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EU throws support behind UN mediation for new Cyprus talks


Brussels and Washington give green light for resumption of new round of peace talks for settlement in Cyprus and UN mediation in revived efforts; Turkey says return to table of Annan plan is favored

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Only days after receiving assurances from the Turkish government to extend its Association Agreement to newcomer Greek Cyprus, the European Union urged all sides in the Cyprus dispute to take up an offer of renewed mediation by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan so that Ankara’s membership bid can lead to the reunification of the island.
"It would be good if the parties involved would make use of the good offices of the U.N. that Annan last Friday once again put on offer," Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, told the European Parliament.
The call by Balkenende came amid intensifying talk over renewing peace efforts on the island after a plan by Annan for reunification failed after it was rejected in an April 24 referendum.

In Washington, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher indicated the renewed efforts must be on the basis of the collapsed plan, a position backed in London and Ankara.
Asked if the United States had a plan to help resolving the Cyprus problem, Boucher said: “As far as having a plan to solve the Cyprus problem, there is a plan, there has been a plan, the Annan Plan: We supported it. The Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of it while the Greek Cypriots voted against. We would like to see the parties resolve their differences on that basis.”
Annan has said there was no official plan to restart talks, but emphasized his good offices mission would be available if both Cypriot parties wanted.

The Turkish government, which worked heavily for a “yes” vote in the Turkish side of Cyprus prior to the April referenda, would also like to see the efforts being revived on the basis of the Annan plan.
Asked in a televised interview on Monday whether Turkey wanted to bring the Annan plan back onto the table, Erdog<breve>an said, “We think it is of benefit to get the peace process resumed.”

Erdog<breve>an gave assurances to the European Union he would sign by Oct. 3 a protocol extending Turkey’s 1963 Association Agreement to 10 new members, including Greek Cyprus, but insisted this was not tantamount to recognition.
This increases the pressure on reviving the reunification efforts in the island. “A second [peace] process is getting underway in Cyprus,” Erdog<breve>an said, adding, “This process will either create two separate states, or a unified Cyprus Republic as described in the Annan plan.”
In the island, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) President Rauf Denktas¸, who campaigned against the Annan plan, said he would not insist on leading the negotiations on behalf of the Turkish side, but emphasized first the conditions for renewed talks must be set.
New negotiations are not expected to take place before Turkish Cypriot elections in late February.

Greek side reluctant
 
Government in Greece and Greek Cyprus, on the other hand, are skeptical towards the Annan plan, which proposes a loose federation of the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities on the island.
“In its current shape, the Annan plan cannot be a basis for negotiations,” Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said on Monday. He said he was unaware of a new initiative on Cyprus.

Greek Cypriots, who overwhelmingly rejected the Annan plan in April, want a solution process to open within the EU, rather than the continuation of the U.N.-supervised project.