THE TWO leaders had a longer than planned session discussing governance at the UN Good Offices yesterday. Meanwhile, the UN Special Adviser continued to field questions on what he has said and not said, leading him to tell Cypriots to focus on the solution and not on foreign personalities.
The UN Secretary General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer told reporters after the meeting that the leaders met in a “very friendly, easy going” climate. It is their first meeting since both leaders returned from trips abroad. They will meet today again and twice next week.
Downer said the meeting lasted longer than originally planned, forcing the leaders to cancel an olive tree planting ceremony that was scheduled to take place at the end of the meeting.
The two leaders had a tête-à-tête, during which Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat reportedly told President Demetris Christofias he was unhappy with his speech at the UN General Assembly, while the latter explained he did not discuss anything that has not been already agreed. The two then discussed with UN officials the issue of governance and presidency. “That took up the bulk of the discussion,” said Downer.
It appears the two came no closer to bridging the gaps in the governance chapter, since they spent the meeting discussing the different approaches to these issues. It is believed convergence on many issues will not be reached until the give-and-take stage when each side is able to judge what concessions the other is willing to make and in which areas.
Downer told reporters he would be away during next week’s talks but that the week after his wife would be coming to Cyprus to keep him company as he would be spending more time in Cyprus during the second phase of the talks.
Asked if he was annoyed by recent media reports concerning his own input in the negotiations, following leaks of alleged UN confidential documents, Downer reiterated that he was not the issue here.
“It’s really important here in Cyprus that people concentrate on the central question of getting the Cyprus question resolved. This is an issue that has been going on for decades and it’s a hard enough issue to resolve,” he said.
The Australian diplomat said UN officials were not on the island “to inject ourselves in the process as personalities of the process.”
“We are not local people. And whatever solutions Cypriots come up with, it won’t affect our personal lives. We have come here to help, we have moved from our homes and our families to try and help here and help do this job for the United Nations.”
He added: “The main thing here is that people really concentrate on solving the Cyprus problem and not concentrate on foreign personalities.”
DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades, who met Downer yesterday, called for greater unity among the Greek Cypriot community, saying “I don’t think it’s right to negotiate among ourselves in public.”
Coalition partner DIKO, however, made its dislike of Downer all the more clearer, following reports that the UN had prepared a list of DIKO members, categorised in terms of their views on a future solution.
DIKO’s Fotis Fotiou referred to Downer’s denial that he had said the two leaders could initial an agreement in the first six months of 2010, saying: “Tomorrow, maybe he’ll tell us that the solution has already been found. The day after, maybe something else… it seems Mr Downer has not only lost his impartiality and credibility, but also every shred of seriousness.”
