Cyprus-Forum.com

[Lit]

Afrika newspaper cites the Turkish sides strategy until December invoking diplomatic sources

Under the title The new strategy of the Turkish side was determined in Ankara. Against the open the ports pressure, the referendum card until the end of the year, Turkish Cypriot daily newspaper Afrika (21.07.09) publishes the following article:

The Turkish side is putting forward the idea of holding a referendum at the end of the year in order for the EU, the UN and the USA to exert time-table pressure on the Greek Cypriot side. The common red lines of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side were confirmed once more during the official visit of Mehmet Ali Talat to Ankara on 13-14 of July.

According to information we got from diplomatic sources, Mr Talat returned to Cyprus having in his file folders a more detailed strategy plan compared to the past. During this visit, while determining the common stance at the second round on the chapters which were discussed with the Greek Cypriot side and no agreement was reached, it was decided what will be done outside.

In this way the real purpose of the visit was to create a program so that the international community will exert more pressure on the Greek Cypriot side on the issue of the time-table. On this issue Ankara will proclaim, and will seek support from the international community, that it is demanding strongly that an agreement should be safeguarded until the end of the year and a referendum should be conducted.

Subtitle: Time-table pressure on the Greek Cypriot side

Recently, officials of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs were pleased regarding the statements made by UN and EU circles regarding the time table which are close to the Turkish views. The same officials believe that with this strategy Turkey will be at ease in the coming five months and it will exert pressure on the Greek Cypriot side.

As a necessity of this common stance Talats contacts in Ankara were held in a more noiseless manner compared to the past. Apart from Abdullah Gull, no other statements were made at the talks Talat held with the Prime Minister Erdogan, the Foreign Minister Davutoglu and Minister Responsible for EU Affairs, Egemen Bagis.

Ankaras official stance was disclosed by Abdullah Gul as follows: The agreement will be based on bizonallity with equal sharing of power and will include a new partnership which will be submitted to referendum.

Ankara, after listening to Talat, believes that Demetris Christofias is pursuing the cart uphill that is to drag on the issue and wants to gain time. For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey thinks that the time has come for the UN, the EU and the USA to put pressure to the leader who rejects every time-table.

It was learned that among other things Erdogan told Talat that the whole world has realized that it is the Greek Cypriot side that does not want a solution. Now it will understand it even more.

According to the plan agreed, Talat will voice continuously the demand for a referendum by the end of the year and he will also keep this agenda during his meetings with Christofias and the UN.

Subtitle: This job will come to an end by the end of the year

In accordance with the time table plan Turkish officials started to voice this demand after Talats contacts in Ankara.

The first sign of this new offensive was given by the Turkish Minister of State in Charge of Cyprus Affairs, Cemil Cicek. He demonstrated a strong reaction to the response given by the government spokesman Stephanos Stephanou to Gul that referendum is not possible in December unless the Turkish side changes its stance.

Cemil Cicek stated: If a permanent solution is not reached until the end of 2009 Turkey and the TRNC will not be responsible. It is good that the world knows this. Let us do our job. If there is no result then the world will see who is the responsible as the case was in April 2004.

Following this statement the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement towards the same direction. The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Burak Ozugergin stated: If the two sides approach the issue with good will until the end of the year, we think that this job will end. We will work on this, otherwise, that is, if there is no result, then it will be more apparent which side is exerting efforts and which side is dragging its feet. If you look into this picture, it is obvious that the side which is exerting efforts is the Turkish side.

Subtitle: The three-stage plan of the Turkish side

According to the official statements made following Talats visit to Ankara and information we have gathered through diplomatic sources and political backstage the main lines of the road map to be followed by the Turkish side in the five months process ahead of us were as follows:

Stance as regards the negotiations: In the second round the Turkish side will be insistent especially on seven issues.

Stance outside of the negotiations table: Both Turkey and Talat will continuously emphasize the month of December. The EU, the UN and the US officials will thus make calls to increase the time table pressure towards the Greek Cypriot side.

In the case of failure diplomatic efforts will never stop in order for the international community to believe that Turkey did everything possible.

