News from Cyprus

CYPRUS MAIL

Christofias and Talat to meet by the end of the month

Christofias and Talat are set to meet by the end of this month, UN Special Representative in Cyprus Michael Moller said yesterday. Speaking after meeting with Christofias, Moller added that Christofias had expressed his willingness to open the Ledra Street checkpoint. “I had a very good meeting with President Christofias and he has told me that he is very keen and ready to meet with Mr Talat as soon as possible,” the UN representative said. “He has asked me to continue working on that. Now, we will start the preparations for that meeting, probably towards to the end of the second half of this month”, he said. Moller declined to comment on whether the July 8 agreement would work as a starting point for negotiations between the two leaders. “Both leaders are very clear of their eagerness to start,” he explained. “They both think there is a good chance for them to do some very good work together and I share their optimism.” Regarding the political context of the leaders’ meeting and whether it should be based on the July 8 agreement, he said that “it is not for me to discuss”, adding: “Everybody knows the positions of Mr Christofias and Mr Talat and they will have to discuss how they can reconcile those positions. That is the whole point of sitting down and having a good discussion.” Moller said Christofias seemed willing to start proceedings for the opening of Ledra Street straight away. “We are also going to continue our preparation work for that and hopefully we will be able to give you some good news very soon,” he said. He added that he hoped the checkpoint would be open soon. “This is something which has to be discussed between Talat and Christofias when they meet and I am trying to make sure that this can happen before the end of the month.” Newly-appointed Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said Christofias had made it clear during the one-hour long meeting that he wished to begin fresh talks with the Turkish Cypriot leader, with the July 8 agreement as a starting point. “The President of the Republic reconfirmed his eagerness to work towards a fair, viable and functional solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as possible,” said Stephanou in his first briefing to the media. ''The President of the Republic underlined the fact that for the Greek Cypriot side, the basis of a solution is formed by the high level agreements of 1977 and 1979, which provide for a bizonal bicommunal federation, UN resolutions on Cyprus, and the principles of international and European law,'' he added. “Mr Christofias repeated that the Greek Cypriot side is seeking a solution that will end the occupation and reunify the land, the people, the institutions and economy,” said Stephanou. He added Christofias had “conveyed to Mr Moller his willingness to take initiatives and act in a way that would help create the appropriate climate for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus problem, beginning with the July 8 agreement”. Stephanou also confirmed Christofias’ willingness to negotiate the opening of Ledra Street, but also other checkpoints such as that in LImnitis in the north west of the island. Asked to comment on Mr Talat’s intentions, Stephanou said: “We believe all intentions and inclinations will become apparent along the way.” He added that it would be wiser to await the outcome of the meeting before making further statements on the issue. Regarding the opening of Ledra Street, Stephanou said “what is certain is that we are working in that direction”. Talat will be visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara on Thursday to discuss the latest developments in the Cyprus issue. Erdogan was quoted yesterday as saying he expected UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to take a new initiative for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem. “He Turkish side is ready to provide full support to such initiatives,” Erdogan said.

Monday, March 3

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Rival Turkish, Greek Cypriot leaders to meet this month: UN

Rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders are set to meet later this month, the United Nations announced on Monday, as efforts to reunify the divided island intensify after Greek Cypriots ditched their hardline leader of the past five years.... "We are preparing for a meeting between Mr Christofias and Mr Talat before the end of this month," Moller told AFP. "We are working for a meeting for the second half of March. There are no specific dates yet." The victory of communist leader Christofias in a presidential election last month has raised hopes of a new drive to end Cyprus's 34-year-old division. His hardline predecessor Tassos Papadopoulos had led Greek Cypriots in rejecting a UN reunification plan in a 2004 referendum and talks went nowhere during his term of office.... "The president conveyed to Mr Moller his willingness to make initiatives and take actions that are helpful in cultivating the appropriate climate for talks to resume," government spokesman Stephanos Stephanou told reporters. "He reaffirmed his willingness to participate in an exploratory meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Talat soon," he said. "The effort is for this meeting to start before the end of this month." Last week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the new president to make a goodwill gesture to help rebuild confidence, something the international community has also been pushing, and on Sunday Christofias said he was ready to push for a comprehensive settlement. "My reply to Mr Erdogan is that we are more than ready, if Turkey is also ready, to find a solution," he said. Christofias said he accepted the principle of a federation between the island's two communities but said a deal also needed to end the ‘Turkish occupation’ of the north.He said he wanted a settlement "which will end the occupation and will restore the country's independence, territorial integrity, the unity of the Republic of Cyprus in the framework of a federation and human rights of all Cypriots." The Greek Cypriot leader said that as a goodwill gesture he was also willing to consider the opening of two more crossing points across the UN-patrolled Green Line that divides the island. "We are ready, under certain preconditions, to open the crossing point at Ledra Street (in the heart of the divided capital Nicosia), just as we are ready to open a crossing at Limnitis" in the northwest of the island, he said. Talks on opening the two new crossings -- to supplement five currently in operation -- had run into repeated obstacles under Papadopoulos's presidency....

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

President Christofias to discuss Cyprus issue in Athens

Christofias has said that his talks with the Greek political leadership are aiming at the coordination between Athens and Nicosia as regards the forthcoming developments on the Cyprus question. In an interview with the Athens News Agency, Christofias, who is departing Tuesday for his first visit to Greece, said that he will have a meeting with Talat in the middle of March after his return from Brussels. Christofias will travel to Brussels to attend the informal European Council to take place on March 13-14. Christofias also said that his first meeting with Talat would be an explorative one. He added that there are issues that the two sides have to discuss such as the Confidence Building Measures, the opening of Ledras Street and of Limnitis checkpoint. Christofias said there is mobility on the part of the UN and the Security Council as regards the Cyprus question, adding that during his visit to the Greek capital he will inform the Greek President and the Greek Government and exchange views with them on the forthcoming developments. Invited to define the obstacles preventing the implementation of the 8 July Agreement, Christofias said that he will ask Talat this question, and pointed out that there is no other agreement endorsed by the UN Security Council. “The signatures of Mr. Talat and Mr. Papadopoulos are under this agreement. I honour Papadopoulos’ signature and he (Talat) must honour his own signature. I hope that we will address the problems which according to the Turkish Cypriot side exist, in a climate of good will and co-understanding, so that this agreement moves on,” Christofias added. Christofias also said that despite the fact that he wants to meet with the UN Secretary General he will not pursue such a meeting for the moment, adding that meetings with UN Secretary General Special Representative to Cyprus Michael Moller are now on the agenda, in view of his meeting with Talat. Replying to another question, Christofias said that the Cyprus question must be addressed in the UN framework, adding that the five Security Council Permanent members must be actively interested in the settlement of the Cyprus question. Asked whether he will seek a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Christofias said that “we will see”, adding that he does not rule out this possibility but Erdogan does. As regards his visit to Athens, President Christofias expressed certainty that “Greece will stand by our side in the effort to revive dialogue for the implementation of the 8 July Agreement.” Moller, who was received today by Christofias, has said that a meeting between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus will probably take place towards the end of the second half of March.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

New (Greek Cypriot) Foreign Minister expects developments in Cyprus

Developments in the Cyprus problem are expected soon, according to new (Greek Cypriot) Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou who took over, Monday, his office from Erato Kozakou – Marcoullis, saying that he starts “hard work right away.” The outgoing Minister said that “difficult times” are in sight, adding that “now we are at the beginning (of developments) and as the new FM stressed his first priority is the Cyprus issue and he expects developments soon.” The new Foreign Minister thanked Christofias for his trust and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barosso as well as Papadopoulos who appointed him as Finance Minister and recommended him to become the EU Commissioner for Health, a post he held until today. Referring to his predecessor, he noted the openings she had made to the Arab countries, which makes things easier for him as he said, adding that Cyprus, an EU member state has a significant role to play because of to its geographical proximity to the Arab world. On a more personal note, Kyprianou referred to his late father, Spyros Kyprianou, former President and first Foreign Minister of the Republic, noting that as a child he used to visit the Ministry, which makes him part of the “old staff.” Kozakou – Marcoullis expressed her gratitude to Papadopoulos who appointed her as the first woman Foreign Minister.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Archbishop pledges to work for unity

