The Translation of the Q&A Part of the Press Conference Held by President Talat on 25 February 2008 to Evaluate the Elections on the Greek Cypriot Side
Q:... Mr. Christofias is going to Athens and Brussels on March 8. Has he asked to meet you before that? Thank you.
President Talat: No, he has not asked for a meeting with me. But when I called to congratulate him, we both expressed our intentions to meet soon. We did not set a date. Therefore, I don’t know whether this meeting will be before that date or after. But we have talked about meeting. We have not set a date. We will probably decide on a date one of these days.
– A journalist, who states that he had expected President Talat to be more hopeful after Christofias’ election, asks Talat about his statement on UN’s body of work, conditions for a solution and whether the Cyprus Republic will evolve into a new state:
President Talat: ... When I mentioned the UN “body of work,” I was listing some of the UN parameters that will serve as a basis for solution. None of these parameters or body of work envisage the evolution of the Republic of Cyprus into a new state. Since all agreements envisage that the two peoples will go to separate referenda for a solution, and since the decisions of both states, the laws approved by their parliaments and decisions taken by their cabinets will be valid in the new state, it is quite clear that this will be a new state. And this is included in the UN’s body of work. Therefore, I am not introducing any preconditions. No, there is no such thing. I have no preconditions. I am just saying that the solution will be found under the framework of UN parameters and body of work. This is not just my opinion but the opinion of the UN Secretary-General. But I am very hopeful about a solution. Why? Did I seem hopeless to you? I am pretty hopeful because a leader, who is saying “I will negotiate, I want to solve the Cyprus problem and I will do this through negotiations with the Turkish Cypriots” has been elected. Moreover, as you said, a leader, whom I know very well and for a long time, has been elected. For these reasons, I am happy. Actually, I am more than happy. Therefore, I have no such concern. But I just wanted to highlight a couple of important issues because this is the beginning of a new period. I just wanted to warn against a competition of cultivating images because we have experienced this before. Until a couple of months before the (Annan) plan was finalized, the whole world believed that the Greek Cypriot side will accept the solution. The world believed that if the plan is to be rejected, it can only be rejected by the Turkish side. This was the image that had been cultivated. I believe we should evade such image games this time. This is of utmost importance because if this happens again, it will not be possible to heal the destruction it will cause. Then, nobody will be able to find Turkish Cypriots at this platform... How many times can a people be deceived, mislead? This is what I was trying to say. Not that I have any doubts. But this time, we have a very important period ahead of us. If we cannot be successful this time either, the unification of Cyprus will be very difficult. That is what I was trying to say. Otherwise, of course I am hopeful. If I was not hopeful, I would not even think of organizing a press conference here today.
- President Talat is asked to comment on concerns that Ankara will demand a greater amount of troops on the island than would be acceptable by the Greek Cypriots:
President Talat (in English): I do not know who says this. But it does not have any basis. (This issue) has been actually examined in the past also. Ankara supported the comprehensive settlement plan of the UN decisively until the very last day, despite the fact that Turkish troops would withdraw according to that agreement. Until sometime, the troops were going to be reduced to the present numbers, which are 650 from Turkey, 950 from Greece. So it is not true that this was the concern and that this was the reason of the rejection. It is just an illusion created by those, who actually (did not have) any intention to approve the agreement, the plan. It is a pretext only. And to be honest, Turkish Cypriot side, as always will go together in collaboration with Turkey. So the end result will definitely be in the opinion, which is going to be created commonly, together with Turkey. So this argument is really baseless.
Q: What could be the biggest obstacle in front of you and Mr. Christofias –as old comrades- preventing you from reaching an agreement?
President Talat: ... Those, who walk the same path become comrades. Therefore, I hope to walk the same path (with Christofias). By “walking the same path” I mean solving the Cyprus problem. We have obstacles. We both do. I highlighted in my speech the importance of reaching an agreement that will be acceptable to both peoples. This means that we will have to embrace, direct and concentrate at the same target all the different inclinations present...among both peoples. That’s why this forthcoming period will not be an easy one. I believe, it will not be so easy for Mr. Christofias either. If we are to start from somewhere, he will be starting from a 75 percent “no” vote, whereas I will be starting from a 65 percent “yes” vote. Therefore, his job is even more difficult than mine. I wish him success... There is need to work very hard. And we have to overcome all obstacles –we all have obstacles. You also know that the inclinations of the Turkish Cypriot people could have changed in four years. This is quite natural. This is how it goes: If you are faced with someone, who does not like you, you gradually lose your enthusiasm for that person as a reaction. For example, according to opinion polls, confidence in the EU has dropped significantly. I don’t know if you remember, but the will to join the EU was 95 percent before the referendum. In other words, besides the 65 percent who said “yes,” there was an extra 30 percent who wanted to join the EU. They did not like the agreement but they wanted to join the EU. Today, these figures have dropped. Therefore, we all have our difficulties.
