Cyprus FM warns off Ankara
Following the launch of talks between between Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat last Thursday, Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou has said progress now depends on how much leeway Ankara will give Talat to negotiate on the basis of the Turkish-Cypriots’ interests rather than its own strategic interests. The two leaders began talks in Cyprus on Thursday, overseen by special envoy for the United Nations’ secretary general, Alexander Downer, a former Australian foreign minister. In an interview with Kathimerini, Kyprianou said the current climate was favorable, largely due to Cyprus’s membership in the European Union, in which Turkey is a candidate for membership, as well as the good personal relationship between Christofias and Talat and the change in the international community’s attitude. «Back in 2004, the international community’s efforts were focused on exerting pressure and imposing a solution but, at the moment, there is more of a desire to contribute and assist,» he said. «However, there is still the unknown factor, that is, whether the Turkish- Cypriots, and particularly Turkey, want to make use of that favorable climate,» Kyprianou added. «We have not yet seen any tangible evidence in that direction.» The minister added that the Cypriot government had agreed already on a bizonal federation for the island republic. «That was a major concession for us to make, an amendment to our constitutional framework,» explained Kyprianou. «There was no geographical division (of the island); that was created after the invasion (by Turkish troops in 1974), so for us to accept a bizonal federation is a huge concession.» He said that the other side was making different interpretations of that agreement, which was unfortunate, as it harmed Talat’s credibility. «We will have to wait for the talks to proceed to see whether these were simply tactical moves or an actual position. If the latter is the case, we will have a major problem and soon,» Kyprianou said. Talat and Christofias are set to meet again on Thursday, September 18.
