IF THE two sides can “break the back” of the property issue during the all-day talks next week, this would be a “very important step forward” in the talks, said UN Special Advisor Alexander Downer yesterday.
Speaking after a meeting with President Demetris Christofias, the Australian diplomat said the UN was looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting between the two leaders, but especially the two full-day meetings scheduled for next week.
“It’s going to be an interesting period when we discuss the property question,” he said.
Downer refrained from commenting on whether the two leaders would submit proposals on the property issue.
“What we would say publicly about all of this, is that we very much want the two sides to continue to work and move forward on the property question. If they can, as we sometimes put it ‘break the back’ of the property issue and find some really important convergences, then this is going to be a very important step forward in the Cyprus negotiations.
“We hope what happens over the next ten days or so, make a contribution to that,” he added.
Just a day after Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu shared a smile and joke after a social dinner at the president’s holiday home in Kellaki, both leaders reverted to the ‘bread and butter’ of political statements on the Cyprus problem yesterday.
Addressing an event in Nicosia to honour the victims of World War II, Christofias last night called on the Turkish side “to show a spirit of cooperation and flexibility” and accept the three proposals he has proposed to facilitate negotiations for a solution.
The proposals contain a suggestion to include territory and settlers in the talks on property, a proposal to return Varosha to its lawful inhabitants in exchange for opening Famagusta port under supervision, and an international conference on the international aspects of a solution.
The tabled proposals prove that “our side is a step ahead in efforts to solve the Cyprus problem,” said Christofias, adding that “the way our proposals were received internationally is at least encouraging”.
Speaking at an economics conference in the north, Eroglu said yesterday that the EU and the international community “should be ashamed” of what he called the “embargo” against Turkish Cypriots.
On the possibility of a solution, he said any agreement should not create safety concerns for Turkish Cypriots, alter bizonality or eliminate Turkey’s guarantees. Expressing his wish for peace in Cyprus, he noted that there are two democracies on the island.
He argued that a solution could not be found only through the desire of Turkish Cypriots. He called on the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the EU to encourage the Greek Cypriot side to help reach a solution.
Regarding a possible meeting between himself, Christofias and the UN Secretary-General in New York, Eroglu said he was in favour but that Christofias was not.
Regarding requests by some political parties for the president to convene the National Council before tabling any proposals on property at the talks, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday that Christofias has already made clear he will submit a general outline of his positions at the talks.
“These positions are very well known to all the parties. We have discussed them plenty of times in the National Council. They have also been discussed in the sub-committee created on property, so there is no need for some to give the impression that something is happening behind their backs. Anything but,” said Stefanou.
Meanwhile, tomorrow’s scheduled debate on the legal basis of the direct trade regulation in the European Parliament’s Legal Committee was cancelled yesterday after it transpired that the German rapporteur, MEP Kurt Lechner, would be absent from Brussels due to personal reasons.
The much-awaited discussion where committee members will discuss the legal opinion of the EP’s Legal Service will likely take place nearer the end of the month.