Q: ...You have listed your priorities for the partnership state to be established... They are what the Turkish side has demanded up until today. When Mr. Christofias was elected, he said “If the Turks want the same things, I will be no different than Papadopoulos.”... How will a solution be possible?
President Talat: Look, you have to leave aside what has been said during the elections campaign. They were said in the past. Of course, they will have an impact on the future, but as they were said in the past, they should not be allowed to take the future hostage. I have forgotten what has been said. I am looking forward. Now, there are two leaders, who are ready to act with the understanding and belief that the Cyprus problem can be solved through dialogue. I expect that we will be able to reach a common understanding so that we can build the future together. During elections campaigns everyone says many things. This is especially the case for South Cyprus... We should not forget that there are different approaches as to how policies are pursued. We have to always remember that the political literature or accumulation in South Cyprus is quite different than ours... Therefore, I believe it would be best to leave aside what has been said in the past during the elections campaigns.
Q: Mr. Talat, when do you envisage the negotiations process to begin?
President Talat: Good question but I don’t think I will be able to answer this question. This will not be determined according to my thoughts or attitude... I will tell you what my approach is, not what will happen. This is my approach: we can start negotiations following a very short preparation period among ourselves, because there is already a very large body of work. We have at hand a comprehensive settlement plan –although it is being demonized by the Greek Cypriot side- which is the outcome of all the UN processes up to today. Therefore, there is a serious accumulation of work, where we can start from. With this accumulation, we can start negotiations in a very short time. This is my attitude. But I don’t know what kind of a procedure the UN will decide on following its assessment.
- President Talat is asked about the 8 July process and whether he plans to make some good-will gestures:
President Talat: The 8 July process –as the name implies- was a process, a preparatory process. 8 July process is not a negotiations process. It was a preparatory process ahead of full-fledged negotiations. Therefore, it would be possible to keep this process very short and take things from there. But the important thing is the negotiations period following the preparations, and everybody accepts this fact. For that reason, starting negotiations with the 8 July process is not the solution, because 8 July is just a preparation as a said. Full-fledged negotiations need to start right after preparations. This is what I am pointing at. We can discuss whether the Greek Cypriot side rejected a solution or just the Annan Plan. The UN Secretary-General, in a report he wrote in 2004, stated that the Greek Cypriot side rejected the solution itself. Why did the Secretary-General state this? Because the UN and the Greek Cypriot side had largely jointly prepared the UN comprehensive settlement plan. They were working together until the last day. Don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about a bad-will on UN’s part. This was the case because the Turkish side avoided cooperation. I am blaming ourselves here, not the Greek Cypriot side. However, despite the fact that this was the case until the very last day, and despite the fact that Mr. Papadopoulos in December 2003, wrote a letter to the Secretary-General and said ‘come let’s finalise the plan; take an initiative as soon as possible,’ he called on the Greek Cypriot people to reject the plan in tears three months later. This is the reason why the Secretary-General said ‘the Greek Cypriot side did not reject a specific plan but the solution, the concept of solution.’ The criticism here is, of course, directed to the leadership, not the Greek Cypriot people. It is now pointless to discuss whether the Greek Cypriot leadership and the people rejected the solution or a specific plan. The Greek Cypriot people have decided on change. They have elected someone, who says, ‘I will negotiate and I will solve the Cyprus problem.’... On your question about good-will gestures; as you know, both sides have proposed a list of confidence-building measures. Those lists include everything. For this reason, I believe that it would be best to work to solve the problem rather than indulge in a competition of cultivating images. I don’t believe it would be right to make gestures that are in fact aimed at cultivating images. When can this be a possibility? If you are accused or criticized about something, then you could adopt such an approach. For example, this happened with the removal of the (Ledra Street) bridge. We built a bridge with good-will so that the pedestrians could cross. Some saw this as a bridge, where tanks would cross from beneath and planes from above. Some said this bridge was the biggest obstacle. They said ‘we will not open (the crossing point) until the bridge is removed.’ Thereupon, both as a good-will gesture, and a challenge... we said “ok, we are removing the bridge then.” Apart from this, of course, there are the confidence-building measures proposed by both sides. I believe it would be better to sit down and talk about these, analyze these and give way to steps aimed at raising confidence. And one more thing: if we really initiate a negotiations process, the two people’s confidence in each other will increase anyway. The day we start comprehensive solution negotiations, we will no longer be talking about such issues. We will no longer be discussing whether Turkish Cypriots trust Greek Cypriots or whether Greek Cypriot trust Turkish Cypriots. When comprehensive solution negotiations begin, it will be clearly put forward that our aim is a solution. Thus, confidence will be created directly. For this reason, believe me, those confidence-building measures that we both have proposed, will no longer be that important. They are important under conditions of non-solution. If a negotiations process begins, this will lead to a rise of good-will on both sides. Everyone will start searching for a solution.
