PRESIDENT DEMETRIS Christofias came out on the defensive yesterday, insisting he was not a “masochist” after reports that he had rejected a tripartite meeting with the UN Secretary-General and Turkish Cypriot leader.
Speaking on the sidelines of a charity event at the Presidential Palace, Christofias said he already informed UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday through Cyprus’ permanent representative at the UN that he was available for a meeting between November 15 and 17.
The president said he wanted to clear up a lot of speculation about the ten-minute phone conversation he had had with Ban on Thursday. He noted that in a very friendly and non-coercive conversation, the UNSG inquired whether he’d be available for a meeting in New York with Ban and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu after the next fortnight.
“I told the SG that it would be a pleasure and honour to meet with him privately or with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community but to allow me to check my schedule first,” he said.
Christofias then communicated on Friday the dates that he would be available. “That is the whole story,” he said.
The notion he had rejected a tripartite meeting began in Turkey and the north, “and unfortunately, we’re rehashing it,” he added.
Christofias also referred to the chatter about him being to blame for the lack of frequent meetings between the two leaders, noting this is “something even diplomats reiterate, which unfortunately is unfounded and wrong and saddens me very much”.
He highlighted that during the talks, Eroglu travels abroad to promote direct trade and the breakaway state, referring to the fact the Turkish Cypriot leader will be visiting Germany next week.
Speaking yesterday morning on Radio Astra, Christofias said Ban was being briefed by some, “who may have their own agenda”.
“Under normal circumstances, the SG should be told that the Turkish Cypriot side on the issue of properties is completely intransigent in my assessment. Others might view it differently,” he said.
The president also played down the idea that Ban would propose an international conference if agreement is found on properties, noting that other aspects of the Cyprus problem like territory, which Eroglu refuses to discuss, were still pending.
According to a UN source, the idea of a tripartite meeting is really an effort to exert some kind of pressure on the process in an effort to “break the back” of the property issue by the end of the year.
If the two leaders do meet Ban mid-November, it won’t necessarily have to be in New York and would still leave time for the UN to prepare a progress report on the talks due by the end of November.
DIKO, EDEK and EVROKO all expressed concern about the purposes of a tripartite meeting at this particular moment while DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades accused the president of keeping everyone in the dark.
Meanwhile, in a report on the estimated budget for 2011, Ban said he anticipates “that the leaders and the representatives will increase the frequency of meetings held under the auspices of the UN” in tandem with his Special Adviser Alexander Downer engaging regional and international stakeholders on substantive issues in support of the process.
The estimated requirements in 2011 for his Good Offices mission amount to $3,984,400 gross, including provision for 55 more meetings between the two leaders, 70 meetings of their representatives and 150 meetings of technical committees and working groups.
