A TEAM of Greek legal experts will be set up immediately to assist the Greek Cypriot negotiating team in the talks, announced Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou yesterday after meeting with President Demetris Christofias in Athens.
Papandreou also agreed to visit Cyprus to hold consultations with Christofias and the party leaders to jointly evaluate the latest developments, said the president.
The decision to establish a legal team of experts from Greece was taken during talks between the Greek and Cypriot leaders, after which Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou and Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Demetris Droutsas met to examine how best to implement it.
After a working lunch between the two delegations, Papandreou told reporters that he was in agreement with Christofias that the talks must continue. “We believe that problems can only be solved at the negotiating table without grand statements and proposals for public effect, but with continuous effort until a jointly-agreed solution is reached,” he said.
The two also joined voices to take another swipe at the last proposals tabled by the Turkish Cypriot side on governance. “We agreed that the proposals of the Turkish Cypriot community regarding the issues of governance were negative, I would say a step backwards, and that for there to be progress in the talks, the basis of the talks must be kept as that which has already been agreed,” said Papandreou.
Christofias referred to the contradiction between Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat needing positive results before the ‘presidential’ elections in the north and the latest Turkish Cypriot proposals.
“Here, I see a contradiction. The document he has passed on to us through the UN and which was worked out in Ankara is intransigent, negative and unacceptable. I hope that in the second round of intensive talks Mr Talat’s position will be such that it can lead to real progress with greater convergence on the governance issue,” he said.
“I don’t wish to prejudge the derailment of the talks first of all. The so-called proposals are unacceptable, we reject them and do not accept discussing them,” said Christofias who added that he will continue to have open discussions with Talat on all aspects of governance. “We remain consistent in our strategic goal,” he said.
The two leaders also exchanged views on Turkey’s EU accession path, after which Papandreou assured the Cypriot president that the two countries’ “very close co-operation will continue and our co-ordination on all issues and at every level, political and administrative”.
“For this purpose, a team of legal experts is being set up immediately which will assist the Cypriot government and their negotiating team for whatever they need,” said the Greek PM.
Papandreou called on Turkey to take bold steps and help transform the region into a model of peaceful co-operation.
“I believe it’s time for there to be courage on Turkey’s part to release the Turkish Cypriot community, and to contribute constructively towards finding a solution which will transform our region from one of tension and sometimes instability to a region where there is peaceful co-operation, as an example not only for the wider region but the whole world.”
The decision to continue with the talks was not welcomed by all, however. Archbishop Chrysostomos II said yesterday: “Unfortunately, we’re not doing well. The document sent by the Turkish side, by Mr Talat, is not on the agreed basis for the talks. In my opinion, it was an opportunity to reject that document, stop the talks and go protest to Europe.”
The Turkish Minister of State and Chief negotiator for the European Union Egemen Bagis has met with the British Minister of State for Europe Chris Bryant in Istanbul. Speaking at a joint press conference at the end of the meeting, Egemen Bagis expressed his country’s desire to see an immediate solution in Cyprus.
He also said that political equality was essential for a lasting settlement.
Bi-lateral relations between the two countries, EU-Turkey relations as well as the latest developments on the Cyprus Problem were taken up during the meeting between the two ministers.
Bagis told reporters that he had once again conveyed to the British Minister the importance of the continuation of Britain’s support for a lasting and comprehensive solution to the Cyprus Problem.
He said that in response, the British Minister had highlighted the importance of Turkey’s commitment towards a settlement on the island.
“We want to see as a solution in Cyprus as soon as possible but we also think that political equality is essential if the settlement to be reached is to be lasting. Within this framework, I believe that all three guarantor countries, Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom need to encourage the two leaders towards a settlement,” he added.
For his part, the British Minister of State for Europe said that London wholeheartedly and sincerely supported Turkey’s EU membership.
Pointing out that Britain was historically a part of the Cyprus Problem; Bryant said that his country too wanted a solution to the Cyprus Problem.
The British Minister also said that Britain did not link Turkey’s EU accession process with the Cyprus Problem.