- President Talat is asked about what he thinks of the assessment that solution prospects are grim:
President Talat: This is a very pessimistic question. We believe that we will be able to solve this problem. There is no reason why we cannot make this happen. We believe that we will solve this problem. The necessary circumstances for a solution are already there. At least, the objective circumstances are there. Now, we have to prepare the subjective circumstances. We, as the Turkish Cypriot side, are ready to prepare the subjective circumstances, and do our part. I believe, Mr. Christofias is also ready. For these reasons, I believe that the prospects for a solution are very strong and I am saying “Let’s focus on that.”
- President Talat is asked about when he expects the negotiations to begin and a solution to be found:
President Talat: This is our expectation: towards the end of March, a UN assessment mission will arrive. Following this assessment, a report will be presented first to the Secretary-General and then to the Security Council. The attitudes of the sides will be obvious within this framework. I believe that negotiations will begin after these. And this means at the end of March. But I don’t know whether negotiations will start right away or after some time. My expectation is to find a solution to the Cyprus problem by the end of 2008 through this negotiations process. And this is possible. Because we have a lot at hand and it would not be a surprise to reach a solution by the end of the year.
Q: President Talat, Demetris Christofias has stated that you will come together at a formal meeting under the UN umbrella. Would you pay a social visit to him before this formal meeting?
President Talat: I have not thought about this. I don’t know. It could be possible. I could visit him, he could visit me. It’s possible. But...we have not talked about it....
Q: Greek Cypriots say from time to time that the EU will be involved in the process... Is this a possibility? Will the EU be involved?...
President Talat: We want EU’s technical assistance. Since we are going to join the EU, since North Cyprus is going to join the EU –because in reality North Cyprus is not in the EU- of course we need technical assistance. We already have close relations with the EU in terms of technical assistance. We will definitely get technical assistance from the EU during the negotiations process. But we do not expect a direct involvement from the EU because, as you know, the EU is not objective. The Greek Cypriot side and Greece are members of the EU. We have lived through the days -until very recently- where every step to the benefit of Turkish Cypriots were blocked. I think the last case has been mailed to the European Court of Justice on Friday. Therefore, I hope those days are over. But still, I believe that it would be very difficult for the EU to act as a mediator. But it will definitely provide us with technical contributions, technical support because we need the EU’s contribution and support in issues such as the harmonization of the acquis.
- President Talat is asked about difficulties in front of solving the Cyprus problem by the end of the year:
President Talat: The Turkish Cypriot people really expect a solution in a short time. The elections have demonstrated that the Greek Cypriot people also want change. These are advantages. The difficulty is this: we have had a negative experience. We went to referenda for the first time in history and we failed. While the Turkish Cypriot side voted for solution, contrary to expectations, the Greek Cypriot side rejected the solution. And this, of course, created a shock. This means that in this new period we have to reach an agreement that will be acceptable to both peoples. This is why the leaders will have to act like true leaders. You cannot leave the people on their own and expect them to make a rational decision and act as a single person. This is not possible and has not happened anywhere in the world. The fact that Turkish Cypriots were able to act as a single mind, a single heart from 2002 onwards is an exception. But it is not possible to expect this to happen all the time. Therefore, there is a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the leaders. The leaders have the responsibility to act as leaders; to direct, to affect and create a movement towards the target. This is why it is difficult. But we will have to overcome these difficulties. Of course difficulties cannot be advantageous but I believe that now, we have more chance than ever to fight against difficulties.
- President Talat is asked whether “parameters” such as the number of troops will be re-negotiated:
President Talat: ... Don’t look at these details as parameters. These are details. What I mentioned earlier were the general characteristics. What I call parameters are the general characteristics of a solution. Therefore, these parameters were present in the Annan Plan, in the Ghali Set of Ideas and in the Cuellar Document in 1985. They are there; but the details of the solution will of course be negotiated and an agreement will be reached though negotiations.
Q: Do you plan to visit Ankara?
President Talat: There are no concrete plans at the moment but it may be possible. If there is the need, I can visit. No plans have been made. Thank you all...
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