The head of the Church of Cyprus has called for unity on the home front with regard to the Cyprus question, pointing out this is necessary to achieve the best on the national issue. “I had a very good meeting in a very civil atmosphere during which we reviewed developments. There is nothing that divides us, I will support the President,” Archbishop Chrysostomos II said today after a meeting with Christofias. The Archbishop said he agrees with Christofias that there must be unity among the people and added: “I have told him that he will succeed because he has good communication skills and having in mind that our opponent leaves very little room to manoeuvre, the President, I am sure, will expose them on, at least, issues on which there is no agreement.” Questioned on the role of the church on the Cyprus issue, he said the Church had always maintained its own views on this, saying that there can be cooperation. “The Cyprus issue is a national issue, it concerns us all, not just the President or his government, the people have to rally together as in unity lies our strength,” the Archbishop added, noting that he agrees with the views Christofias had outlined during their meeting. Cyprus’ top cleric declined to comment on his support for Christofias’ opponent in last month’s presidential elections. “That belongs to the past. Let go. We look to the future,” he told the press. Responding to other questions, he said he would be seeing the Minister of Education as well to exchange views and referred to unity among the people, bearing in mind national and Christian roots. “The Church has never been asked on the appointment of a minister of education. The President appoints the minister and the President dismisses them. We simply want to have good cooperation,” he concluded.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

New (Greek) Cypriot EU Commissioner assumes duties

New (Greek) Cypriot EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou assumed Monday officially her duties as Commissioner responsible for Health, after the approval of her appointment by the members of the Council of the EU and the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barosso. Vassiliou leaves for Brussels Tuesday morning. In statements with CNA, Vassiliou said that it is very important for Cyprus to be represented efficiently in the EU and develop an important role, despite its size. Vassiliou also said that she would make every effort in order to respond to the role and the duties she has been assigned, ''so that Cyprus will be able to play an important role within the EU.'' Furthermore, Vassiliou said she already had a meeting in Brussels with her predecessor Marcos Kyprianou, who has been appointed as the new Foreign Minister of Cyprus. During the meeting, Kyprianou briefed her on the issues, which the Health Commissioner is currently dealing with. She also noted that Kyprianou told her that he would be at her disposal whenever she needs any explanations or clarifications on current issues. She pointed out the importance of public health issues and noted that she has been invited to be the key speaker during a conference on cancer organised by the EU Slovenian President at the beginning of April. She said that she would attend the meeting of the Commission to take place on Wednesday. Her appointment is expected to be approved by the European Parliament within the next two or three weeks.

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

New Government Spokesman takes over office

New Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said here today that he is fully conscious of the responsibility he assumes with the post he has been appointed to. He took over his office from outgoing Government Spokesman Vassilis Palmas, who thanked the media representatives for the cooperation they have had during the “important and difficult pre – election period in Cyprus”. Speaking during a ceremony at the Press and Information Office in Nicosia, Stephanou noted that his new duties are of vital importance and demanding, adding that he is fully aware of the responsibility that comes with them. “I will try to be worthy of the trust of the President of the Republic Demetris Christofias, who honored me by assigning to me the duties of the Government Spokesman. I will make every effort so that journalists will be able to carry out their work,” he said. General Director of the PIO Yiannakis Solomou noted that one of the most important duties of his office is to inform the international public opinion.