Subtitle: The guarantees are not the job of the Cypriots

The Turkish side will continue to stress on the guarantees which are the thickest red line. There is no intention of showing the slightest flexibility over this issue. Stress will be on the international character of the 1960 Guarantees and Alliance Treaties, and will support the continuation of the current guarantee system. Turkey is not that much pleased that this issue is being handled by the two leaders. The Turkish side wants continuation of Turkeys effective and actual intervention right. The Turkish diplomacy considers the various formulas for the guarantees as watering down and rejects them. Statements as the ones the President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul made after UK as mind your own business, the guarantees are not your business, must be taken into consideration.

Apart from the guarantees the other red lines which were determined during Talats visit to Ankara, are as follows:

The agreement to be reached will definitely be EU primary law The President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul, with statements he made such as: If a comprehensive solution is reached Turkey wishes for this solution to take the place of the tenth protocol and with new protocols to become primary law of the EU he confirmed the importance given to this issue.

The constituent states to elect their own president The Turkish side does not want a common election list on this issue. However, on this issue Talat is not cool to two round election system with a formula which will be applied to both separate and as one body election.

Bi-regionality shall not be watered down On this issue the Turkish side will demand clear limitations. For the physical border of the two regions to be distinct, they want to limit the number of the Greek Cypriots inside the Turkish controlled statelet.

Equal sharing of power. The Turkish side will not insist on the arithmetical equality in some issues, however, in many issues it will demand political equality.

The establishment of a new partnership is among the indispensable conditions of the Turkish side. If you look at Talats statements it is understood that a middle road can be found on this issue. It is understood that the Turkish side will be satisfied with an ambiguous expression which will safeguard the perception of the Turkish side for a new partnership and of the Greek Cypriot side for the continuation of the Republic of Cyprus.

Property compensation The Turkish side is for the recognition of individual property rights but it prefers the method of compensation and proposes many restrictions.

Subtitle: The referendum offensive and relations with the EU

There are important signs that Turkey will use the referendum offensive until the end of the year in its relations with the EU.

Certain political sources draw attention to the fact that Turkey was given until the EU Summit to open its ports to Cyprus and say that holding a new referendum card is displayed against the possibility of suspension of the accession negotiations.

In December the EU Commission will prepare a report regarding Turkeys refusal to open its ports to the Greek Cypriots. The heads of state and government of the EU member countries who are expected to make an evaluation of the Commissions report will decide whether to impose sanctions on Turkey or not.

Ankara, following clear signs received from Brussels that there will be no postponement regarding the evaluation, started to follow a policy which will influence the report to be prepared by the EU Commission.

And Ankara as a first step... conveyed its request that at the end of the year a referendum should be held in the island. ..

(CS)

[Kikapu]

According to the official statements made following Talats visit to Ankara and information we have gathered through diplomatic sources and political backstage the main lines of the road map to be followed by the Turkish side in the five months process ahead of us were as follows:

Really.???

Sounds more like a planned deliberate leak to me.!

But why, because everyone now knows the “game plan”.!

Or was that the game plan, that everyone now knows the “game plan” itself, so to create a unworkable conditions for the settlement talks.?

Or is this another game plan on the “game plan, game plan” itself.?

I got a headache.!:lol:

[YFred]

According to the official statements made following Talats visit to Ankara and information we have gathered through diplomatic sources and political backstage the main lines of the road map to be followed by the Turkish side in the five months process ahead of us were as follows:

Really.???

Sounds more like a planned deliberate leak to me.!

But why, because everyone now knows the “game plan”.!

Or was that the game plan, that everyone now knows the “game plan” itself, so to create a unworkable conditions for the settlement talks.?

Or is this another game plan on the “game plan, game plan” itself.?

I got a headache.!:lol:

In true TPapa words its pre-preparation required for the preparation of the game plan. The game plan followed by the plan will be along shortly.
There is pill which is colourless and says Potassium Cyanide on the tin. It does wonders for headaches.

[Piratis]

In this case the government of Cyprus should create a plan in accordance with the UN resolutions and based on a BBF that the goverment will deem will be acceptable to the majority of Cypriots, and put it in a referendum for all the Cypriot citizens to vote.

I see no problem with this.

Obviously a plan that has no chance of being accepted by the Cypriot people (i.e. one that will not be vastly improved from the already rejected Annan plan) has no reason to be placed in a referendum.

