U.S. STATE Department Co-ordinator for Cyprus Thomas Weston said yesterday that the Annan plan was the only realistic short-term chance for a Cyprus settlement.
Weston was speaking at a bi-commual news conference in Nicosia, at which he answered questions regarding rumours of other plans that may be in the offing.
The US envoy said his government continued to believe the Annan plan was the only way forward at this point, while adding it was not “sacrosanct” and that there would be no objections to a different plan that might be drawn up by mutual agreement. But, he added, “there is no US plan.”
He said it was no secret that there had been indications from several sources of an interest in exploring, if not other plans, then different elements within the Annan plan. These included the Greek Cypriot side who were keen to address some aspects of the plan.
“There have also been public expressions from Turkey at quite a high level to explore other notions or put other ideas out there,” said Weston. “I’ve not seen an alternative plan. The only plan that exists on the table is the Annan plan.”
Weston, who leaves the island today after two days of contacts on both sides, denied that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash had refused to meet him yesterday.
He admitted a meeting had been requested; it was “not rejected, but not scheduled… So it did not take place,” he said.
“Mr Denktash has made it clear he has some differences with me,” the US envoy added.
Commenting on statements made by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to the north last Saturday, Weston said: “There were some phrases and comments which I would regard as helpful to a settlement and others which I would have more questions about.”
He said what needed to be looked at was how Erdogan’s visit was being used by the parties in the north in a pre-electoral period.
Weston denied the US was taking sides with the Turkish Cypriot opposition in the run-up to the December 14 vote. “I don’t really believe you can say that. We are only discussing our policies with one side or the other,” he said. “We are doing what we can to foster a settlement.”
The US envoy did, however, express concern at the extent of new ‘citizenships’ being handed out in advance of the elections. “I have heard a lot of expressions of concern about the question of new citizenship in numbers that don’t appear to be justified by normal growth,” he said.
“We should all be looking at this carefully. It’s an area of concern for a lot of Turkish Cypriots.”
Weston said he was still “inherently optimistic for a settlement before May 1, when Cyprus joins the EU.
“I believe there is a substantial chance of getting a settlement in the time available and we should be doing everything possible to achieve that goal, irrespective of the results of the elections in the north,” he said.
