Front Page Headlines
No one wants an impasse
Signs of limited common understanding in Geneva – ‘5+1’ extended until Friday, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
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Tatar went to the meetings with the ‘prime minister’ and ‘foreign minister’ of the regime. The two leaders presented their visions to Antonio Guterres.
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Leaders lay out their positions
Day one of Geneva talks devoted to separate meetings with the UN chief.
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Guterres: He got his first taste
Geneva: Instead of Thursday the summit will likely wrap up on Friday. Anastasiades to Secretary General: Solution based on resolutions, not two states. Tatar firm on two states, prepared speech with a 20-page document, which he will read out this morning. Guterres: Be honest – “Anyone can say whatever they want to.”
- Academic study: Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots want a bi-zonal, bicommunal federal solution
- Responsibilities for naturalisations
- Health Ministry: Personal doctors – 10 euros for every vaccine
Main News
Both leaders table ideas before Guterres
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The informal five-party summit kicked off in Geneva on Tuesday with the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) first separate meetings with the two leaders, who focused on laying out their visions for the future of the island, the dailies report.
The first day was aimed at Guterres hearing the positions of the two leaders. He first met Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and then with President Nicos Anastasiades.
Tatar said his meeting with Guterres was productive and that he explained his positions without backing down. “I don’t need to repeat what we said. We maintained our positions. He himself knows that we are hostage in Cyprus. After all, he led the negotiations in Crans-Montana,” Tatar said. He also expressed confidence in Guterres’ experience with the Cyprus issue and knowledge of the process and said there would be intense consultations on Wednesday and Thursday. Tatar’s spokesperson, Berna Celik Dogruyol, said Tatar expressed the position of the Turkish Cypriot side on sovereign equality and equal international status.
Alithia reports that Tatar said he has prepared a 20-page document which he was to read out on Wednesday morning, and which outlines his case for a two-state solution with based on sovereign equality. Alithia dubbed this move a ‘clumsy’ communications tactic.
Alithia reports that Tatar attempted to indicate that the fact that he was accompanied to Geneva by ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu was a sign of the recognition of the regime in the north. But the paper writes that government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos said that this is not the case and it did not mean recognition by the GC side or the UN. He said Tatar could be accompanied by whomever he wishes, and referred to cases in the past when TC leaders were accompanied by ‘state officials’ at the talks, pointing out this is not something new.
During his meeting with Guterres, Anastasiades was accompanied by GC chief negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis, head of the President’s diplomatic office Kyriakos Kouros, legal advisor to the negotiating team Konstantinos Kompos, member of the negotiator’s office Adrianos Kyriakides and member of the diplomatic office, Pantelis Pantelides. Guterres was accompanied to the meetings by UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, his Special Envoy on Cyprus, Jane Holl Lute and his Special Representative in Cyprus Elizabeth Spehar and other UN officials.
The dailies report that during his meeting with Guterres, Anastasiades highlighted the need to resolve the Cyprus issue within the parameters set by the UNSG himself. Phileleftheros reports that this was a preventative move seeking to ensure that Guterres won’t be deviating from his mandate. The papers write that Anastasiades analysed in detail his vision for the Cyprus issue, stressing that the day after the solution ought to contribute, not only to the prosperity of all Cypriots but also to security and stability in the region. Anastasiades also stressed the need for a functioning and effective state within the EU, as well as the need for the solution to create conditions of security in the country in such a way that the perception of the security of one community did not pose a threat to the other community.
Cyprus Mail reports citing sources that during his meeting with Guterres, Anastasiades also raised concerns over the north’s dependence on Turkey, pointing to the recent case involving Quran lessons in schools in the north. The paper writes that Anastasiades also told Guterres that when he first met with Tatar in November 2020, Tatar told him that he would do what Turkey told him and that Turkish Foreign Minister Melvut Cavusoglu would be in charge of discussions.
