THERE were slightly differing interpretations in Nicosia yesterday of EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn’s suggestion that the leaders of the two communities should meet in a Finnish sauna to resolve their differences.
Earlier in the week, Rehn told Finnish television he believed Finland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, had a chance to make progress in relations between Turkey and Cyprus. He appeared to suggest it could play a mediating role on the Mediterranean island, which the EU had previously insisted was the domain of the United Nations.
“Perhaps Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja could invite leaders of both communities to the Finnish sauna and use some ‘sauna diplomacy’ to move this issue forward,” said Rehn, who is from the Nordic country.
However, at a news conference on the same day, Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said his country could launch “technical negotiations” under UN leadership to prepare for a resumption of political talks at a later stage.
Vanhanen was backed by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who stressed that the EU still regarded the United Nations as being in charge of seeking a political settlement.
The Mail yesterday sought to gauge the local reaction to the concept of sauna diplomacy.
“Mr Rehn is emotional sometimes. I think he was trying to apply the customs of Finnish hospitality to the situation in Cyprus,” said ex-Foreign Minister George Iacovou.
“It was a metaphor. He meant to say that, when you enter a sauna naked, with no baggage, you take no prejudices with you into the room. The naked truth, as they say.”
Iacovou – a veteran of foreign affairs – said he could not recall a high-level meeting taking place in a sauna, be it between Cypriot or foreign leaders.
Former Foreign Minister Nicos Rolandis also had no such recollection from the world annals.
The closest thing he had in mind – which was not that similar – were the talks between Glafcos Clerides and Rauf Denktash at Troutbeck, a secluded rural retreat of New York, back in 1997.
“Obviously, it was humour on Mr. Rehn’s part. He didn’t mean it literally. Besides, it wouldn’t be very wise for Papadopoulos or Talat – they are not exactly young men.
“Why would he [Rehn] say something like that? Well, it could be that he feels the current process on Cyprus is going nowhere – because of the two leaders’ stance – so maybe something new should be attempted.”
Government Spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis agreed that the gist of Rehn’s comment was that the two leaders should intensify their efforts for a settlement.
“They have to sweat it out, as the saying goes in Cyprus,” Pashardis offered.
