Cyprus-Forum.com

[Agios Amvrosios]

Ali Talat returned to occupied Cyprus from his vaunted US trip with little to show for it other than "symbolic" chats with the American foreign policy supremo and the UN Chief who offered no promises of ‘isolation-busting’ air links or fresh settlement talks any time soon.

And without bringing back any real gifts in his suitcases, Talat switched to attack mode, venting on London for its "failure" as a guarantor state to nudge the peace process forward and dismissing the EU as a "biased" organisation "unsuitable" for taking a leading role in settlement efforts.

Talat’s abbreviated talks with Kofi Annan on Monday – cut short to 10-15 minutes because of an emergency Security Council Session on the Syrian crisis – produced little but a repeat of the UN Chief’s reluctance to launch fresh settlement talks without cast-iron guarantees of success.

"Annan is unwilling to launch new talks unless success is guaranteed and the parties display an assertive stance to resolve the Cyprus question. He appreciates our determination on the issue," Talat told reporters after flying back to Istanbul.

Annan’s unwillingness to act in haste is shared by Nicosia which fears that an ill-prepared return to bargaining without any real prospects of success could crush what ever few hopes remain at reunification.

"I believe one of the reasons why the UN Secretary General is reluctant is because of the unbending stance of Ankara and Mr. Talat who don’t consent to a discussion of our side’s concerns," said Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides.

Ploy

Moreover, Nicosia sees a speedy resumption of talks – as per Ankara wishes - as a ploy to revive an unaltered Annan plan that President Tassos Papadopoulos has repeatedly said would permanently drive the two communities apart rather than bring them together.

The unchanged UN settlement blueprint remains the Turkish side’s rallying cry for resumed talks as Talat pointed out.

"We urged (Annan) not to consider the possibility of another failure and move to have talks resumed on the basis of the Annan Plan which is the framework he prefers," said Talat.

Talat tried to put a positive spin on Annan’s velvet rebuff, saying the UN Secretary General sees believes an unsolved Cyprus issue posed a "serious problem" that could impede Turkey’s entry into the EU and be a source of instability in the region.

However, the Turkish Cypriot leader conceded that he is in the dark about "the time, place, format and conditions" under which a new Cyprus initiative would be launched.

"We will wait and see," Talat said.

On his talks with Rice on Friday, Talat could only hail in grandiose language the symbolic significance of his invitation to Washington, since he admitted to receiving no "concrete promise" of US-initiated direct flights to the north.

"Today, Turkish Cypriots are speaking the world language. And their reunification vision is appreciated. That is why Rice invited me," Talat said.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said he pressed his demand for direct flights that could erase the north’s isolation "in a symbolic sense".

Speaking to Turkish TV news channel NTV, Talat conceded that delivering the north from its reclusion is a long-term project since nothing drastic is expected soon.

Talat’s and Ankara’s policy holds that direct flights would act as a prime status-booster for the north’s illegal regime – so much so, it would scare Nicosia into negotiations on an unaltered Annan Plan.

"We have stated that the end of the blockade would mean that Turkish Cypriots were appreciated for acting in line with efforts to find a solution and at the same time would serve as a warning to Greek Cypriots that they should act to achieve a solution," said Talat.

Death blow

Nicosia counters that such actions would strike a death blow to reunification efforts as they would take away any incentive for the Turkish Cypriot leadership to seek a compromise solution.

Washington may be short on action but is long on rhetoric.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said Talat and Washington are on the same wavelength when it comes to smashing the "embargo imposed on the Turkish Cypriots" and seeking reunification.

"(Condoleezza) Rice and Talat share a joint vision on the Cyprus issue," Bryza told an audience at a Cyprus panel discussion in the American capital.

With little to take back to the north, Talat turned his fire against everyone he suggested was holding the north back from realising its economic and political breakout.

He called Russia "the greatest obstacle" to Security Council debate on lifting Turkish Cypriot isolation and criticised Britain as an "unsuccessful" guarantor state for not doing enough to pressure Nicosia into talks, or setting up an air bridge with the north.

But Talat left his worst for Brussels that he labeled as being "not impartial" and "unsuitable" for leading settlement efforts.

"The EU can neither find nor encourage a Cyprus solution. That’s because the EU is not an impartial organisation. The Greek Cypriots are in the EU but the Turks are outside. Even from a structural point of view, the EU is not suitable for such an effort. It does not possess the means to act as an impartial mediator," said Talat.

Condemnation

That elicited strong condemnation from Nicosia, including a mild rebuke from the British High Commissioner.

"It’s clear that the EU must play a significant role in Cyprus settlement efforts because European law must be enforced in the occupied areas in the future," said High Commissioner Peter Millett.

President Papadopoulos said it’s generally accepted that they EU would play an "active role" in whichever new settlement drive.

"Mr. Talat shouldn’t forget that the hope is for the occupied areas to someday be able to comply with European law…therefore, the (EU’s) presence is both necessary and useful," said Papadopoulos.

Papadopoulos led a chorus of official condemnation, starting with Chrysostomides who called Talat’s EU-bashing "sly".

Akel spokesman Andros Kyprianou said Brussels is obliged reply to Talat’s "counterproductive" remarks.

