THE TWO leaders avoided deadlock over the “hot” property issue yesterday by giving their respective aides some homework to do first, without having to budge on their divergent positions of principle. They also displayed the first tentative signs of a common communications strategy.
The two leaders met for over two hours yesterday to discuss property where they stuck to their initial positions: the Greek Cypriot side maintains the dispossessed owner should have the final say on their property, while the Turkish Cypriot side argues for more of a balance between the rights of the current user and original owner.
However, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and President Demetris Christofias overcame the mountainous hurdle by ordering their respective aides to meet next Thursday to prepare certain criteria on the property issue first.
Speaking on his return to the north yesterday, Talat described the latter decision as “a very good development” since it avoided deadlock and showed the Greek Cypriot side’s good will. He noted that the property issue had neither been completed nor postponed. The two leaders will return to the issue once the two aides, Georgios Iacovou and Ozdil Nami, complete the groundwork.
Christofias confirmed that the only common position of both sides on the property chapter was that both recognised the original owners as owners. From there on, each had a different view on whether priority in a settlement should be given to the original owner or current user.
The president said the two leaders would come back to the issue in ten days. Invited to comment on whether Talat respects the decisions of international courts on properties, Christofias replied: “We’re getting into things which will have me putting words into his mouth which have no relation to his views, so let’s not get into that now.”
A well-informed source told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the two aides were asked to list the different types of properties concerned, whether they are being used, have been developed on or not, and then look at the range of possible remedies available, for example, compensation, exchange or restitution.
The two aides will prepare the ground for the leaders to engage in a “fruitful discussion on this because if they just stick to their principles, they won’t get anywhere”.
Regarding the much-debated proposals floating around on the federal executive, concerning rotating presidencies and weighted voting, the same source said that the two sides had managed to narrow them down to two complete bridging proposals. “Let’s put it this way, if the Cyprus talks fail, it won’t be down to the executive,” said the source.
Christofias’ top adviser, Toumazos Tselepis has come under repeated attack in recent days over the authenticity of his academic qualifications. The personal attacks appeared during commentators’ discussions on the latest Greek Cypriot proposal on the executive. Asked to comment, Talat expressed empathy, saying the Turkish Cypriot leadership has experienced similar attacks. It was to be expected from people on both sides who don’t want a solution, he added.
According to the UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer, the leaders will meet again next Tuesday to discuss the competencies of the federal government and external relations.
Meanwhile, bigwigs of the Turkish diplomatic scene are gathering in Ankara today and tomorrow to discuss the latest developments on the Cyprus problem and map out a plan to speed up the process and help get a result from the ongoing negotiations.
According to reports, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will head a meeting at the ministry with the participation of heads of missions abroad and ministry officials to evaluate the latest developments and discuss ways to accelerate the process. Any steps taken to help the process will likely have a positive impact before the key European Summit this December which will decide whether to impose any sanctions on Turkey for failure to meet its obligations to Cyprus and the EU.
