Cyprus-Forum.com

[paliometoxo]

PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias yesterday admitted he was none too thrilled with a scheduled meeting this week between the leader of the breakaway regime in the north and the UN Secretary General. But he said there was nothing he could do about it.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat is heading out to Stockholm, where today he will be holding talks with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. On Friday he flies on to Paris to meet with UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

Talat’s absence means that today’s scheduled 25th meeting with Christofias as part of the Cyprus talks has had to be postponed.

“Mr. Talat has informed me. Tomorrow’s [today’s] meeting has been cancelled due to his flight schedule. What am I supposed to do: ask the UN to forbid Talat to meet with the Secretary General? Are we now to demand these things as well?” Christofias said in response to a journalist’s question.

The President was speaking to the media following a Te Deum at the Ayios Ioannis cathedral in Nicosia on the occasion of the April 1 celebrations.

“The Turkish Cypriot leader has his own objectives…I don’t know whether this [Talat’s meetings abroad] will help him,” said Christofias, adding that it would have been “unreasonable” for him to ask the UN to shun Talat.

Talat’s meeting with Carl Bildt, seen as a key European “player” when it comes to the Cyprus issue, will be held at Stockholm’s Grand Hotel, instead of at the Swedish Foreign Ministry, as would normally happen according to protocol. The peculiar arrangement is seen as “playing down” the meeting so as not to further anger Nicosia, which has a long-standing opposition to the upgrading of the breakaway regime.

Commentators suggested that Talat aims to boost his image as a leader ahead of the ‘parliamentary elections’ in the north. Talat’s CTP party is trailing behind in polls.

Reports say the Turkish Cypriot leader will be asking Ban for a more direct involvement in the Cyprus talks.

It is not clear whether US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has penciled in some time with Talat during her brief stay in Istanbul on 7 April. Clinton will be accompanying the US President on his first trip to the Turkish capital after taking office. Turkish Cypriot press reports said however that a Talat-Clinton in Turkey meeting was unlikely.

A much-hyped meeting between Talat and Clinton in Washington for last week never materialized.

[Viewpoint]

Why are the GCs so worried, are they afraid that our side of the story will understood and that years of silencing has come to an end??

[YFred]

Christofias will regret the day he said to one of the EU leaders "You look after Turkey and leave Talat to me".

[bill cobbett]

Could Mr T be hoping for a Ban Plan to fill in the huge gaps?

[YFred]

Come now, come now, so if there isn't complete covergence, who do you suggest should play that role?

[Lit]

Christofias will regret the day he said to one of the EU leaders "You look after Turkey and leave Talat to me".

Christofias will regret starting direct negotiations as the Turkish side has put nothing on the table. All we see in these negotiations are Turkish maximilist positions that frankly go beyond the provisions of the AP. These direct talks have also elevated Talat so trips like the one talked above were inevitable. The Turkish primary goal here is to collapse the talks and claim reunification is not possible. Then ask the UN, to once again, fill in the gaps resulting in a similar plan that was rejected by the GCs. Its so obvious.

[Lit]

Could Mr T be hoping for a Ban Plan to fill in the huge gaps?

Banging my head here. Isnt it obvious?

Would TPAP had fallen for this?

[YFred]

Christofias will regret the day he said to one of the EU leaders "You look after Turkey and leave Talat to me".

Christofias will regret starting direct negotiations as the Turkish side has put nothing on the table. All we see in these negotiations are Turkish maximilist positions that frankly go beyond the provisions of the AP. These direct talks have also elevated Talat so trips like the one talked above were inevitable. The Turkish primary goal here is to collapse the talks and claim reunification is not possible. Then ask the UN, to once again, fill in the gaps resulting in a similar plan that was rejected by the GCs. Its so obvious.

Since 1974, there has been many negotiations, and I think we all agree now that each time they fail, then the offer next time is a little worse than previous. This is the last time. There will be no next time, and we will end up keeping 37%, and sooner or later, there will be trade between the TRNC and EU.

[Kikapu]

Christofias will regret the day he said to one of the EU leaders "You look after Turkey and leave Talat to me".

Christofias will regret starting direct negotiations as the Turkish side has put nothing on the table. All we see in these negotiations are Turkish maximilist positions that frankly go beyond the provisions of the AP. These direct talks have also elevated Talat so trips like the one talked above were inevitable. The Turkish primary goal here is to collapse the talks and claim reunification is not possible. Then ask the UN, to once again, fill in the gaps resulting in a similar plan that was rejected by the GCs. Its so obvious.

Talat is just going to places that he himself is making the invitation to go and see these people before he gets kicked out of office for not doing what he promised to do, which was to find peace with the GC's. Talat actually thinks he is a world player just because others are being too polite to tell him to use the phone instead to conduct his talks with them and not waste their valuable time.!

[DT.]

Christofias will regret the day he said to one of the EU leaders "You look after Turkey and leave Talat to me".

Christofias will regret starting direct negotiations as the Turkish side has put nothing on the table. All we see in these negotiations are Turkish maximilist positions that frankly go beyond the provisions of the AP. These direct talks have also elevated Talat so trips like the one talked above were inevitable. The Turkish primary goal here is to collapse the talks and claim reunification is not possible. Then ask the UN, to once again, fill in the gaps resulting in a similar plan that was rejected by the GCs. Its so obvious.

Since 1974, there has been many negotiations, and I think we all agree now that each time they fail, then the offer next time is a little worse than previous. This is the last time. There will be no next time, and we will end up keeping 37%, and sooner or later, there will be trade between the TRNC and EU.

we're scared....so scared. Bare in mind that if talatas doesn't get his head in gear our occupied towns will turn into shanty towns in the space of 5 years. You will be deserted and forgotten by the world.