Below is the full text of the ‘position paper’ submitted by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash at the beginning of his meeting with President Glafcos Clerides on Tuesday.
Clerides did not submit a paper of his own, saying it would be ” inappropriate”to trade papers at the meeting. He is expected to reply with a paper of his own in January.
” The Cyprus Question is approaching a critical point. At this juncture, we have the political will and readiness to start a genuine new process based on the political equality of the two parties for negotiating the establishment of a new partnership.
We have a major role to play in reaching a comprehensive settlement and in creating a desired environment of confidence, co-operation and partnership. I believe the time has come for Mr Clerides and myself to move ahead and to take the necessary initiatives so that future generations do not go through the bitter experiences we have endured.
A few facts need to be reiterated at this juncture. The Turkish Cypriot people and the Greek Cypriot people are the co-owners of Cyprus and this island is the common home of both peoples. The independence and the sovereignty of the Partnership Republic of Cyprus were entrusted in 1960 to these co-founding partners with equal status upon explicit recognition of their separate rights to self-determination, while establishing a balanced status between the two guarantor motherlands and their rights over Cyprus. Today there exist functioning democratic institutions on both sides, which reflect the political will of their respective peoples.
In shaping our future the basic requirement is realism. This realism must be solidified with an atmosphere of mutual respect, reconciliation and a working relationship between the two parties.
We took note of the recent statements by the EU officials that the EU will accommodate itself to the terms of the political settlement to be agreed by both parties. In this respect, we will support the membership of the Cyprus Partnership in the EU within the terms of a political settlement. The balance established between Turkey and Greece with regard to Cyprus by the 1960 Treaties is also crucial and has to be maintained in every respect.
I believe that this face-to-face interaction provides a new and significant opportunity for both parties in reaching a common understanding on how we can move forward.
Our vision is a peaceful Cyprus where our two peoples live in harmony and co-operation under a new partnership structure based on the equal status and sovereign equality of the two Partner States. The new Partnership will have single international personality in its areas of competence. We believe this vision is within reach.
We should focus on what our common interests are and how we can serve them by mutual efforts. What needs to be done now is to lay down the objectives and elements of a comprehensive settlement addressing the legitimate concerns of both parties.
Efforts for a viable settlement in Cyprus could yield desired results only in an environment of mutual trust. The way to a Cyprus settlement is through positive relations between the two parties in the island. Therefore, if we are to initiate a process for settlement with the expectation of a successful outcome, the issue of trust and confidence must also be addressed.
With this understanding, I propose the setting up of a Bilateral Committee under our Co-Chairmanship. Such a Bilateral Committee could take up and discuss:
All major issues of the Cyprus Question
steps to be taken for generating a climate of mutual respect and confidence.
We should continue to discuss all aspects of the Cyprus Question. I suggest that we start to take up the core issues in a detailed manner in our next meeting. As we proceed, we may seek the support of our respective experts and the UN.
We may not have a common understanding on all issues but the process of consultation has to continue so that through dialogue and interaction we may be able to tackle the content and find a way forward.
The ideas I have put forward constitute a new pattern of relationship. I believe that our objectives is to leave to future generations a Cyprus on which the two peoples could live in prosperity, security and co-operate on the basis of equality.”
