Cyprus-Forum.com

[cymart]

Spot on-read it if you can-sorry there is no English translation!

[turkkan]

can you post a link?

[Nikitas]

Mikellides is a psychiatrist, an important fact to know when you read his stuff. I like his iconclastic style but always keep in the back of my mind the fact that the writer deals daily with psychopathology and tends to look for it in the world around him.

His take on Famagusta, that the whole town will gradually be colonised as our politicians seek a position which includes a Mercedes and bodyguards, is poignant. Let's face it, if the Cyprus issue was solved today, a whole lot of people would lose status and become relatively unimportant functionaries of a very small nation. The problem gives them a stature they do not deserve. On the other hand such cutting texts do not contribute much to the solution. They are fun to read though!

[Gasman]

Let's face it, if the Cyprus issue was solved today, a whole lot of people would lose status and become relatively unimportant functionaries of a very small nation. The problem gives them a stature they do not deserve.

Agree strongly with that.

And with your other comments about that.

[Bananiot]

On top of what Nikitas says, it is not just a matter of status. Many will lose their jobs and being second and third rate lawyers and doctors, they will find it very difficult to survive. Just hear their cries when the SG of the UN dares to say that time limits should be placed for the current negotiations. They simply want the talks to carry on for ever, if it is possible.

The same applies to the political parties which, without a cyprob around that fanatisises people, would lose much of their base support and their solid backing when elections come round. Their policies will be judged on measurable parameters, mainly economic, and not on nebulous promises of grandeur, regarding their stance on the cyprob. In fact many people will become apolitical, and the status of the parties will be reduced to the real value.

[halil]

Time running out for Cyprus

Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis says that hopes for an agreed solution to the Cyprus problem are evaporating, not just in the minds of Cypriots but foreign observers as well. He says thoughts are now turning to Plan B, ie how Cyprus will be after the problem has been declared unsolvable.

This past week the G/C side did all it could to prevent the UN Security Council from adopting the UN S-G’s statement in his last report that he would be promoting the “objective aim” of reaching a solution by the end of 2010, that he would be “closely monitoring progress in the forthcoming months” and that he would be submitting another report by November.

What is important about all this is that the UN S-G has decided to put an end to the process once and for all either by a solution or by declaring a deadlock. It seems that the UN does not agree with President Christofias that the talks don’t have a deadline. Noone can force the UN to continue their good offices mission in Cyprus if they feel the process is useless. This is the message coming from the UN, but it seems it is falling on deaf ears in Nicosia. Clearly from various statements from UN officials their message is that the talks must be completed by the end of the year and the whole process will be evaluated in November. If there is no hope, the UN will disengage.

The two sides have already started playing the blame game. Christofias is trying to show that Eroglu is being intransigent, while the Turkish side, has brought Eroglu under control and accused the G/C side of delaying tactics.

The Turkish side seems determined for a repeat of 2004 and is committed to a solution by the end of the year. They are committed to the UN parametres for a solution and made sure that Eroglu tows the line. If the talks don’t go anywhere, at some point they will ask Downer to submit bridging proposals. In this case the pressure will be on the G/C side to reject them or not. The Turkish side has an advantage. The fact that it accepted the Annan plan and its desire to repeat this knowing that the G/C side has no room for manoevre.

The G/C side is in a spot. The more it demonises the UN parametres, the more it loses sight of reality. It focused all its efforts on a process with no deadline, which together with other refusals, gives the impression to outsiders that it is following a delaying tactics. This inflexibility has not gone down well abroad where no country, not even those friendly to Cyprus like France, Russia and even Greece, believes that Turkey is intransigent. On the contrary it is felt that it is Cyprus which is employing time wasting tactics.

[Bananiot]

Cymart, read Rolandis's piece in ALITHEIA, yesterday.

http://www.alitheiaportal.com/alitheia/ ... andes.html

Such an eye opener, but still people prefer to keep the blinkers on.

[Get Real!]

Time running out for Cyprus

When will this bomb go off? According to some we’ve been “running out of time” for the last 10 years!

[Get Real!]

Cymart, read Rolandis's piece in ALITHEIA, yesterday.

http://www.alitheiaportal.com/alitheia/ ... andes.html

Such an eye opener, but still people prefer to keep the blinkers on.

You need to make a new appointment with Mikellides and tell him you’ve been following the writings of Rolandis, Charalambous, and Clerides… I’m sure he’ll have “happouthkia” for you!

[Tony-4497]

Halil

Unfortunately, I think you are broadly right.

This is the sad outcome of Christofias's decision to scrap the 8th July agreement (which offered protection against precisely this scenario) and effectively corner the GC side into negotiating on the basis of "UN parameters" aka the Annan plan.

It looks like we are heading towards another 2004, as the solution currently being negotiated simply cannot pass a GC referendum. This second NO by GCs (especially if at referendum) will bring the occupied areas' status closer to that of Taiwan.

The best Christofias can do at this stage is to try and secure more land in return for more sovereignty i.e. grant TCs near-sovereign status with only the absolute minimum required functions for the central government in return for the TC state having an area of say 22%. Such a solution may have a chance of passing at both sides.