TAKEN AT face value, Nicosia and Washington are on the same page when it comes to how best to tackle the solution of the island’s division.
At least that was the conclusion gleaned from yesterday’s meeting between Foreign Minister George Lillikas and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza.
The US diplomat yesterday wrapped up a visit to the region, having extended his stay on the island by one day so as to be able to see Lillikas, who had been abroad.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Bryza urged the two communities to grasp the opportunity offered by the recent initiative brokered by UN Undersecretary General Ibrahim Gambari.
“Thanks to Undersecretary-General Gambari’s visit, and thanks to the attitudes I experienced from the leaders on both sides of the island, there is some positive momentum…
“There is a need…an urgent need,” went on Bryza, “to take advantage of it, to exchange the lists on substantive issues, to get the technical committees working, and to move forward on a comprehensive settlement.”
It was a slightly more upbeat tone from Bryza, who a day earlier had warned of a “deep sense of differences on the core issues” between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides.
“I wind up my stay, not naively optimistic, but not coldly pessimistic,” he said on Tuesday.
For his part, Foreign Minister Lillikas expressed satisfaction at the US stance.
He said the US shared Cyprus’ view that the Annan plan was history, and was pleased that Washington was backing the new effort spearheaded by Gambari.
“From our meeting, my judgment is that there exists a positive approach from the United States,” said Lillikas.
“At least from the positions aired, I was not given the impression that the US government has a negative approach, or that it is applying pressure on our side, or that their approach is one-sided.”
Lillikas said they discussed matters such as the Greek Cypriot proposal for the return of the fenced-off area of Varosha in exchange for the opening of Famagusta harbour and the EU aid package to Turkish Cypriots.
However, the two men did not touch upon the issue of Tymbou airport in the north, which the government says is operating illegally.
“No, he [Bryza] didn’t mention that,” Lillikas said.
From the public statements, it might be inferred that a thaw in US-Cyprus relations had been achieved, following the visits of congressional staff to the north last year.
Bryza and Lillikas also talked about the ongoing crisis in Lebanon and the evacuation facilities provided by Cyprus.
??
??
??
??
