President Demetris Christofias briefed the National Council on the course of direct talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat for over three hours yesterday.
Party leaders will submit their positions on the progress, or not, of the talks in a next Council meeting on March 10.
A number of party leaders, including those from parties that are government partners, left the Presidential Palace claiming that the Turkish Cypriot side was pushing for a confederation.
Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said Christofias briefed party leaders on the chapters of governance, power-sharing and properties, submitting a document with his positions.
Asked about the need for a Plan B on the Cyprus issue, Stefanou referred to Christofias’ statements that at the current stage of the negotiations, the best plan was to proceed with positions that were fully in line with what has been discussed between the two communities, as regards the basis and the aim of a solution.
“Whether the position of the Turkish side is consistent with that basis or not, is a completely different issue. However, the solution we would like to find does not depend on the Turkish side’s position. It depends on our position and on the agreed basis, which has already been clarified,” he said.
On leaving the meeting, AKEL chief Andros Kyprianou acknowledged that the Turkish Cypriot side’s positions were not always within the framework of UN resolutions, but added that some progress had been made.
“There have been steps taken, we shouldn’t’ raze everything but it needs a lot of effort still,” he said.
DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades refused to be drawn into commenting on every stage of the negotiations, saying that the party would give its positions when the discussion of all chapters was over and things were clearer. No one knows yet whether the positions given by the other side are negotiating positions or final positions, he said.
Asked whether his party would continue to support the president on reunification talks, Anastassiades said when correct steps were taken on the big issues, the party would not simply attack just because it was the opposition party.
Leader of government partner DIKO, Marios Garoyian said after the meeting that the Turkish positions would lead to a confederation and had to change.
The head of EDEK, another government partner, Yiannakis Omirou said the Turkish position was to create two state entities, defined in international law as a confederation.
EVROKO party leader Demetris Syllouris echoed the view that talks were leading towards a confederation while Greens leader Georgios Perdikis said the situation did not inspire optimism. The environmentalist said the Greek Cypriot side needed to prepare a Plan B for 2009.
The National Council is the top advisory body to the President on the handling of the Cyprus problem and comprises the leaders of parliamentary parties.
