Cyprus-Forum.com

[repulsewarrior]

Anastasiades and Eroglu agreed to increase the pace of meetings to at least twice a month, Eide said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/s ... eace-talks

"They [the leaders] have instructed their negotiators to enter into active negotiations with a view to bridging the gap through real negotiation on unresolved core issues," said Eide, a former Norwegian foreign minister appointed UN special adviser for Cyprus last month.

The process would involve placing all unresolved differences on the table to be addressed in a "negotiating format", Eide told reporters after meeting the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Dervis Eroglu, at a UN compound straddling a buffer zone in Nicosia, the island's capital.

The United Nations would be ready to assist in coming up with ideas to bridge any gaps. There were, Eide said, "clear differences of opinion" on some issues.

[repulsewarrior]

busy day...

Rare encounter as Cypriot foreign minister meets Turkish counterpart

http://famagusta-gazette.com/rare-encou ... 685-69.htm

...the photo that has taken Twitter by storm.

...and on another note:

UNFICYP’s Force Commander, Major General Kristin Lund has said that it is important for the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Georgios Basiakoulis and the commander of the Turkish occupation forces, Major General Ilyas Bozkurt come together and talk.

In an interview with Kibris, she said that they should work for increasing trust among them.

“My personal view is that instead of having messengers among us, it would be better if the commanders talked to each other. This is important”, said Major General Lund.

Lund added that many people are working for finding a solution in Cyprus and added that this should not remain limited only to the politicians and that the Cypriots in both sides of the island should participate in joint activities without prejudices.

http://famagusta-gazette.com/lund-wants ... 682-69.htm

[repulsewarrior]

PRESIDENT Anastasiades, on his arrival in New York on Sunday met Secretary of State John Kerry, with whom he discussed Cyprus talks. It is not often the Cyprus president, who makes an annual pilgrimage to New York every September for the UN General Assembly, is granted an audience with the US Secretary of State.

“we are cautiously optimistic that there is new life in the process and we wish to be supportive.” With the appointment of the new special advisor on the UN Secretary-General, Espen Barthe Eide, the official said, “we are now beginning to see the start of real talks.”

The official also said that Kerry told Anastasiades that he intended “to become personally involved in the procedure and help as much as he could for progress to be achieved.” Kerry was prepared to visit Cyprus if the two sides believed that such a visit would be helpful, the State Department officials added.

The US government means business. This interest in the Cyprus talks is not theoretical or a passing fad but an indication of the importance the US places in a settlement, which it considers an essential part for its broader strategic plans for the region. The State Department official said Kerry had also discussed Cyprus with the Turkish government during his visit to Ankara. There is little doubt that the Americans will be pushing for a result to the talks.

http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/09/23/our-v ... ssing-fad/

[repulsewarrior]

http://famagusta-gazette.com/russian-destroyer-leaves-cyprus-for-mediterranean-drills-p25941-69.htm

...Navy frigates will bring other frigates.

http://m.aljazeera.com/story/201410713658717219; the talks are cancelled for now.

It said UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide had arrived in Cyprus on Tuesday as scheduled.

“He will hold meetings with both leaders, their negotiators, leaders of political parties as well as with several other key interlocutors, discussing the way forward in the negotiations,” the UN statement said.

The UN did not comment on the suspension of the talks by the Greek Cypriot side over Turkey’s actions in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). As well as cancelling the leaders’ meeting, chief negotiator for the Greek Cypriot side, Andreas Mavroyiannis, has also pulled out off meetings with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Kudret Ozersay.

Eide will be on the island until Friday. Sources close to the talks told the Cyprus Mail that while here he would engage in ‘shuttle diplomacy’ with the two sides. “He wants them to keep their eye on the prize,” said the sources.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/10/07/eide- ... o-leaders/

On Monday the US said that while Cyprus had the sovereign right to develop its resources in its EEZ, Washington continued to believe that the natural gas and oil reserves of the island, as well as all its resources, “must be fairly shared between the two communities in the framework of a comprehensive settlement”. Responding, Christodoulides said: “We expect all states and especially our partners in the EU, and the permanent members of the UN Security Council to respond to the actions of Turkey.”

AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou, leaving the Tuesday meeting at the palace said his party supported the president’s decision. He also said there had been a consensus among the political leaders.

DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos also welcomed Anastasiades’ decision to suspend Greek Cypriot participation in the talks over Turkey’s move.

Last Friday Turkey issued a NAVTEX (Navigational Telex), a notice to mariners advising that it was reserving areas south of Cyprus for seismic surveys from October 20 to December 30.

Inside block 9, the area reserved by the Turkish advisory directly borders – but does not overlap – the area where the Italian-Korean consortium ENI-KOGAS is currently conducting exploratory drilling for natural gas, on licence from the Republic of Cyprus.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/10/07/cypru ... suspended/

[kurupetos]

We are ready for war...

[Lordo]

has your mummy changed your nappy yet.

[CBBB]

has your mummy changed your nappy yet.

She probably hasn't, because it is not as full of sh*t as you!

[Oceanside50]

http://famagusta-gazette.com/russian-destroyer-leaves-cyprus-for-mediterranean-drills-p25941-69.htm

...Navy frigates will bring other frigates.

http://m.aljazeera.com/story/201410713658717219; the talks are cancelled for now.

