Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

Cyprus leaders discuss executive of united country at UN-backed talks


Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias (right) and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat
10 September 2009 – Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders today discussed issues related to the election of the president and vice president of a united republic as they continued United Nations-backed talks on unifying the Mediterranean island.
Both sides put forward new “bridging proposals,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer told journalists following the talks between Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Nicosia.

But he declined to give any details. “I think you will understand and respect the fact that these sorts of negotiations work best if the leaders are able to discuss these things with a degree of privacy,” he said, noting that the discussions on the proposals, which followed earlier disagreement on the issue, will continue next week.

“We are pleased with the way it’s progressing,” he added.

UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1964 to prevent inter-communal fighting on the island. In May last year, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat committed themselves to working towards “a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions.”

The partnership would comprise a Federal Government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which would be of equal status.

After today’s talks the two leaders attended a reception for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot artists whose works, produced with UN backing, adorn the walls of the world body’s premises in Nicosia, including the room where the two leaders met.


http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?N ... yprus&Cr1=

[zan]

Cyprus leaders accelerate UN-backed process of talks to unify island


Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias (right) and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat
17 September 2009 – Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders held further discussions today on the presidency and vice presidency of a bi-communal republic in ongoing United Nations-backed talks to unify the Mediterranean island, but have not yet reached any decision.
Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat decided to accelerate the pace of their sessions, meeting twice a week in two consecutive weeks next month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Tayé-Brook Zerihoun told reporters after the talks at UN premises in Nicosia.

In New York for talks with Mr. Ban and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer said he was cautiously optimistic on the talks to reunify the island, where UN peacekeepers have been deployed since 1964 to prevent inter-communal fighting, but a lot of work remained.

The talks seek to forge a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality. The decision to meet twice a week is “quite positive and they (the leaders) are upbeat about it themselves,” Mr. Zerihoun told reporters in Nicosia, adding that they had not yet decided on the executive power.

Mr. Downer said there were “some convergences and some divergences” on the issue, without going into further details. “The pace of the talks is now accelerating,” he told a New York news conference. “I’m cautiously optimistic. I believe what you have here are two leaders who are very committed to a successful outcome.

“You don’t have two leaders who are just turning up there for the sake of it and are not focusing on how to negotiate a successful bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality,” he added, noting however that it is a complicated negotiation dealing not only with the structure of the new federation but with property, security, territorial and economic issues.

Mr. Downer said that although the week-by-week momentum in the talks, which began a year ago, may seem little, “I think if you take it in an overall sense, the momentum’s been pretty good.”

[zan]

UN envoy calls on Cypriots to focus on unification issues


Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias (right) and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat
7 October 2009 – The senior United Nations official charged with steering negotiations between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders in their talks on unification of the Mediterranean island today urged the people of Cyprus to concentrate on the issues at hand in the ongoing discussions.
Today’s meeting between Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to discuss governance issues and the presidency of a bi-communal republic were positive, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer told reporters in Nicosia.

Mr. Downer added that the leaders will meet again tomorrow to continue talks on governance and twice again next week.

“It is really important here in Cyprus that people concentrate on the central question of getting the Cyprus question resolved,” said Mr. Downer.

In May last year, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat committed themselves to working towards a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation with political equality, as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions.

The partnership would comprise a Federal Government with a single international personality, along with a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State, which would be of equal status.

[Gregory]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

[zan]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

I think that applies to things as they stand at the moment......I hope you will welcome NEW resolutions with such relish!!!

[Gregory]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

I think that applies to things as they stand at the moment......I hope you will welcome NEW resolutions with such relish!!!

With the same respect and compliance that you've accepted UN resolutions till now?

[zan]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

I think that applies to things as they stand at the moment......I hope you will welcome NEW resolutions with such relish!!!

With the same respect and compliance that you've accepted UN resolutions till now?

So why do you hate me for doing what you have just admitted you will do??? Whats good for the gander is retrospectively good for the Goose!!!

[Gregory]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

I think that applies to things as they stand at the moment......I hope you will welcome NEW resolutions with such relish!!!

With the same respect and compliance that you've accepted UN resolutions till now?

So why do you hate me for doing what you have just admitted you will do??? Whats good for the gander is retrospectively good for the Goose!!!

I didn't admit I will do that. I asked if thats what you mean.

I've never wanted anything but international law and democracy to prevail in Cyprus. You've never wanted anything to do with that.

[zan]

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sc9668.doc.htm

I think that applies to things as they stand at the moment......I hope you will welcome NEW resolutions with such relish!!!

With the same respect and compliance that you've accepted UN resolutions till now?

So why do you hate me for doing what you have just admitted you will do??? Whats good for the gander is retrospectively good for the Goose!!!

I didn't admit I will do that. I asked if thats what you mean.

I've never wanted anything but international law and democracy to prevail in Cyprus. You've never wanted anything to do with that.

International law has been written after one bad decision to recognise the half government of GCs after 1963......The UN is duty bound to honour a decision that stripped me of my rights at the point of a gun. With your sense of justice you should be able to see that I can NEVER accept that. An old deal has to be honoured before a new deal can be negotiated.....