PRESIDENTIAL Commissioner George Iacovou and Ozdil Nami, the adviser to Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, agreed details for a further three committees and working groups yesterday.
The two men met for five hours at the Ledra Palace to bring the total agreed committees and groups to eight out of the 13 originally proposed.
They expect to sort out the remaining five groups today or at the latest by tomorrow, Iacovou said after the meeting.
“The ones examined by us today were among the most important and that is why it took so many hours,” said Iacovou. “We are nearly at the end and I expect that we will conclude all 13 working groups and technical committees, and [we will finish] perhaps by tomorrow night or Friday,” he added.
Iacovou said he expected that another technical committee and one more working group would be created in addition to the 13 agreed initially.
This could focus on progress issues, reports on state television said last night.
The two sides initially agreed to six working groups and seven technical committees.
The six working groups will include governance and power-sharing, EU, security and guarantees, territory, property and economy.
The technical committees will focus on crime, commerce, cultural heritage, crisis management, humanitarian issues, health and environment.
The technical committees are designed to tackle everyday concerns while the working groups handle substantive issues of the Cyprus question. Iacovou said it would be a “laborious process”.
Although hopes had initially been high that the committees and groups would start work this week, they will not now start until Monday, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday after a meeting of the National Council.
Both sides are remaining tight lipped on why a delay has occurred amid speculation and reports that the two sides have failed to agree on a joint statement to launch the committees and groups.
But Christofias dodged questions relating to the issue yesterday, pointing back to the previous administration which did not even manage to agree on the titles of the committees in 18 months.
“In the last two years there were 50 meetings and nothing ever happened.
Why the obsession with a delay of one week?” he said. “We are only human and there are bound to be unexpected problems. The road we are going down must be travelled with seriousness. When there is progress, and when this progress is positive, I am satisfied,” he added, referring to the fact the committees would begin work next week.
Christofias said the party leaders at yesterday’s National Council meeting also seemed happy with the progress being made on the Cyprus problem.
He said he did not have any negative reactions regarding his handling of the issue.
The party leaders all made cautiously positive comments yesterday as they emerged from the Presidential Palace.
Former President Glafcos Clerides said the general consensus suggested there was a better climate.
“My belief is that there is a long way to go, the talks are yet to begin,” he said, referring to negotiations between the leaders when they happen in the coming months.
