YESTERDAY’S meeting between the two community leaders to discuss property rights went “as could be expected”, President Demetris Christofias said after the talks.
Asked whether he had found common ground with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat over the principles upon which the discussion will be carried out, Christofias said each side had offered its positions on the matter and would discuss each other’s views in the next meeting.
“From there on, the discussion will become more specific and we will try to agree on the principles upon which the problem could be resolved,” said the President.
Asked whether he was right in his predictions over the way Talat would enter yesterday’s discussion (the President said he had a feeling Talat would be following his “same old beaten path” on the matter) Christofias said, “We, too, followed our own beaten path, supporting the principles of international justice and those of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as the human rights treaties, both international and European. And they tabled their own views”.
Asked whether Talat remained true to his word that he respects property rights, Christofias said this remained to be seen.
“The working groups of both sides have accepted the right to property. The question is, how can we exercise this right and this is where the big discussion will be centred.”
The meeting, which started just after 10am and lasted around three hours, was the first in many to follow on the thorny subject of property rights.
Exiting the UN-controlled meeting place in the old Nicosia Airport area, Christofias’ first comment was “we have begun”, while asked if he was satisfied with the way the meeting went, Talat replied: “We will see”.
The President was accompanied by Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, the head of the working group for government matters, Andreas Mavrommatis, the head and a member of the properties working group, Erato Kozakou Markoulli and Andreas Simeou respectively, and legal advisers Toumazos Tsielepis and Meneleos Menelaou.
In their previous meeting, the two community leaders had wrapped up discussions on the chapter concerning the island’s government and distribution of powers.
According to the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Taye Brook Zerihoun, the leaders yesterday exchanged papers, which put down the principles that will guide their discussions on property.
He added that the leaders would meet again on February 4, and will present initial reactions to each other’s papers.
Zerihoun said the leaders decided to implement the understanding or agreement reached in the technical committees on cultural heritage, namely the establishment of an advisory board on the preservation, physical protection and restoration of immovable cultural heritage in Cyprus.
He added that the leaders’ two representatives will meet next week “to continue efforts towards full convergence on the governance chapter. They will also take up other issues”.
Asked if the two sides tabled any positions on the property issue, Zerihoun replied, “Yes they have exchanged papers”.
