THE WORKING groups and technical committees met for the third time yesterday, but substantial work has already been done since last week, former President George Vassiliou said.
Vassiliou, who is heading the working group on European affairs, said there had been a review of the issues which the groups wanted to cover and that the work would continue today.
“I would say that surely there is substantial interest and desire to proceed positively, but you realise it would be a mistake to make predictions on how things will progress,” Vassiliou said.
Asked which issues would be given priority, Vassiliou said there were many issues that needed to be covered. He also said that Turkish Cypriots did not have practical ideas on what it meant to be a full member of the EU, a member of the euro zone, and the repercussions that it would have on the various aspects of the Cyprus problem.
“All these issues must be discussed, as well as many others,” he added.
The two sides agreed last month to set up six working groups and seven technical committees. The six working groups 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.
They are designed to tackle everyday concerns while the working groups are to handle substantive issues of the Cyprus question
So far, since the election of Demetris Christofias as President, much progress has been made in terms of the Cyprus issue.
However, some criticisms have been flowing back and forth between the two sides with relation to Turkey and its positions on Cyprus.
Yesterday, Christofias said the Greek Cypriot side was being patient with some of Ankara’s positions, which he said were being repeated by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.
Such remarks did not contribute towards creating the necessary atmosphere for the successful outcome of the work of the groups and technical committees, he said.
Questioned on the progress being made, he said the work had just begun and added that comments coming from the Turkish side were not facilitating progress.
“The situation in Turkey and the forces that prevail regarding the Cyprus problem appear to be promoting dogmatic and unacceptable positions, which unfortunately are repeated by Mr Talat,” said Christofias.
“We have a lot of patience but at the same time our patience is combined with the defence of principles for a Cyprus settlement.”
According to weekend Turkish Cypriot press reports, Turkish President Abdullah Gul last week handed over a decision to Talat taken by Turkey’s National Security Council on the Cyprus issue.
“As it is known, instead of the position for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation which was pursued during the Annan plan period, the recent National Security Council decision, which is of historical significance, has for the first time put forward the position of the principle of a solution based on two states and declared to the world its red lines in a clear manner,” said one media report.
Another said: “The TRNC must be recognised even for 24 hours when the point of an agreement is reached” according to a “shocking document”, which reveals that in 1968 a group of UN experts appointed by the then UN Secretary General, U Thant prepared such a statement.
Halkin Sesi newspaper reported that Izzet Izcan, General Secretary of the United Cyprus Party (BKP), said the Turkish Cypriot leader “has lost himself so much that he demands the recognition of the TRNC as Turkish Cypriot founding state” in a possible solution of the Cyprus problem.
Izcan accused Talat of pursuing an inconsistent and hesitant policy and said the fundamental policies regarding the Cyprus problem were being determined in Ankara and that the Turkish Cypriot community was just being informed about them.
