Cyprus Speed it up now or it's the end of the road

halil · professor

Makarios Droushiotis writing in Politis says that through Ban Ki-Moon's visit to the island, the UN have indirectly set a timeframe for the Cyprus problem to be clarified, though not necessarily solved. The elections in the north on 18 April are critical. If Eroglu is elected the UN considers that talks from then on will be meaningless but for him not to be elected there must be some kind of spectacular progress in the talks in all chapters. Thus the talks must proceed intensively between now and then otherwise they will inevitably come to an end.

In short Mr Ban Ki-Moon conveyed the message that unless there is some drastic movement now, time will run out.

Turkey on the other hand has a clear policy that it has been implementing successfully since September. It has set the April elections as a clear timeframe for a solution and has been actively working in this direction. More than just because it's a regional power, its arguments ring positively in the ears of the international community. It accepts a timeframe; it wants the active involvement of the UN; it proposes procedures (five party meeting, four party meeting, conference outside Cyprus etc). In contrast the G/C side has been following a policy of just reacting to developments, just like in 2004 under Tassos Papadopoulos.

Talat has asked for two rounds of intensive negotiations with the aim of substantial convergence on the three chapters of governance and power sharing, economy and EU) so that something positive could have been announced before the elections. Christofias agreed to the intensive talks assuring party leaders these were just so as to help Talat and publicly said there was no chance of a solution before April and that he would continue the talks with whoever was elected. Talat then announced his willingness to proceed to another round this time on the property issue, and with the document he submitted he made clear that his intentions were beyond simple pre-electoral politics. The G/C side, aiming at a slower process, outright rejected the document as being confederationist, whereas in reality they viewed it as positive, proof being that despite Byzantine haggling and hair-splitting, there was broad convergence as regards governance and power sharing. Both UN circles as well as government circles have confirmed to the paper that this chapter has practically been closed.

It was in view of this progress, and with Turkey's commitment for a speedy negotiation of the remaining chapters that the UN went ahead with Ban Ki-Moon's visit. The aim of the visit was to announce this progress, to commit the leaders to carry on at the same speed, to come close to an agreement on all chapters,to announce this, for Talat to be reelected, and for the talks to conclude by June. The reason Christofias held back was that he felt he was losing control of public opinion and his cooperation with the coalition parties. Nonetheless Ban Ki-Moon came and spread his message of urgency.

Meanwhile Alexander Downer is busy trying to arrange the dates for the continuation of the talks though not at an intensive rate. The Turkish side is increasing pressure wanting talks up until the day before the elections, while Talat himself is proposing a conference outside Cyprus.

The international community credits Christofias with decisiveness to solve the Cyprus problem, but finds that Talat more eager to speed things up while Christofias is trying to slow things down, something that could prove fatal if Talat loses the elections.

If the G/C side does not cooperate in making full use of the time up until the April elections, then they will also have to bear the responsibility. And that is the dilemma that Christofias faces today.

B25 · instructor

I wonder about this whole situation. It is a repeat of the AP conditions.

Turkey has cleverly set April as election time to define a timeframe, at the same time threaten us if Eroglu, if Eroglu, if Eroglu, well, fuck Eroglu. You won't be pushing us into any corner mate.

If Eroglu is that bad, then surely the UN can see the turkish intrasigence, surely you are not doing yourselves any favours by continual threats.

With this statement:

".. If the G/C side does not cooperate in making full use of the time up until the April elections, then they will also have to bear the responsibility. And that is the dilemma that Christofias faces today. "

Does this mean we have to shit our pants??

Well Turkey can fuck right off, we will agree when we agree and no amount of threats is going to change that.

You guys are just plain rediculous, perhaps in April the UN will see the true Turkey and decide to take some serious action.

YFred · vip

halil · professor

I don't know if u are shitting in your pants .... but things are not going well in south about talks....

Coalition parties threaten to leave the government

Uncertainty reigns over the future of the government coalition with the domestic political front showing signs of disarray in the wake of the UN Secretary-General’s visit and the conclusion of the intensified negotiations, the Cyprus Mail says today.

Following President Christofias’ briefing of the National Council on Friday, government partners DIKO and EDEK are both holding meetings this week to consider whether to leave the coalition.

EDEK spokesman Demetris Papadakis said the main factor influencing his party’s support was the national issue.

DIKO spokesman Fotis Fotiou yesterday confirmed that three members of the executive office raised the issue of leaving the coalition on Friday - Andreas Angelides, Nicolas Papadopoulos and Kyriacos Kenevezos. The three have expressed their opposition to Christofias’ proposals in the talks on a rotating presidency, allowing 50,000 settlers to stay, weighted voting, and problem-solving mechanisms.

Angelides even warned yesterday that the future of the Republic of Cyprus was at risk. “What’s important now is not whether we will stay in government or not, but how we can save the Republic of Cyprus.”

Fotiou noted that if a decision was taken to leave the government on Tuesday, then it would be raised at the central committee meeting the following week. However, he said: “As things stand, I don’t see it happening, that is for the majority of the executive office to decide to leave the government, but you can’t prejudge these things.”

DIKO member and Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou had a different view: “If we felt that there was a policy which was putting the Republic at risk, we should have walked out a long time ago, and I would not have stayed in government either.” He added that what was important at the moment was how DIKO could contribute towards finding a good solution.

Meanwhile, EVROKO leader Demetris Syllouris yesterday continued the campaign to remove UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer, saying he was undermining the negotiations process. The Australian diplomat faced a barrage of criticism from EDEK, DIKO, EVROKO and the Greens on Friday for his alleged involvement in Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Mehmet Ali Talat’s offices, something which the UN has consistently denied.

Former president George Vassiliou said Downer was being used as a scapegoat by those who were not happy with the negotiations. “Any attacks on Mr Downer have nothing to do with Mr Downer himself, but are going against the negotiations rather than the person who in no way can be blamed for anything.”

“Downer is simply a coordinator, and enjoys the full trust of the UN in any case,” he added.

He added that the constant talk of withdrawing from government was an effort to put pressure on Christofias’ positions at the talks.

paliometoxo · professor

the turkish side need to allow a unified cyprus they are making this impossible then blaming slow talks on us..

turkey needs to stfu with trying to threaten us with idle threats and just help allow a solution that is not two states in ANY forum.. its like if we kept pushing for enosis with all the island and turks say no and then we blame turkey for it all for saying no, thats just stujpid of course turks will say no to this and push for another solution. when turkey puts forward an acceptable solution we will accept instead of trying to threaten us with this ergul man and push for two states on their terms.. they chan shuv it

GeorgeV97qaue · instructor

Pyrpolizer · professor

cymart · instructor

I really hope it happens and then Christophias can get on with the job-but he needs the support of DISY,albeit not openly to gain enough public backing...

Lit · lecturer

DT. · vip