NOTIZIARIO DI CIPRO NORD
Lunedì, Aprile 30, 2012 n. 69
LEFKOSA - Ufficio di Promozione e Informazione
Ente del ministero Esteri di Cipro Nord
DOWNER: A BASIS SHOULD BE CREATED FOR A MULTI-PARTITE CONFERENCE
UN Secretary General ‘s Special Adviser to Cyprus Alexander Downer said a basis for a multi-partite conference should be created. Downer also declared that there won’t be a negotiation until the parties in Cyprus agree on the method.
Stressing that he would consider first whether the sides could agree on the new circumstances of the negotiation table and if there is a common ground between them, Downer said “the two sides will try to agree on the methods of negotiations. Instead of negotiations for a comprehensive settlement, they will discuss how the negotiations will be like and talk about the requisites of a result-bearing negotiation table. He said that UN held the view that this would not go on as it used to. “ If this is a Cypriot owned process, the two sides should agree on the terms of the negotiations”.
UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser to Cyprus Alexander Downer held a Press conference at Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone last Friday(27.04.2012). Downer said the Secretary General desired to make a call for a multi-partite conference to be held in summer, but noted that the two sides should first agree on a method for future.
Alexander Downer stated that the UN did not have a plan as a process for Cypriots, and noted that during the process over the next two weeks from then, the UN representatives by following shuttle diplomacy would try to seek a convergence on the probabilities of the way forward.
Noting that UN had an intention for a multi-partite conference but would wait primarily for a common ground to be established between the two sides, Downer stated that they would not impose anykind of solution.
Stating that at his meeting with the Secretary General last week , the Secretary General also noted that it was time to change the things and it was still not too late for courageous steps, new proposals or ideas, Downer reiterated once again that as the UN they could not maintain a solution but they were at the island only to assist.
Downer continued “I want to mention also that it is wrong to take some unconstructive and incriminating stances at this moment” and noted “if the two leaders could not agree for a united Cyprus model, we can not make them agree”.
Responding a question Downer noted that they did not see enough progress for a multi-partite conference at the negotiations however, said that they did not want the negotiations or the good offices mission to terminate. He noted that he mentioned to the two leaders that the negotiations in the last two months was not of much use and for this reason instead of the weekly held negotiations, it was better to hold a leaders meeting when there is really something substantial to discuss, the preparatory work has been properly done and when they think the leaders can conlcude a convergence or agreement.
PRESIDENT EROGLU: “WE ARE WILLING TO REACH RECONCILIATION IN NEGOTIATIONS”
President Dervis Eroglu stated that the Turkish Cypriot side was willing to reach reconciliation in the negotiations; otherwise it would have been blamed by the UN.
Explaining that when he took office as the President he found 6 unclosed chapters and negotiated all of them President Eroglu said the Turkish Cypriot side showed the necessary flexibility in order to close these chapters and for this reason neither the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon nor his Special Advisor Alexander Downer could blame the Turkish Cypriot side.
Speaking during the 26th General Assembly Meeting of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry on Saturday (28 April) President Eroglu pointed out that unfortunately the efforts they have spent towards comprehensive solution of the Cyprus problem did not produce any results because of the Greek Cypriot side’s uncompromising stance.
Stating that it was the Greek Cypriot side which was resisting reconciliation with the aim of continuing to usurp the Cyprus Republic, Eroglu said: “Yesterday (27.04.2012), I told Downer that we shall look if we agree on the next phase. Christofias wants to continue with the same method without any change, but we want negotiations which would lead to an outcome in the shortest possible time, we don’t want to waste our time.”
Noting that he recently wrote a letter to the UN Secretary General and put forward the TRNC’s stance and willingness towards a settlement Eroglu said he also noted that in the event of holding a five-party meeting, the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to show flexibility on some issues and to solve them. Eroglu added that for this reason the UN Secretary General did not give up on calling for a multi-partite conference and that this was confirmed by Downer on Friday.
Explaining that it was the Turkish Cypriot side which put forward proposals at the negotiation table and showed flexibility for reaching a settlement Eroglu said the Greek Cypriot side believed that it made enough concession by accepting federation and would not make any more concessions. Eroglu said however if there was not any give-and-take at the negotiation table, then there could not be a settlement.
Stressing that the Turkish Cypriot side was ready to discuss with the UN Secretary General the method of the negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem Eroglu said they had conveyed Downer that the UN could carry out shuttle diplomacy between the two sides on the method of the negotiations. Eroglu noted that on Friday Downer announced that he would do this.
President stressed that the Turkish Cypriot side also conveyed its desire to Downer towards negotiating with the Greek Cypriot side the confidence building measures while the UN’s dialogue on the method of the negotiations were continuing, adding that it was the Turkish Cypriot side which continuously put forward proposals at the negotiation table, but the Greek Cypriot side did not take any steps.
BBC GAVE A BIG COVERAGE TO ÖZERSAY’S STATEMENTS ON NEGOTIATIONS
President Derviþ Eroðlu’s Special Representative Kudret Özersay’s Statements made in London at a conference at the Lonon School of Economýcs were published at BBC’s website on Friday (27.04.2012).
The BBC news under the heading “Cyprus Talks: Turkiah Cypriots deplore deadlock” said the Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator has accused the Greek Cypriots of delaying tactics and suggested reunification talks should be ditched...
Mr Ozersay said the Turkish Cypriot negotiators were "exhausted" and he felt the talks were going nowhere because of Greek Cypriot intransigence.
The news also referred to the words of Özersay that the Greek Cypriot Administration had no incentive to find a comprehensive settlement because it had already been accepted into the EU and added: "The status quo is killing uTurkýsh Cypriots".
The news also included Özersaysay’s words ot the effect that Greek Cypriot Leader Christofias is facing elections next year but he did not believe that was the main reason for the "lack of political will" on the Greek Cypriot side, which led to the deadlock.
The news also reported that Özersay said the idea of a "Cypriot-led solution" had clearly failed after four years of talks and it was time to start again, perhaps with an independent, neutral power who could lead both sides to an agreement.
The news continued as follows:
Mr. Özersay said "We are exhausted. Neither side believes we will be successful," Mr Ozersay said.
"Opinion polls on both sides say people do not believe a comprehensive settlement will be reached, even though those same polls say people want there to be a settlement.
"If the Greek Cypriot side does not give their consent for a multilateral conference then the Turkish Cypriots will not give consent for the current process to continue."
Asked if he felt the Greek Cypriots were "dragging their feet" he said: "Yes."
