Cyprus-Forum.com

[bill cobbett]

In the first of the below Pres X says he is not pleased with progress (putting some of the blame for this on turkey) and despite some convergence there are "serious differences on core issues" and that he rejects any form of arbitration insisting that any resolution must be “by the Cypriots for the Cypriots” in a time frame to suit CYs and no other timetable.

In the second item Pres X insists that Protocol 10 of the EU Accession Treaty - the acquis comm. - will be implemented, in full, "without deviations", Island-wide with the possibility of only "short transitional periods".

Anyone agree that our Pres X does seem to be holding his ground (or otherwise of course)


Both the following from Cyprus News Agency http://www.cna.org.cy/website/english/index.asp

1. PRESIDENT - CYPRUS TALKS

President Demetris Christofias has said that he is not pleased with the progress achieved so far in the ongoing peace talks he is engaged in, with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mehmet Ali Talat. The President stressed however that he is not disappointed and will continue his efforts to reunite Cyprus, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion, as there is no other option to achieve this objective except through dialogue.

At the same time, Christofias warned that he will not accept, under any circumstances, arbitration at the talks and explained that the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities are working to find the answers to the issues at hand.

Addressing himself to Ankara, he called on the Turkish leadership to change its policy towards Cyprus and accept a solution which will end the occupation of the island’s northern part and terminate Cyprus’ dependence on Turkey.

“There is convergence of views at the talks, in spite of the difficulties. There is progress. However, there are serious differences on core issues. We are not satisfied with the progress achieved so far, the results of the talks could have been better,” the President said in a speech at a memorial service for a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, murdered for their belief in peace, rapprochement and common struggle for the island’s two communities.

Christofias said he remained committed to working for a political settlement of a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality as defined by the UN, a solution that will rid the country of the Turkish military and illegal settlers, restore human rights, and establish a united country with a single sovereignty, one international personality and one citizenship.

Referring to the pace of the talks and calls for acceleration of the process, he pointed out that accelerating or slowing down the pace of the dialogue does not depend on the regularity of the meetings but on “the quality and the content of the positions tabled at the talks.”

“I claim that the positions we as Greek Cypriot side put forward serve the objective of a speedy solution,” he added.

The President explained that the agreement between the two communities and the UN to hold negotiations “by the Cypriots for the Cypriots”, under UN auspices, means that “we are not working on the basis of plans which others have prepared for us.”

“It means that the two communities must find the answers and the formulae on issues that concern them. We do not accept direct or indirect arbitration or time-frames which are determined by others and to serve the interests of anybody else except the people of Cyprus,” he stressed.

Christofias noted that when some people refer to timeframes, in fact they are not so much concerned about a speedy solution in Cyprus but about facilitating Turkey in its European accession course and its rendez-vous with Brussels later this year.

“Those who believe that there are deadlines, let them exercise their influence on Turkey to contribute substantially, not just verbally, through a shift in its policy, towards a solution,” he stressed.

The President also underlined that, seeing that part of Cyprus continues to be under Turkish occupation, “we have every reason to want a solution, we are in urgent need of a solution as soon as possible but we are also interested in the content of the solution and it is for this content that we are working hard.”

Addressing the Turkish Cypriots, he assured them of his “respect and love”, saying that at the negotiating table he also defends their rights as well as those of the Greek Cypriots.

“We can and have to live in peace in a reunited homeland. The decisions we take today will determine to a great extent whether this land will see better days or whether it will remain a hostage to a traumatic past which foresees a similar future,” he concluded.

Christofias and Talat have been engaged in talks since September last year with a view to find a mutually agreed settlement that will reunite the country, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion




2. CHRISTOFIAS - TALAT - DIALOGUE

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias said that a convergence of views has been achieved on many issues regarding European Union matters, in the context of the ongoing UN-led direct negotiations, while at the same time there are basic issues which are still open.

In statements after his 25th meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, he described today`s meeting as good, adding that during the next meeting to be held Wednesday 15, economic matters will be discussed.

Asked whether the remaining open issues are more important than those already agreed, Christofias said that “all issues have their significance, is a package which concerns issues of the European Union and the participation of Cyprus in the Union``.

