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Christofias: I’m ready to talk with Talat
By Simon Bahceli


AKEL leader Dimitris Christofias made a surprise appearance on Turkish Cypriot television on Monday night during which he called on Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Mehmet Ali Talat to join him at the negotiating table and spelled out measures his government would like to see implemented by Turkey ahead of the start of EU accession negotiations.

Turkey is hoping to receive a green light from the 25-nation bloc for the start of accession processes at the EU summit on December 17. Cyprus, however, has warned that it reserves the right to veto the start of negotiations or call a halt to them once they are under way if it feels Turkey is not fulfilling commitments to resolve the Cyprus problem.
Appearing on the north’s privately-owned Channel T in a programme recorded in his offices earlier on Monday, Christofias said that while he wanted to see a solution to the Cyprus problem based on the Annan plan, he wanted variations in the plan that would see the scrapping of the rights of Turkey and Greece to intervene militarily on the island.

“We are not against treaties of guarantee, but we do not want this to include the right of intervention militarily,” Christofias told the programme before launching a stinging attack on the roles played by the two motherlands Greece and Turkey in the lead-up to and aftermath of the 1974 invasion.

“In the past, the motherlands did not behave like motherlands. The 1974 coup, organised by the fascist Greek junta, was effectively an invitation to Turkey to intervene on the island,” Chroisifias said.

“As Turkey invaded, it said it was doing so to restore normality and that once that was done it would withdraw. But the soldiers are still here,” he added.

Christofias said he believed there was no longer a need for a Turkish right of intervention on Cyprus.

“Turkey has to understand that we have matured; that we are no longer interested in conflict,” he said.

He also called for a clear indication from Turkey and the north of how many Turkish settlers they wished to see remaining on the island after a solution. He threw doubt on figures presented by the Turkish Cypriot authorities prior to the referendum on the Annan plan last April, which stated there were only 41,000 officially registered Turkish mainlanders in the north.

“The Annan plan foresaw 45,000 settlers staying. They [the Turkish Cypriot authorities] produced a list which included Hasan, but not his wife or his children. In other words, the real figure could be 50,000; it could be 70,000.”
Asked whether he would accept a revised figure of 50,000 settlers Christofias replied, “Yes, I would. For the first time I am saying this through your channels. Fifty thousand I except, but the remainder would have to leave.”

Christofias stated he was ready to meet with Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Mehmet Ali Talat to thrash out a revised solution to the Cyprus problem.

“I can meet my friend Talat in the north, but to go there I have to obtain a visa, and this is something I will never accept. If they lift the visa requirement, I’ll meet him in the north. If not, we can meet in the south. If Talat won’t come to the south, we can meet at Ledra Palace. I want to tell him now that I am ready to meet,” Christofias said.

He added that the restart of discussions between the two sides could have a “small but positive” influence on Turkey’s chance of getting a date for the start of accession negotiations.

But Christofias remained adamant nothing would change the fact that Turkey had to adhere to EU demands - most importantly that it recognises the Republic of Cyprus.

Asked whether Turkey’s recognition of the Republic would need to come before the crucial December 17 summit, Christofias said, “Without recognition [of the Republic], Turkey cannot come in [to the EU]. Especially during the negotiation period, it cannot say I recognise 24 states but not one of them. This would be against the stance of the union”.

Responding to Turkish Cypriot worries that once Turkey recognises the Cyprus Republic the community would face becoming a minority in a Greek Cypriot state Christofias said, “After Turkey recognises us it will be in a position to begin negotiations with us. What we want to see is a solution based on the Annan plan and a bizonal, bicommunal solution as accepted by Makarios.”

Christofias added, however, he believed it was necessary for these things to be agreed before the official start of Turkey’s accession negotiations.


Cyprus Mail 2004