RESOLVING the Cyprus problem remains a lifetime goal but as of late little has been achieved in the talks, President Demetris Christofias said yesterday, wrapping up his official visit to Ukraine.
Speaking at a ceremony where he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Mariupol, Christofias told his audience he would be meeting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in Geneva tomorrow.
“We are going to the Geneva meeting with the evaluation that the negotiations, especially in the recent period, are not proceeding as we had expected,” he said, adding, “we have opinions and suggestions on how to become more effective, based on inviolable principles. We hope that this meeting will create better prospects for the current process.”
Christofias noted that “resolving the Cyprus problem, liberating our country and people is a lifetime goal for me”.
Despite the admission that little progress had been achieved in the talks, the president argued that many steps have been taken in recent years towards meeting his goal. He referred specifically to strengthening relations with key states in Europe and abroad, getting the permanent members of the UN Security Council more involved, and highlighting the importance of Cyprus as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East and as an energy centre.
“The efforts of our side and the international community face the insistence of Turkey to impose its expansive policy, manifested in the creation of the illegal pseudostate and the promotion of its recognition internationally,” he added.
Back home, House President Yiannakis Omirou warned against any attempts by the UN and Ankara to set July 1, 2012 – when Cyprus will assume the EU Presidency – as a deadline for a solution of the Cyprus problem.
“Unfortunately we are witnessing an attempt by the UN and Ankara to convert July 1 to a new May 1, 2004 – when Cyprus joined the EU – thus exerting pressure on the Greek Cypriot side to accept any solution,” said Omirou.
He also argued against agreeing to another tripartite meeting after tomorrow unless the Turkish side agrees to discuss all chapters of the Cyprus problem in the talks.
“Apart from the chapter of governance which has been discussed in the past two to three years, we need to address the property issue, the settlers issue, guarantees, security as well as the withdrawal of the Turkish occupying forces,” said Omirou.
On his return from Bulgaria yesterday, Archbishop Chrysostomos II warned the Greek Cypriot leadership not to give up the Cyprus Republic, as statehood was all that Greek Cypriots had left.
Asked what he expected from the Geneva meeting, the primate replied: “I personally do not expect anything. I know the Turkish side has made no concessions to date and is not prepared to either.”
He added: “Ankara wants statehood for the Turkish Cypriots. Our politicians have to be very careful and know that Turkey’s goal is this and nothing else. We have to protect the Cyprus Republic with the utmost care because we have nothing else other than our statehood. If we lose this too, Cyprus will become Turkish.”
Opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades and leader of the Republic Turkish Party (CTP) Ozkan Yorgancioglu yesterday called on the leaders to make the most of the tripartite meeting and move towards a negotiated settlement within the parameters already agreed between Christofias and Eroglu’s predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat.
Speaking from CTP’s offices in the north, the two parties said they were deeply conscious of the fact that the status quo and non-solution were unacceptable and deepen the psychological and political divide between the two communities as well as negatively affect Greece, Turkey and the EU.
“CTP and DISY believe that the positive political and economic benefits of a solution are the best gift that they can bequeath to future generations,” they said in a joint statement.
Asked whether he expected a positive outcome tomorrow, Anastassiades replied: “God knows.”
Christofias left Ukraine for Geneva yesterday.