Disy spokesman Tassos Mitsopoulos urged Talat to come to grips with the political realities on post-accession Cyprus since EU membership makes the island’s division a European problem.

[Main_Source]

More recently, Talat seems to be as much of an ignorant crook as Rauf Denktash was.

[BirKibrisli]

More recently, Talat seems to be as much of an ignorant crook as Rauf Denktash was.

Source,I wish Talat and Denktash were ignorant crooks as you suggest.They are anything but ignorant,or crook for that matter.
They are intelligent,cunning manipulators of public feelings and emotions.That is why they are so dangerous.

[Main_Source]

we keep on hearing how Talat is supposed to be some down to earth good guy, who supposedly wants reunification. Yet his recent actions show the opposite.... He point blank refuses any negotiations on reunification unless he has semi recognition granted...TPap even submitted to him his desired changes to the Annan plan, which even TC didnt see was to bad...yet Talat still refuses to budge unless he gets semi recognition. All he does is run his mouth to the media about how bad the GC are...then he expects us to give him respect and negotiate with him.

and that hole fiasco about the Turkish tomatoes and sacking Ali Erel is ridiculous.

[sadik]

we keep on hearing how Talat is supposed to be some down to earth good guy, who supposedly wants reunification. Yet his recent actions show the opposite.... He point blank refuses any negotiations on reunification unless he has semi recognition granted...TPap even submitted to him his desired changes to the Annan plan, which even TC didnt see was to bad...yet Talat still refuses to budge unless he gets semi recognition. All he does is run his mouth to the media about how bad the GC are...then he expects us to give him respect and negotiate with him.

and that hole fiasco about the Turkish tomatoes and sacking Ali Erel is ridiculous.

Am I missing something? When did Talat reject negotiationg with Papadopoulos? Also, Talat never said anything about how bad the GCs are, though his rhetoric against Papadopoulos was sometimes a little harsh.

[Piratis]

I guess Main Source means that Talat is unwilling to discuss any significant changes to the the Annan plan and the only thing that he seems to care right now is how he will get his "rewards" for the "yes" vote by getting recognition for his pseudo state.

[Main_Source]

exactly.

How do you expect the RoC to negoatiate with such an amateur who keeps on talking crap about Tpap in the press!?

Also, we've seen the changes TPap wanted to the Annan plan, which Talat said he wouldnt budge on. Even TC on this site said the changes werent too bad...yet Talat still tries to push for semi-recognition, because the GC democratically voted 'NO' to a biased and disguised divisive plan that would have screwed us over.

How do you expect us to negotiate with such a man who wants to promote GC getting screwed over once more, because we didnt want this bullshit Annan plan.

[bg_turk]

I see you miss the good old Denktash, and the good old days when you could put all the blame on his intransigence. I notice you are trying to paint Talat in the same intransigent aura. But, nope, the international community will not swallow your propaganda this time.
You have to find some better excuse for Papa's intransigence, refusal to meet Talat and rejectionist attitude.

Denktash is no longer around, but we have Papadopolous, the roles are switched, please, change the rhetoric accordingly.

[Main_Source]

Fact no1. Tpap submitted what changes he wanted to the Annan plan. Talat wouldnt even look at them unless he received semi recognition first. He wouldnt even take into consideration acts of unification between the 2 communites unless he got semi-recognition.

Fact no 2. Talat sacked a government official for telling the truth that Turkish Cypriot tomatoes that were to be sold via the south were infact from Turkey.

Again, you expect to respct Talat after this? He's just like Denktash but a bit cleverer with PR.

[bg_turk]

Talat, is ready to meet Papadopolous without any preconditions to discuss anything, any changes, any proposal, anything. If you notice he always says "If he wants some changes, let him spell them out" indicating clearly that he wants dialogue.

The man is prepared to negotiate, and I think he is one of the few politicians with a clear vision for unification, unlike some others whose careers are built on division. Papadopolous is doing a great favor to those who want to keep the island divided indefinitely, some gcs realize it, whereas the majority diahard nationalists are clouded by their adoration for the great patriot Papadopolous.

Fact no1. Tpap submitted what changes he wanted to the Annan plan.

Papadopolous submitted "orally" the changes he wants to the UN. In fact those were not changes to the Annan Plan, they altered the entire philosophy of a BBF completely. Papadopolous asked for complete return to "legality", return of ALL refugees, repatriation of ALL settlers, complete withdrawal of the Turkish Army. Is anything else left to demand? He could have as well asked for the complete capitulation of Turkey.
Besides there is absolutely no single credible excuse for Papadopoulos's refusal to meet Talat. You say such a meeting will upgrade the "illegal" regime. That is ridiculous to say, having in mind that Talat is already recognized as the TC leader by the UN, he is the one taking the decisions for TCs and his signature will be part of a final settlement. So if there is to be ever a solution it is a must that a meeting between P and T must occur.

Fact no 2. Talat sacked a government official for telling the truth that Turkish Cypriot tomatoes that were to be sold via the south were infact from Turkey.

Yeah right, this is a very clear indication showing how intransigent Talat is. Gosh, he sold mongolian tomatoes to the poor greek cypriots. Please, dont let tomatoes distract you from the bigger unification issues.