TURKISH PRIME Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s statement supporting the basis for a solution in Cyprus was hailed as “very significant” by UN Special Adviser Alexander Downer yesterday.
Speaking after the two leaders met for a five-hour discussion on the economy chapter, Downer noted that Erdogan’s “positive remarks” in an interview with three Greek Cypriot newspapers, including the Cyprus Mail, last weekend helped to improve the “atmospherics” of the place.
“It was the first time the Prime Minister of Turkey has been so specific and so clear about Turkey’s support for a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality and a single international personality,” he said.
He described the interview and statement as “very significant”, noting this was the first time the Turkish leader had met with Greek Cypriot as well Turkish Cypriot journalists.
While President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat “have a very long-standing and a good personal relationship…it’s very important that Greece and Turkey have a very positive attitude towards what is going on here in these negotiations”, he said.
Having met with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Demetris Droutsas last week, he had no doubt in his mind that “Greece has a very great deal of goodwill towards the negotiations here”, adding “that, by the way, should give Turkish Cypriots some comfort”.
Downer was also quoted in an interview with Kibris yesterday saying Erdogan’s statements supporting a solution were “the most important single thing that has come out of Ankara in relation to Cyprus in a long time”.
“It is encouraging to know that all parties are now strongly supporting a successful outcome to these talks,” he said.
The Australian diplomat said a meeting of the three guarantor countries, Greece, Turkey and Britain to discuss security and guarantees on the island was a matter of “timing”.
“The only question is when and the answer to that has some bearing on what is happening here on the ground in Cyprus and where the leaders in Cyprus are up to in their negotiations,” he said.
Asked by Kibris why he was the subject of so much criticism in the Greek Cypriot press, he said he didn’t mind the attention, adding: “For me, I just love them all. I love them all. They are all wonderful people doing a worthy job. Whether they criticise me or not doesn’t worry me.”
The two leaders continued negotiations on the economy chapter yesterday, with EU matters pencilled in for their next meeting in two weeks time.
Their respective representatives Georgios Iacovou and Ozdil Nami are expected to meet next Thursday in the meantime to review ground covered and prepare the agenda for the next meeting.
“They’ve been working well through it. Because you know in the economy chapter there are fairly technical issues, not hearts and minds stuff. It’s pretty technical stuff,” said Downer.
Christofias and Talat will have their last meeting on March 30 before elections in the north on April 18 for the Turkish Cypriot leadership.
