards finding a bi-zonal, bi-communal federal solution to the Cyprus Problem on the basis of political equality and UN parameters.

Stating that the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots have been suffering for years because of the longstanding Cyprus Dispute, the letter read that the situation had especially an adverse impact on the Turkish Cypriot people who were subjected to inhuman international embargoes and pressures.

Pointing out that there was a serious risk of war in Cyprus because of the ongoing arms race and military exercises taking place on both sides of the island, the letter states that a settlement to be found to the Cyprus Problem will contribute to bringing peace and stability to the region.

[halil]

TC leader TALAT AND GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER CHRISTOFIAS AGREE TO START TALKS.
A statement issued after the meeting said that the leaders met in a positive and cordial atmosphere and exchanged views on a number of issues, achieving a great degree of convergence.

They decided to ask their advisors to meet next week in order to set up a number of working groups and technical committees and establish their agendas.

The leaders have also agreed to meet three months from now to review the work of the working groups and technical committees and using their result to start full fledged negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General.

The leaders have also agreed to meet as and when needed prior to the commencement of their formal negotiations.

On the opening of a gate at Lokmaci in Lefkosa, Mr Talat and Mr Christofias agreed that the gate will, as soon as technically possible, open and function in accordance with the established practices at other crossings.

TC leader Talat told reporters after the meeting that the Turkish Cypriot Side wanted to bring about a solution to the Cyprus problem as soon as possible.

`If possible, we wanted to solve the problem by the end of 2008` the President said.

"This is a new area for the solution of the Cyprus problem," Mr Talat said.

For his part, the Greek Cypriot Leader Christofias said `we shall try our utmost in order to come to an agreed solution for the interests of the both communities as soon as possible.

The meeting between the two leaders was the first between the two leaders in Cyprus since Mr Christofias elected as the Greek Cypriot Leader last month.

It took place at the residence of the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus Michael Moller, in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Lefkosa.

A large group of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot journalists as well as foreign journalists was at the scene to cover today’s meeting.

[Kikapu]

Big 5 call for real progress


By Andreas Hadjipapas


THE five permanent members of the Security Council are giving their wholehearted support to the new effort to reunify the island but are stressing that opening the Ledra Street crossing will not be enough.

They want real progress towards resuming the peace process for a Cyprus settlement.

This was made abundantly clear by the ambassadors of the P5 at separate meetings this week with President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

They also reaffirmed the support of the Security Council to the implementation of the agreement which the two leaders reached in July 2006, with the help of then UN Under-Secretary General Ibrahim Gambari.

Reports suggest the diplomats were rather disappointed when Talat set out the tough Turkish positions, refusing to show any willingness for compromise and flexibility.

He reportedly insisted that any talks should focus on the Annan Plan, and played down the significance of the July 8 accord, which he only saw as a procedural deal.

He reiterated the Turkish demand that a new partnership should be set up, based on the two constituent states, that the two peoples have equal political status, and also insisted that Turkey remain a guarantor,

British High Commissioner Peter Millett said yesterday the views and approaches of the two sides were "somewhat different" but claimed there was "no great chasm."

Asked to comment on the separate meetings of the P5 ambassadors, he said both leaders stated they wanted a settlement, they stood for the reunification of the island and he noted that Christofias and Talat had good working relations in the past.

The climate now was therefore different. He believed that the two could still "build bridges," and reach agreement for a new peace process.

The British diplomat, who was speaking after a meeting with Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades, said Britain intended to play a positive role, supporting the new process for a Cyprus settlement.

He stressed a solution should be worked out by the Cypriots themselves, it should not be imposed from outside.

Anastassiades welcomed the British stand and said he personally favoured more frequent meetings between the two community leaders.

"Even social get-togethers help, because they create the necessary climate of reconciliation and help to bring down the walls of mistrust," Anastassiades remarked.

"We reiterated the commitment of the P5 to supporting the UN’s effort to achieve a solution. We look forward to seeing progress in this area, a momentum to be built from Friday and beyond,"

Peter Millett said after the meeting with President Christofias.

They saw Talat the following day, but no statement was issued.

Talat’s spokesman, Hassan Ercakica, said the July 8 process "was not discussed more than it deserved at the meeting."

Speaking to newsmen on another occasion, Millett said: "We want concrete results from Friday’s meeting.

“This is important. The opening of the Ledra Street crossing of course will change the whole atmosphere. But we want the start of a real negotiating process leading to a settlement."

This is what the international community and the UN wanted, he stressed.

In New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon discussed Cyprus (and other topics) at a meeting with the Security Council members.

Speaking afterwards, he confirmed that he would be sending Under-Secretary General for political affairs, Lynn Pascoe to head an assessment team to the region that would "engage in dialogue with all stakeholders in Cyprus."

Reports say Pascoe is due in Cyprus on March 31. The UN mission will also visit Athens and Ankara.

"We hope that we will be able to see improvement and make some breakthrough in this long-pending issue in Europe", Ban Ki-moon said. The SG said he was encouraged by the signals so far, from both Mr Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader whom he met last week in Senegal and who also "expressed his willingness to engage in constructive dialogue."

"I think that the international community should seize the momentum and the window of opportunity when Mr Christofias, the new Cyprus President, was elected, and who is committed to a resolution of this issue," the UN chief remarked.
http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/default. ... wsID=304_1



If Talat expects a settlement by the end 2008, then he better change his tune with the following;

"He reiterated the Turkish demand that a new partnership should be set up, based on the two constituent states, that the two peoples have equal political status, and also insisted that Turkey remain a guarantor".

Did he not learn anything from the 2004 Referendum.??? If he believes that the insistence on these demands without compromise and refusal by the GC's in accepting these demands is going to get the "TRNC" a "free pass" from the international community for lifting of the isolation and giving a recognition, belongs in my next production "The Dreamers".!!

Talat, listen man, the AP is Dead and Buried so either start making serious contribution towards peace on True Democracy and True Federation or else you will remain a de facto state in Asia along with Turkey.

[Viewpoint]

Kikapu do you really think the AP will be scraped completely? The UN and EU have put a great deal of effort and finance into this plan and the basic principles are still valid if we want a BBF. Why start from zero? ifs its the name you have demonized and cannot lick what you have spat out then lets rename it.

[repulsewarrior]

VP renaming it, like the Turks have done already, does nothing but make them suspect, and lowers their credibility.

AKEL has already, as a party agreed to it once before, although the referendum has made this agreement redundant.

as an example: once i made a contract worth tens of thousands of dollars. the lawyers were amazed. how did i do it they asked, because i am a laymen....

it was simple, gather the contracts you have from the past, cut and paste.

the solution will be found in much the same way. that said, there should be few preconditions, only sober thought, toward something better.

[Kikapu]

Kikapu do you really think the AP will be scraped completely? The UN and EU have put a great deal of effort and finance into this plan and the basic principles are still valid if we want a BBF. Why start from zero? ifs its the name you have demonized and cannot lick what you have spat out then lets rename it.

Put it this way VP. The AP had over 9000 pages of material that covered everything under the sun. Anything discussed now will no doubt have some elements of the AP. How can it not. It will be like asking someone to use a word that is not included in the Oxford Dictionary. But the BEEF of the AP was clearly rejected for many good reasons and will not be brought back. I'm sure we can use some of the potatoes and the vegetables to compliment the next meal (plan).!!!