It said UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide had arrived in Cyprus on Tuesday as scheduled.

“He will hold meetings with both leaders, their negotiators, leaders of political parties as well as with several other key interlocutors, discussing the way forward in the negotiations,” the UN statement said.

The UN did not comment on the suspension of the talks by the Greek Cypriot side over Turkey’s actions in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). As well as cancelling the leaders’ meeting, chief negotiator for the Greek Cypriot side, Andreas Mavroyiannis, has also pulled out off meetings with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Kudret Ozersay.

Eide will be on the island until Friday. Sources close to the talks told the Cyprus Mail that while here he would engage in ‘shuttle diplomacy’ with the two sides. “He wants them to keep their eye on the prize,” said the sources.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/10/07/eide- ... o-leaders/

On Monday the US said that while Cyprus had the sovereign right to develop its resources in its EEZ, Washington continued to believe that the natural gas and oil reserves of the island, as well as all its resources, “must be fairly shared between the two communities in the framework of a comprehensive settlement”. Responding, Christodoulides said: “We expect all states and especially our partners in the EU, and the permanent members of the UN Security Council to respond to the actions of Turkey.”

AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou, leaving the Tuesday meeting at the palace said his party supported the president’s decision. He also said there had been a consensus among the political leaders.

DIKO leader Nicolas Papadopoulos also welcomed Anastasiades’ decision to suspend Greek Cypriot participation in the talks over Turkey’s move.

Last Friday Turkey issued a NAVTEX (Navigational Telex), a notice to mariners advising that it was reserving areas south of Cyprus for seismic surveys from October 20 to December 30.

Inside block 9, the area reserved by the Turkish advisory directly borders – but does not overlap – the area where the Italian-Korean consortium ENI-KOGAS is currently conducting exploratory drilling for natural gas, on licence from the Republic of Cyprus.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/10/07/cypru ... suspended/

And a few Exocets from troodos can get rid of them all

[Lordo]

has your mummy changed your nappy yet.

She probably hasn't, because it is not as full of sh*t as you!

says walking bald eagle.

[repulsewarrior]

By Jean Christou

A letter sent by President Nicos Anastasiades to UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon on October 6 concerning Turkish encroachment of the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and its effects on the Cyprus talks, was circulated as an official document to the Security Council on Monday.

The letter was released early on Tuesday.

In it, Anastasiades, who pulled out the talks earlier this month, said the Turkish actions were not compatible with the smooth continuation of the negotiations on the Cyprus problem.

“They have the potential to destroy the efforts of creating a good and positive environment and to actually derail the whole negotiating process,” he said.

He said it was regrettable that the developments came at a time when Ban’s new Special Adviser on Cyprus was trying to set the necessary conditions and framework for the resumption of the talks and for substantial negotiations.

Referring to Turkey’s decision to reserve areas, including parts of Cyprus EEZ for seismic surveys, Anastasiades said the move had been the culmination of a continued provocative policy of disputing and interfering with the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus in its exclusive economic zone.

“This provocative policy included, apart from continued verbal threats and rhetoric, the harassment of vessels performing lawful activities authorised by the government of the Republic of Cyprus, by Turkish warships and military aircraft, and unlawful seismic surveys within the western exclusive economic zone of Cyprus by Turkish vessels,” he said.

However, he added, this was the first time Turkey decided to escalate its provocation and directly carry out a seismic survey in specific blocks, some of which have been assigned to international companies such as blocks 2, 3 and 9, within the southern part of the EEZ.

Cyprus’ EEZ was delineated in 2004 in accordance with international law, he added.

“The foregoing Turkish intentions as well as their timing give rise to grave concerns,” said Anastasiades.

“They point to the increasingly aggressive nature of Turkey’s actions in areas in the eastern Mediterranean under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus.”

The timing, in the midst of a process aiming to reunify the island, served only to undermine the process and to raise more doubts as to Turkey’s commitment to it and contributed towards the increase of the overall tension in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Anastasiades told Ban of his own commitment to the talks but said that for them to be successful all sides needed to be on board.

“Negotiating under constant threat and blackmail that undermine all efforts to create the good environment necessary for a successful outcome of the negotiations for the settlement of the Cyprus problem is not just counterproductive. It also has a negative effect on public opinion,” he said in the letter.

Public opinion was necessary in efforts for a settlement because people needed to be convinced that confidence and trust between the sides could and should be restored.

“Unfortunately, these latest decisions and intentions of the Turkish Government do not contribute towards that aim; on the contrary, they run counter to it,” the president added.

Referring to his withdrawal from the talks, Anastasiades said the decision was taken so that the UN and friends of the Good Offices mission would have time to convince Ankara to reconsider.

He reminded Ban that during their last meeting in New York in September, that the Secretary-General had expressed his willingness to approach Turkey in order to convince Ankara to substantially contribute towards the settlement of the Cyprus problem.

He called on Ban to convince Turkey not to go ahead with its plans to carry out the surveys as it would “strike a heavy blow against the negotiations for the settlement of the Cyprus problem”.

Turkey began its surveys on Monday. The National Council was meeting on Tuesday to finalise its response to the move and to announce measures, it said on Monday.

http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/10/21/anast ... 1646117472

...note, the survey ends December 30, 2014.