ATHENS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus President speaks to ANA-MPA

Coordinating the efforts of Athens and Nicosia during upcoming developments linked to the Cyprus issue will be the main goal of the talks he will have with Greece's leadership during a visit beginning on Tuesday, Christofias said in an exclusive interview with the ANA-MPA on Monday. Christofias will be meeting President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis during his first official visit to Greece after being elected Cyprus' president.

Question: Apart from the self-evident symbolism of your visit to Athens, what will be the aim of your talks with the Greek government?

Christofias: "The election of a new president has of itself triggered a new activity. I will meet with Mr. (Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali) Talat. The first meeting will be exploratory. From there on there are issues that are linked to Confidence Building Measures, opening Ledra Street and the road block at Limnitis.

"There is more generally activity from the United Nations, the Security Council. I want to inform the president of the Republic and the Greek government and to exchange views on imminent developments. There will be a friendly exchange of views and I am sure that Greece will be on our side in the effort to revive a dialogue on implementing the July 8 Agreement.

"Also before us is the EU Summit, on which we will exchange views. Of course, I am interested in finding out about developments related to Skopje. I am not going to Athens to build relations. There was flawless cooperation with the former president [Tassos Papadopoulos] but I myself, as Cyprus House Speaker, had very good ties with all of Greece's political leadership."

Question: Will some guidelines be laid down about how Athens and Nicosia will proceed from now on?

Christofias: "I think guidelines exist. What's needed is coordination and briefing."

Question: Will your meeting with Mr. Talat take place after your return from Brussels in mid-March?

Christofias: "Yes."

Question: What is the obstacle to setting the agreement of July 8, 2006 into operation?

Christofias: "This is what I will ask Mr. Talat. That is why I said that the first meeting would have an exploratory nature. After all, there is no other agreement that has been adopted by the Security Council. This agreement bears the signatures of Mr. Talat and Mr. Papadopoulos. I honour the signature of Mr. Papadopoulos, let him (Talat) also honour his own signature. I hope that in a climate of good will and mutual understanding we will see what the problems are, where the Turkish-Cypriot side considers there are problems so that this agreement can go ahead."

Question: "Should the opening of Ledra Street, Limnitis occur before or after the meeting?"

Christofias: "I shouldn't want to prejudice any outcome."

Question: Does Mr. Talat's letter to the UN Secretary-General prejudice some matters?

Christofias: "If everything said about its contents is true, then it is obviously prejudicial concerning some matters. These are issues that I will discuss with Mr. Talat."

Question: Have you asked to meet the UN Secretary General?

Christofias: "At the present stage, I don't want to burden the issues with new demands. Of course I want to meet the Secretary General, but priority in the agenda, for the present, goes to the meetings with (the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Cyprus Issue) Moller in view of the meeting with Mr. Talat."

Question: Given that you have friendly relations with Mr. Talat, could there not be direct dialogue between you without the intervention of mediators for a solution of the Cyprus problem?

Christofias: "The Cyprus issue is within the sphere of the United Nations. I consider that the UN is a safety valve. There is an occupation. The General Assembly and the Security Council have approved a succession of resolutions. Also, our position is that all five permanent members of the Security Council should take an active interest in a solution of the Cyprus problem. Consequently, it is my view that it would be a grave mistake to take the Cyprus issue outside its base, which is the United Nations."

Question: You have stressed that the key to a solution lies in Ankara. Will you seek a direct meeting with (Turkish Prime Minister) Recep Tayyip Erdogan?

Christofias: "We will see this in due course. I do not rule it out at all, but Erdogan does rule it out."

Question: If negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem begin, should Famagusta be handed over by the Turkish side to the UN?

Christofias: "I think that we are pre-empting several things. I would not like to say anything before the first meeting with Mr. Talat takes place and before the National Council convenes. Consequently, I want to be restrained at this time in order for us to do as well as possible."

COMMENTARY

GUARDIAN

Cypriot get-together? By James Ker-Lindsay

“The election of Cyprus's new president offers hope for the islands reunification but there are many difficult issues that will need to be negotiated first.

