Here's Phase 1 of the road to Partition. Look out for Phase 2 where I have no doubt that it will probably be along the lines of, "Christofias admits that Partition may be the only solution left"!
At: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/
Christofias admits talks aren’t going well
By Jacqueline Theodoulou
THE DIRECT talks between the two community leaders are not going as well as expected, President Demetris Christofias said on Friday night.
Addressing a bicommunal event which was co-organised by AKEL Famagusta and the Dheryneia Turkish Republican Party, Christofias said Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s position for the existence of two nations in Cyprus does not only contradict historical reality, but also the treaties that founded the Cyprus Republic as a unified bicommunal state.
Christofias also hinted that Talat was starting to remind him of former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, who was openly in favour of a partition between the two communities.
“The common philosophy of AKEL and the Turkish Republican Party, up until recently, was that in Cyprus there is one nation, which consists of two communities: the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots,” said Christofias.
“Now, I am saddened to see that this position, regarding the supposed existence of two nations in Cyprus, was supported by Mr Denktash in his policy for the creation of two separate states in Cyprus,” he added.
Continuously highlighting the existence of two nations, said Christofias, was doing little to assist efforts for a resolution to the Cyprus problem.
“Unfortunately, such positions sometimes appear on the table of negotiations,” he explained.
Negotiations between two friends – Christofias and Talat – have led to high expectations, in Cyprus and abroad, said the President.
It was at this point that he admitted that he was not satisfied with the way the talks were progressing.
“The first few months of direct negotiations do not do justice, until now, to our expectations at least,” said Christofias.
He referred to the pessimism that can be deduced through polls between the people of the two communities.
“But the efforts will not be abandoned,” the President assured.
In a recent interview with the Turkish Cypriot news agency, Talat also lacked ambition for a solution within 2009.
Talat said Christofias entered the negotiations as a different person, “He is not as I expected him to be,” said the Turkish Cypriot leader, adding that this was a huge disappointment to him: especially when Christofias attacked Turkey.
Talat added that it was nearly impossible to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem before the end of 2009. “Maybe even 2009 will pass without a solution. The negotiating process is moving at very slow rhythms.
“From the moment that the Greek Cypriot side did not accept the Annan Plan as a basis for discussion, we have almost started from zero,” said Talat.
“The international forces must certainly take action and look at the issues, which the two sides can’t find solutions to,” he added.
Referring to his position that there are two nations in Cyprus, Talat concluded, “Of course there are two nations, with different languages, religions, joys and woes. When one is happy, the other is sad. Only if there is an earthquake or airplane tragedy will they have the same reaction.”
He didn’t, however, exclude the possibility that the future could see the creation of one nation with two different languages.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008
PHASE 1: Christofias admits talks aren’t going well!!
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PHASE 1: Christofias admits talks aren’t going well!!
by MrH » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:46 pm
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MrH - Regular Contributor
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by MrH » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:53 pm
Also..............
"A third of Greek Cypriots believe a solution beyond reach: poll
More than a third of Greek Cypriots do not believe the divided island will be reunified despite continuing U.N.-brokered peace talks, according to an opinion poll published on Sunday.
Some 38 percent of those asked said a solution would not happen, while a combined 57 percent believed a settlement was attainable in the next two years or when Turkey joins the European Union, AFP reported citing the survey in Phileleftheros newspaper.
Although the percentage of those sceptical about reunification seems high, the figure is lower than the 44 percent who said in April 2007 there would never be a solution.
Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Demetris Christofias in September opened fresh reunification negotiations, hailed by the international community as the best chance for peace, in a U.N.-brokered bid to reunify the island
But the initiative has made little tangible progress, as leaders bogged down on governance and power-sharing issues.
The launch of negotiations marked the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriots.
No margin of error was given in the poll of 1,005 people, which also gave Christofias a 67 percent approval rating for his handling of the talks.
Any new peace deal will again have to be put before both communities in simultaneous referendums.
Christofias' predecessor Tassos Papadopoulos, who is gravely ill in hospital, led the rejectionist vote but the new leader was elected on a platform of reconciliation with the Turkish Cypriots.
The next meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for December 16."
Source: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/10526966.asp?scr=1
"A third of Greek Cypriots believe a solution beyond reach: poll
More than a third of Greek Cypriots do not believe the divided island will be reunified despite continuing U.N.-brokered peace talks, according to an opinion poll published on Sunday.
Some 38 percent of those asked said a solution would not happen, while a combined 57 percent believed a settlement was attainable in the next two years or when Turkey joins the European Union, AFP reported citing the survey in Phileleftheros newspaper.
Although the percentage of those sceptical about reunification seems high, the figure is lower than the 44 percent who said in April 2007 there would never be a solution.
Cyprus has been divided since 1964 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to withdraw into enclaves.
Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Demetris Christofias in September opened fresh reunification negotiations, hailed by the international community as the best chance for peace, in a U.N.-brokered bid to reunify the island
But the initiative has made little tangible progress, as leaders bogged down on governance and power-sharing issues.
The launch of negotiations marked the first major push for peace since the failure of a U.N. reunification plan in 2004, which was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriots.
No margin of error was given in the poll of 1,005 people, which also gave Christofias a 67 percent approval rating for his handling of the talks.
Any new peace deal will again have to be put before both communities in simultaneous referendums.
Christofias' predecessor Tassos Papadopoulos, who is gravely ill in hospital, led the rejectionist vote but the new leader was elected on a platform of reconciliation with the Turkish Cypriots.
The next meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for December 16."
Source: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/world/10526966.asp?scr=1
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MrH - Regular Contributor
- Posts: 1090
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:18 pm
- Location: London
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