TURKISH CYPRIOT leader Dervis Eroglu’s stated goal of replacing the single sovereignty of a reunited Cyprus with two sovereignties means that the talks are taking an “unacceptable step backwards”, said opposition DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades yesterday.
If Eroglu’s reported proposals turn out to be true and he really is aiming for two sovereignties “which in essence means were talking about a confederation, this is certainly a negative and unacceptable step backwards in terms of progress on the Cyprus problem”.
Any objective observer can see who is working for a solution within the agreed parameters and who is not, said government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou yesterday, commenting on Eroglu’s preconditions of two sovereignties and continued guarantees in a reunified Cyprus.
“There is a basis to the negotiations which is mutually agreed and in the UN resolutions, and through the positions both sides put on the negotiating table. It is easy for an objective observer to see who is moving within the framework of UN resolutions based on the agreed basis and who is not,” said Stefanou.
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris quoted Eroglu on Sunday saying at a public gathering that the existence of “two peoples and two states” and Turkish guarantees in Cyprus were indispensable conditions or “sine qua non” for the Turkish Cypriot community.
Addressing a ceremony marking the 27th anniversary of the death of former Cyprus Vice President and Turkish Cypriot leader Fazil Kucuk, Eroglu reiterated the view that progress could be achieved next week in Geneva if the Greek Cypriot side “has good will and comes closer to an agreement on the basis of the realities”.
Otherwise, he added, the Turkish side expects the UN to “do its duty”.
“There are two peoples, two states, two areas in Cyprus. The active and effective guarantees of motherland Turkey is a sine qua non for us. We have never accepted and we will never accept the bizonality to be watered down and the property issue to be concluded in a manner that will take us to the pre-1974 period and scatter our economy and social life,” said Eroglu.
He highlighted the work done by Kucuk to transform the status of Turkish Cypriots from a minority to a community, adding, “and from there to the point where a people will be partners of a founding state”.
In a separate article in the same publication, Kibris writes that Eroglu’s proposals on governance and power sharing revise the work done by his predecessor Mehmet Ali Talat, moving away from the notion of single sovereignty of a reunited Cyprus and towards the establishment of “two sovereign areas” where the two “founding states will be sovereign”.
Also on Sunday, Eroglu’s top aide, Kudret Ozersay was quoted in an interview with Kathimerini making the same comment, that Turkish guarantees are a “sine qua non” for the Turkish Cypriots.
“The best answer to those policies that don’t serve a solution based on bizonal, bicommunal federation is to remain consistent with the objective of a solution to see who is constructive and who isn’t,” said Stefanou yesterday in response.
In the event that a solution cannot be found, the international community can see who is constructive or not.
“Even if they want to blame our side, they cannot. Our positions are clear and consistent and within the framework of the UN resolutions,” he added.
DIKO spokesman Fotis Fotiou said Ozersay’s “unacceptable” statements did not allow for any optimism regarding progress in the talks.
“These are positions and theories which confirm the consistent goal of the Turkish side for a confederal solution, undermining the basis and procedure of the talks while confirming Turkish intransigence and arrogance,” said Fotiou.
Ruling AKEL leader Andros Kyprianou said he would wait for President Demetris Christofias to brief the parties tomorrow in the National Council, noting however that the president himself had expressed disappointment following the last meeting with Eroglu.
Asked whether Christofias was right to stick to his proposals on governance submitted during Talat’s tenure, Kyprianou lent his support to the president, highlighting that Christofias maintained the right to withdraw them at any point.
Let’s leave the president to decide if and when that time will come, he said.
