More meetings possible

By Andrew Adamides

THERE could be new face to face meetings between President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash when United Nations Special Advisor on Cyprus Diego Cordovez arrives here next week.

Government spokesman Manolis Christofides said in his daily press briefing yesterday that the two leaders may come together for further talks when the top UN envoy arrives on the 18th for a four-day visit. He added that the Greek Cypriot side would be willing to discuss proposals as it “did not have the luxury” of turning offers down at this particular time.

Christofides also blasted as “fantastic” reports in the Turkish press of proposals made by the Turkish side for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

The reports claim that the proposals were presented to United States Cyprus envoy Richard Holbrooke during his meeting with Denktash late on Monday.

The supposed proposals, details of which were reported in yesterday’s Turkish Daily News, were said to be for a federal solution under which there would be mutual recognition for both states on the island. A joint application for EU membership would then be lodged, under the power of a joint temporary government.

Christofides said Holbrooke had not mentioned these “proposals” to the Greek Cypriot side during the meeting at the Ledra palace on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Yiannakis Cassoulides said yesterday that Holbrooke “did not leave empty handed” after his visit, but that the Greek Cypriot side would not compromise on its positions. He added that Holbrooke’s visit should lead to more direct talks between the two leaders on the island once it became clear what Holbrooke had achieved in Ankara, to where he flew from Nicosia.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.