Cyprus-Forum.com

[Viewpoint]

Part of a recent interview with NTV Turkey

Weston chided the Greek Cypriots for demanding too much from the Annan Plan and argued they were the real obstacles to peace.

In an interview with Turkish TV station NTV, Weston said the Greek Cypriots demand from the Annan Plan "goes against the nature of the plan."

Not possible

"I’m in a position to know that it’s not possible for negotiations to succeed with these demands...the Greek Cypriot side is the reason why there is no Cyprus solution," the ex-US envoy told NTV.

He said the Annan Plan was the best way of solving the Cyprus problem and it was "not the fault" of Turkish Cypriots that the island remained divided. Weston also championed an end to the north’s "economic isolation" and welcomed the recent visit of US congressmen via occupied Tymbou.

The government was also criticised for putting down "preconditions" before any new peace negotiations could get underway. The former US diplomat said such preconditions were tantamount to changes to the Annan Plan which could not be accepted before negotiations start.

President Papadopoulos was also targeted for criticism.

"At the beginning he had no objections but changed his stance after the campaign against the Annan Plan started."

Just another person to blame, for the current stalemate, Im sure our GC forum members will disect this guy limb by limb. Need I ask any comments why Weston should come up with such comments???

[Alexandros Lordos]

Part of a recent interview with NTV Turkey

Weston chided the Greek Cypriots for demanding too much from the Annan Plan and argued they were the real obstacles to peace.

In an interview with Turkish TV station NTV, Weston said the Greek Cypriots demand from the Annan Plan "goes against the nature of the plan."

Not possible

"I’m in a position to know that it’s not possible for negotiations to succeed with these demands...the Greek Cypriot side is the reason why there is no Cyprus solution," the ex-US envoy told NTV.

He said the Annan Plan was the best way of solving the Cyprus problem and it was "not the fault" of Turkish Cypriots that the island remained divided. Weston also championed an end to the north’s "economic isolation" and welcomed the recent visit of US congressmen via occupied Tymbou.

The government was also criticised for putting down "preconditions" before any new peace negotiations could get underway. The former US diplomat said such preconditions were tantamount to changes to the Annan Plan which could not be accepted before negotiations start.

President Papadopoulos was also targeted for criticism.

"At the beginning he had no objections but changed his stance after the campaign against the Annan Plan started."

Just another person to blame, for the current stalemate, Im sure our GC forum members will disect this guy limb by limb. Need I ask any comments why Weston should come up with such comments???

It is a fact that the GC and the TC/T side have different demands for changing/not changing the Annan Plan. What is not a fact - but just a value judgement - is "which side is asking for too much".

Personally, I prefer the style and language of the Prendergast report - "there is a gap between the positions of the two sides, and they should both work together to bridge that gap, each thinking how to achieve a Yes in the other community also". Impartial, and constructive.

What Weston said was not constructive, especially given the fact that it was said to a Turkish TV channel. The equivalent for me as a psychologist, would be if I had a quarreling couple in front of me, and I chose to tell the husband that "it's all your wife's fault", assigning no responsibility on him whatsoever. This, in fact, would be the most effective way to promote a divorce between these two people.

[Filitsa]

It is unfortunate that Weston makes accusations without substantiating them. Additionally, when anyone boasts, "I am in a position to know," I can't help but think, "blowhard."

(Is this what you mean, Viewpoint? )

[Viewpoint]

So Alex in your opinion playing with words to accomadate both sides is a better way of addressing the issue whaere as telling the truth as you see it and saving the seperating couple the anguish of trying to save their marriage knowing that it is doomed. He clearly feels the GCs need to readdress their stance because their current viewpoint and demands are not helping the process move forward. Whereas Talat is declarinf that he has extended his hand to the GC administaration to no avail.

[Kifeas]

Weston is not only one of the chief architects of the plan but he is the one that supported and promoted all the last minute demands of Turkey in Burgerstock, in order to find their place in the final version of the plan (A-plan5.) What can one expect from someone who saw his intellectual property been dumped by the GCs, other than resentment towards them?

[Viewpoint]

Why cant GCs just take heed of Weston is saying and re-evaluate thier stance instead of making excuses and trying to demote someone who worked hard for a solution albeit one you guys rejected. This seems to be a trend anyone who says anyhting remotely against your agenda gets slated ripped to shreds and dismissed, this attitude does not hold well to forming a union with mindset that will try at every opportunity to demolish anyone who would try to argue against GC opinion.

[Kifeas]

Why cant GCs just take heed of Weston is saying and re-evaluate thier stance instead of making excuses and trying to demote someone who worked hard for a solution albeit one you guys rejected. This seems to be a trend anyone who says anyhting remotely against your agenda gets slated ripped to shreds and dismissed, this attitude does not hold well to forming a union with mindset that will try at every opportunity to demolish anyone who would try to argue against GC opinion.

What excuses?
I just stated a true fact, like you said that Weston did so!
And who is Weston by the way? Is he the ultimate judge of all?
For every one Weston that says what he said, there are 10 other experts, including many Americans, who claim exactly the opposite. That the A-plan was substantially biased and favourable towards the Turkish /TC positions.

[Alexandros Lordos]

So Alex in your opinion playing with words to accomadate both sides is a better way of addressing the issue whaere as telling the truth as you see it ...

OK, I won't play with words, I'll tell the truth as I see it. I think Weston is totally off the mark. The truth is totally different.

Not only are the GCs not "solely responsible" for the deadlock, in fact the TC side and Turkey bear a great part of the blame - because they did not care, in the negotiations, to understand the concerns of the other side, even while it was becoming obvious that the plan would fail the referendum. The TC side insisted on outrageous restrictions for residence rights (18 years before they will allow ... a few thousand people to return - in effect, ethnic purity was achieved), while Turkey absolutely refused to negotiate the security issue, refusing to understand that the status quo of the 1960 agreements was making the GCs deeply insecure.

Conclusion: The TC side and Turkey are not at all innocent of the referendum result. Once you have spit in the soup, you are also to blame for the fact that the other person does not eat it.

[Viewpoint]

Alex although I agree with you that GCs are not totally to blame, you state that we negotiated well to obtain what we wanted without allowing GCs to out negotiate us, is that a crime, shouldnt you have negotiated you views if valid and acceptable into the plan??? if your leaders lack this ability and do not possess the skills then why do you send boys to do a mans job??? sure this is not the TCs fault..

[Kifeas]

Alex although I agree with you that GCs are not totally to blame, you state that we negotiated well to obtain what we wanted without allowing GCs to out negotiate us, is that a crime, shouldnt you have negotiated you views if valid and acceptable into the plan??? if your leaders lack this ability and do not possess the skills then why do you send boys to do a mans job??? sure this is not the TCs fault..

Okay! Let’s assume that you are 100% right in your above claims. Still, as part of the plan and in order for it to become the final solution of the Cyprus problem, it should have gone to separate referendums first. In the referendums there were two possible choices, yes and no.

You won the first half of the game by out-negotiating us, as you just mentioned above, but then we won the second half of the match by rejecting the plan and thus we are now even.