[EPSILON]

In this case the government of Cyprus should create a plan in accordance with the UN resolutions and based on a BBF that the goverment will deem will be acceptable to the majority of Cypriots, and put it in a referendum for all the Cypriot citizens to vote.

I see no problem with this.

Obviously a plan that has no chance of being accepted by the Cypriot people (i.e. one that will not be vastly improved from the already rejected Annan plan) has no reason to be placed in a referendum.

Piratis, very interesting point. ROC can prepare a detailed solution plan in line to UN resolutions/ EU provisions- put same under referendum for acceptance by GCs and then to present same as red line signed by people and nobody then (next president etc) to be able to negotiate/accept a worst solution agreement.

I feel this will change totaly the stragety of G/cs re CB solution procedures/attendances.

[eracles]

Cyprus has to be very clever against the dirty tricks of Turkey. If Christofias doesn't think the majority of GCs will accept the plan how can it be put to referendum?
I wish Turkey would show some integrity and paln for peace not just create a strategy for failure.
I also wish UK would stop publicly saying that it's up to the GCs and TCs when it's clear the most important factor is Turkey.

[Lit]

In true TPapa words its

Ridiculous claims that RoC presidents do not want peace. Its Christofias turn......

_ _ _ _ _ _

Talat claimed that President Christofias does not want a solution for the Cyprus problem

Under the title “Christofias does not want a solution”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.10.09) reports that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Mehmet Ali Talat, stated that the Turkish Cypriot side participates in the negotiation process not because it wants to gain advantage but because it wants a solution. Mr Talat made these statements during a speech he delivered at the ceremony for the beginning of the academic year of the illegal Girne (Keryneia) American University (GAU) yesterday.

Mr Talat, who referred to the Cyprus problem during his speech stated: “We will continue to do everything possible for the solution of this problem. However, it must be known that the negotiations have a time limit. The people cannot be held inside an endless negotiation and it cannot be condemned in an unbalanced and uncertain environment, by saying ‘either today or tomorrow’ (as regards the time of the solution)”.

Commenting on the statements made by the President of the Republic, Mr Demetris Christofias, that ‘we are not close to the solution, we are far off’, Mr Talat used the proverb “Whatever the thoughts of the dervish, so are his formulas”, (Tr. Note: meaning that a man's thoughts are revealed in his speech) and said that Christofias is expressing with various ways that, at least for the time being, he does not want a solution.

Mr Talat went on and stated that the Mr Christofias in his speeches is trying with every occasion to create the impression that the sole reason of the non-solution of the Cyprus problem is Turkey and added that the Greek Cypriot side has exerted efforts until today in order to prevent Turkey’s EU process. He also said that the Cyprus problem is an obstacle in front of Turkey’s EU bit and added that from Turkey’s point of view the problem is difficult to be solved because it is a national cause. Mr Talat said that it is not easy to have the responsibility for the solution of such a problem but added that they have decided to shoulder this problem and they did.

Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (13.10.09) refers to Talat’s statements under the title “The new claims of Talat: Christofias does not want a solution” and writes that the Turkish Cypriot leader, who has been saying on every opportunity that he is expecting a solution by the end of 2009, came up with a new claim now and stated that for the time being Christofias does not want a solution.

(CS)

[paliometoxo]

im sure the cypriots would all accept a solution today if the turks would agree to re unification and stop demanding two states

[Viewpoint]

In this case the government of Cyprus should create a plan in accordance with the UN resolutions and based on a BBF that the goverment will deem will be acceptable to the majority of Cypriots, and put it in a referendum for all the Cypriot citizens to vote.

I see no problem with this.

Obviously a plan that has no chance of being accepted by the Cypriot people (i.e. one that will not be vastly improved from the already rejected Annan plan) has no reason to be placed in a referendum.

GCs do not have the acumen vision or desire to create such a plan because they know any attempt would be totally biased in favor of the GCs and therefore unacceptable to the EU spirit of compromise and understanding, clearly showing the world their real faces.

[Viewpoint]

im sure the cypriots would all accept a solution today if the turks would agree to re unification and stop demanding two states

How will you reunite the island? whats your plan?