JUST 24 hours after the first meeting in two years between President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on Monday it became clear neither side was any closer to bridging the gap on what issues were up for discussion on a technical level.
“If Mr Talat is now ready to move forward according to what was agreed [in Paris] that is an encouraging development. But if his readiness to move forward simply means readiness to discuss only everyday issues, then Mr Talat is in conflict with the UN Secretary-general’s position who agreed to a simultaneous discussion on issues of substance,” government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said.
Pashiardis was commenting to reporters at his daily press briefing on information that the two sides had ‘come into conflict during the discussion on the technical committees’.
The leaders of the two communities met at the residence of UN Special Representative Michael Moller inside the United Nations Protected area to discuss the issue of the missing persons. Other than the missing, the two leaders had an exchange of views on aspects of the Cyprus problem, including the technical committees.
The meeting took place ahead of UN Undersecretary of Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari’s visit to the island tomorrow, which the international community hopes will bring the two leaders together again in an effort to resume talks on the Cyprus problem.
Pashiardis repeated that what was valid [regarding the technical committees] was what had been agreed in Paris.
To a remark that the Turkish side claims that it has consented to the UN position, Pashiardis pointed out that the “UN position is the one agreed with the President of the Republic during his meeting in Paris with the Secretary-general and Talat should respond to this position”.
Earlier in the day Foreign Minister George Lillikas told CyBC radio that an opportunity had been lost during Monday’s meeting due to the Turkish Cypriot side’s decision to withdraw previous agreements on several points up for discussion at the last minute. In fact, Lillikas said they were “at ground zero” and that Monday’s meeting had been the “last hope” to reach an agreement on what issues would be discussed in the technical committees.
Asked to comment on Lillikas’ statement, Pashiardis said: “We are at point zero if we begin from the fact that at this point the Turkish side accepts the view that the technical committees should only examine everyday issues, while our side insists on the simultaneous discussion of issues of substance that concern Cyprus.”