In the wake of the recent presidential election in Cyprus, there is hope that yet another attempt will be made to reunite the island. Indeed, Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader, even suggested that a settlement might be reached by the end of the year. While it would certainly be good to see the two sides return to the negotiating table, the difficulty of the task ahead should not be underestimated. There is a long list of issues to be tackled. To start with, there is the question of power sharing. As Talat has said, political equality is the key issue for the Turkish Cypriots. While they do not demand numerical parity in state institutions, they nevertheless want to be seen as equal partners in any new state of affairs. Most Greek Cypriots now accept this. However, while constitutional questions - such as the number of MPs, the nature of the presidential system, the weighting of votes - appeared to be rather low on the list of Greek Cypriot concerns in 2004, when the last major attempt was made to reunify the island, this may have been because public discontent was more generally focused on other issues. For most Greek Cypriots, the main issues relate to property and the right of refugees to return to their homes. Under the 2004 UN proposals (the Annan Plan), large tracts of land currently under Turkish control would have been handed back, thus allowing many to return to their previous homes. Indeed, the lines were drawn precisely in order to allow as many Greek Cypriots as possible to regain their land. However, many others would only get a portion of their land back, and would receive compensation and bonds for the rest. Although studies have shown that this complicated system could have worked well, and made many refugees very wealthy, it is unclear whether the system could be replicated again now. Since 2004 a property construction boom in the north has changed the situation considerably. Of course, many Greek Cypriots reject the idea that a price can be put on their ancestral property. They simply want to return home. The Turkish Cypriots accept this, but demand a cap on numbers. This is unacceptable to most Greek Cypriots, who regard the freedom of settlement as a fundamental right. But this need not be a problem in practice. Settled elsewhere on the island, many Greek Cypriots would not want to leave Nicosia or Limassol to return to Kyrenia or the Karpas Peninsula. In this sense, the provisions of the 2004 plan probably meant that most of those who wanted to return would have been able to do so. The question is whether people will be able to look beyond principles and take a pragmatic approach in the name of a settlement. Another issue for Greek Cypriots is the tens of thousands of Turkish settlers who have arrived on the island since the Turkish invasion 34 years ago. While Greek Cypriots deeply resent this attempt to change the demographics, many are also willing to accept that after decades on the island, and with second and third generations having been born in Cyprus, there is a humanitarian component to this question. In 2004 it was proposed that around 40,000 should be allowed to stay. It is unclear whether either side will want to stick with this figure in any new process. For both communities the key issue is security. This is a particularly difficult area for a variety of reasons. First, both sides see themselves as the weaker party. For the Turkish Cypriots, who fear the more numerous Greek Cypriots, the Turkish army is the ultimate guarantor of their safety. However, the Greek Cypriots see the 35,000 Turkish troops in Cyprus as evidence of a large, aggressive neighbour with designs on the whole of the island. Squaring this circle will never be easy. However, it is universally accepted that a significant withdrawal of Turkish troops will have to be part and parcel of any solution. Related to this is the continued existence of the Treaty of Guarantee, which gives Britain, Greece and Turkey a right to intervene in the island's affairs. This has also caused deep resentment amongst Greek Cypriots. However, its continued existence is likely to be a red line for Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, who regard it as a legal guarantee of Turkish Cypriot safety. A sensible alternative proposed before would be to introduce a sunset clause, whereby the treaty ceases to have any effect when Turkey joins the European Union. The problem is that security questions will involve compromise by Ankara. For better or for worse, they are not issues that can be decided by the two communities on the island. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of issues to be addressed, but simply a summary of some of the key areas of dispute facing the two leaders. While there is certainly room for optimism that the two sides might soon resume discussions on a settlement, and that the political will exists to reach an agreement, no one should underestimate the difficulties that lie ahead. As 44 years of UN-sponsored talks have demonstrated, solving Cyprus will never be an easy task.”