THE GREEK and Turkish Cypriot leaderships have agreed to meet today in the presence of UN Undersecretary-General for political affairs Ibrahim Gambari in what is seen as a crucial meeting towards the next step on the Cyprus issue.
President Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will meet for the second time in week at the residence of UN Special Representative Michael Moller in side the United Nations Protected Area (UNPA).
The two leaders met last Monday for the first time in two years at Moller’s house in the context of the missing persons issue. Talat said on several occasions he was willing to take part in a joint meeting in the presence of Gamabari but the Greek Cypriot side remained noncommittal until now.
Speaking after his second meeting with Papadopoulos yesterday, Gambari said he had invited both leaders for a joint meeting and he was happy they had agreed.
The meeting would try to find ways to move forward, said Gambari, who will report back to UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan on his visit to the region. Annan wants to see a narrowing of the gap between words and actions in Cyprus before he resumes any initiative.
“As you know, I am here to have a series of conversations and consultations which I have had during the course of my visit here. And those conversations will continue,” Gambari told reporters
He said the idea was to begin some of those processes, including those on a technical level but also to address some of the substantive issues.
Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said Papadopoulos had accepted the proposal by Gambari for a joint meeting with Talat.
”Our consent to the UN proposal for a joint meeting is yet another proof of the political will on our part for a Cyprus settlement, and evidence of our readiness to prepare, the soonest possible, and allow substantive talks to begin, under the UN Secretary General’s auspices,” he said.
Pashiardis also said that Papadopoulos had submitted a written proposal to Talat on Thursday.
“The goal of the proposal is the immediate beginning of talks, at technical level, on core issues of the Cyprus question, with a view to prepare with good prospects of success, overall negotiations, under the UN auspices,” he said.
”This proposal was prepared and submitted on the basis of what was agreed with the UN Secretary-general last February in Paris with Papadopoulos, and in the framework of the latest resolution of the Security Council”.
Gambari said the status quo on the island was neither desirable, nor sustainable and that all parties involved should do their best to move forward for the resumption of negotiations.
He made the comment after a later meeting with House President and general secretary of left-wing AKEL Demetris Christofias.
“We had a very productive meeting, an exchange of views, we looked at all aspects of the Cyprus situation, we are both committed in agreeing that the status quo is not sustainable and is not desirable therefore all of us who are stakeholders in this, should do the best we can to move towards concrete steps which will lead to the resumption of negotiation for a comprehensive settlement,” said Gambari.
Christofias said they had a very useful exchange of views and it was an opportunity for him to speak about the special relationship AKEL party developed all these years with Turkish Cypriot compatriots, and the contacts they have developed.
“We both came to the conclusion that the status quo is fully unacceptable and that we have to work together with the UN to bring the two leaders together”, said Christofias whose party did not support the failed Annan plan.
“I have assured Mr Gambari that they can count on us for our help in the resumption of the dialogue which will be substantial and which will express and satisfy the interests of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, and exclude foreigners with their continued intervention.”
Gambari also met DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades, who supported the Annan plan and described the meeting as very constructive.
”We informed the Secretary-general on our positions that the technical committees, just for the every day problems, are not enough but we have to get involved in the essence of the Cyprus question so to prepare the ground so that the soonest possible a new initiative by the Secretary-general is launched in order to reach an agreed solution by both sides to give an end to the protracted problem of the Cyprus question,” he said.
“Let’s hope that tomorrow we might have something to give us much more hopes for the future”, he concluded.