``Obviously each one (of the issues) has its own significance but the most serious issue is the fact that we insist on Protocol 10 of the Accession Agreement concerning the implementation of the acquis communautaire in all areas of the Republic after the solution. The Turkish Cypriots have a different view. They want many deviations from the acquis. We consider that if there is anything, it should be short transitional periods``, he said.

[Lit]

More from the Famagusta Gazette.

President Christofias is not satisfied with the progress in the on-going settlement talks, noting that results could have been better.

In a ceremony honouring Greek-Cypriot Costas Misiaoulis and Turkish-Cypriot Dervis Ali Kavazoglou, who were murdered in 1965 by the Turkish secret service, because they were friends, he said that despite the difficulties, there are points of convergence, but also divergence, on major aspects of the problem.

By extension, he added, the speeding up or slowing down of the process, does not depend on how often the two leaders meet, but the quality and content of the positions on the negotiating table.

He once again made clear that arbitration is unacceptable to the Greek-Cypriot side.

http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/defaul ... te&he=.com

[Lit]

The latest on the talks:

http://www.cna.org.cy/website/english/a ... 2.asp?id=1

PRESIDENT – CYPRUS TALKS

The progress achieved so far in the direct talks between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, aiming at a political settlement, is not what the Greek Cypriot side had expected, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has stressed.

The President also stressed that the solution in Cyprus will not be a two-state settlement but a bizonal bicommunal federation.

Speaking in Qatar, during a visit at the building site of the new airport part of which is being constructed by a Cypriot company, the President said that despite the numerous meetings that have taken place during the talks, the progress achieved was not the one expected and desired by the Greek Cypriot side.

``We expected more progress on the most important aspects of the Cyprus issue,`` he said, adding that ``what we have agreed on to date is far from the core substance of the Cyprus problem both on governance and property issues``.

The President explained that there is a common basis at the talks and both communities recognise the ownership of property but there are differences in how property owners can be vindicated, and on some issues these differences are important.

Referring to a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on a property case, he said ``it justifies and confirms our own positions at the talks because we believe that the owner of property and not the current user of the property should have the first say.”

He warned that ``as time goes by and Greek Cypriot properties change hands, things will become more difficult and the position of the Turkish Cypriot side will become more adverse towards reaching solutions on these issues``.

“However, there are some principles which we have to follow and defend, and this is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

President Christofias reiterated that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be a bizonal, bicommunal federation with whatever that entails, noting that “the Greek Cypriots should realize that they will not govern the Republic of Cyprus on their own but they will have partners in the running of the country, and these are the Turkish Cypriots``.

On the other hand, he stressed, some Turkish Cypriots have been intoxicated by the artificial illegal regime, in the northern Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus, and it seems they are not too pleased to join a federal state where political equality does not mean numerical equality.

“The solution of the Cyprus problem will not be that of a two state solution,`` he stressed.

As he said, ``this is a complex and complicated issue but we have to find solutions, this unacceptable situation cannot go on for ever, as it consolidates the fait accompli and creates worse conditions for all Cypriots``.

He expressed the view that Cypriots have become more mature and are able to decide how to govern their country.

“We do not need guarantors, we are an EU member and I believe the best guarantee for the Turkish Cypriots, who are concerned about their safety because of the past, is exactly our EU membership,” he pointed out.

Referring to Turkey`s EU accession course, he said that ``we support the full accession of Turkey to the EU on certain conditions, noting that ``first of all it should respect the Republic of Cyprus which it does not recognise``.

Ankara, he said, must fulfill its obligations towards Cyprus and the EU.

Replying to questions, the President said that as long as Turkey’s National Security Council continues to back a two-state solution, the Turkish Prime Minister will continue to support such a settlement, as the Turkish military play a decisive role.

“That is why we are reserved and cautiously optimistic. We look at the balance between the Turkish government, the President and the military,” he added, noting that this balance has not tipped in favour of the government because the Turkish military have always maintained a hard position on the Cyprus problem.

Some of these people, he explained, believe that they have a big say on Cyprus, as an extension of Anatolia, something which hampers the peace effort.

The leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat began in early September 2008 direct negotiations with a view to reach a solution of the Cyprus problem and reunite the island, which has been divided since the Turkish invasion of 1974.