PRESIDENT Tassos Papadopoulos has called on the UN launch a new initiative to solve the Cyprus problem, it emerged yesterday.
He told reporters that his government had submitted a proposal to UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan with a view to restarting talks to reunify the island, adding the appeal had been conveyed through Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.
The news is likely to be greeted with scepticism by observers after a bitter row last month over a call by Annan for the Greek Cypriot side to outline the changes it wanted before settlement talks could resume – with the president dismissing talk of a possible initiative as mere speculation.
Yesterday, however, the Government Spokesman said the proposal had been conveyed about a month ago – which would put it at about the same time as Annan made his call for clarifications of the Greek Cypriot position. At the time, the government had criticised the Secretary-general for bias in calling on the Greek Cypriots to outline their positions, and had said it would probe whether the UN was hinting at sponsoring a new initiative.
Yesterday’s announcement only came after visiting Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said the Greek Cypriot side had proposed the launching of a new settlement initiative by the UN.
“As President Papadopoulos informed me, the Republic of Cyprus submitted a new proposal to the UN just last month, and I hope that there is a chance for the resumption of a dialogue,” the Polish president said.
His comments took journalists by surprise, prompting questions to Papadopoulos, who confirmed a proposal had indeed been submitted.
Since last April’s referendum, the government has blown hot and cold over the Annan plan, and has steadfastly refused to spell out what changes it wants, saying this would give away its negotiating position.
Indeed, Papadopoulos has come in for criticism from opposition parties in recent weeks for his apparent lack of interest in kick-starting efforts to resume talks.
Yet later yesterday, Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said it had actually been a month or so since the Greek Cypriot side had conveyed its readiness to engage in fresh negotiations on the Annan plan.
Oddly, Chrysostomides said he was not even sure if the members of the National Council – the main political advisory body on the Cyprus problem – had been informed about the move, insisting this was not an issue that required a special briefing.
“Our position is that we are ready to begin procedures of renegotiation immediately, aiming at solving the Cyprus problem,” he said.
The spokesman added it was irrelevant whether this was described as a proposal for a new initiative or a mere expression of willingness to engage in talks.
Chrysostomides said the government’s request had been conveyed at a meeting between Cyprus’ permanent representative at the UN and the UN’s Deputy Secretary-general for political affairs, Sir Kieran Prendergast.
Asked if the UN had replied, the spokesman said: “this issue is under constant discussion and examination.”
The last round of talks in 2003-4 began after President Papadopoulos wrote to the Secretary-general asking for a new initiative.
The talks failed to reach an agreed solution, and the process was eventually sunk by the Greek Cypriot ‘no’ at last April’s referendum, following an impassioned campaign against the plan by the government.