Citing the same sources, Cyprus Mail reports Anastasiades asked Guterres, as part of his mandate, to make a creative intervention within the UN framework as he had done at the talks in Crans-Montana in 2017 to find a way out of the impasse created due to the Turkish stance.
Cyprus Mail reports he also referred to confidence-building measures (CBMs) he has already suggested to facilitate positive developments and prevent illegal actions by Turkey both in Famagusta and Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These concern Varosha going under UN administration to allow the return of the lawful owners and the Tymbou airport also going under UN so that it can open to international destinations and lift the so-called isolation of the TCs. He also suggested the operation of the Famagusta port under EU rules and the creation of an escrow account where the share of the proceeds from the exploitation of natural resources for the Turkish Cypriots will be deposited. The TCs will be able to withdraw money from this fund under the term that Turkey will not question Cyprus’ EEZ because this affects both communities.
Guterres also briefed Anastasiades about Tatar’s positions, and insistence on a two-state solution, Cyprus Mail reports.
Politis considers how things could play out, citing a diplomatic source that said that the most likely scenario would be that the TC side budges slightly on the issue of sovereign equality, with the question arising as to whether Anastasiades will be willing to discuss the matter of a positive TC vote in order to avoid a collapse and in exchange for gains in the guarantees chapter.
Politis also refers to certain opinions within the legal team accompanying the GC representation that claim that the GC side was entering unchartered waters without adequately assessing the risks and without making it publicly known that this is the case.
After his meeting with Guterres, Anatasiades met with the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias for coordination ahead of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s meetings. Anastasiades and Dendias reviewed the situation and agreed on certain initiatives Greece and Cyprus would take in view of developments both within the framework of the informal five-party summit and beyond.
After the meetings, Guterres held a small reception for the heads of the five delegations. Anastasiades was accompanied by Mavroyiannis and Kouros. Later in the night, Anastasiades presided over the National Council where he briefed the party leaders about his contacts.
Guterres is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with each of the parties on Wednesday and later preside over a plenary session at the Palais des Nations, the UN Office in Geneva. Due to changes to the schedule of the summit, there is great possibility that the meetings may continue into Friday, the dailies report.
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who was in Geneva to participate in the informal summit, reiterated Britain’s call to all parties to be creative and flexible, Phileleftheros reports, citing the Cyprus News Agency. Raab said the summit was a key opportunity for parties to move the process forward, adding that the UK supports a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Cyprus problem.
KEY ACTORS
Tatar
>> Guterres, having been at the Crans-Montana talks, knows TCs are hostage in Cyprus
>> Sticks to 2-state solution & sovereign equality
Raab (UK)
>> Creativity and flexibility needed at 5+1
>> 5+1 a key opportunity for parties to move the process forward
>> UK supports a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution of the Cyprus problem
Guterres ‘realistic’ in expectations for Geneva summit, spokesperson says
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The UN on Tuesday reiterated that the purpose of the informal summit in Geneva was to determine if there was common ground for the parties to negotiate a lasting solution to the Cyprus problem within the foreseeable future.
UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN chief was “realistic” about the chances of making progress. Cyprus Mail reports that a source at the Palace of the Nations where talks are being held told the Cyprus News Agency that expectations for the informal meeting were not very high.
“The parties are welcomed to be creative and the Secretary-General will be encouraging them to use diplomatic language in a sincere and frank manner”, he added, noting that parties will be free to say whatever they wish during discussions.
KEY ACTORS
Dujarric (UN)
>> Informal summit serves to determine whether common ground exists allowing parties to negotiate lasting Cyprob solution within the foreseeable future
>> Guterres realistic about 5+1 outcome
US, Russia express support for 5+1, BBF solution
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
A US State Department spokesperson said Tuesday that the US welcomes the UN Secretary General’s (UNSG) efforts in Geneva, while Russian Ambassador to Cyprus Stanislav Osadchiy expressed hope that informal summit will create a momentum to restart Cyprus talks.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the State Department spokesperson said the US continues to support a Cypriot-led comprehensive settlement to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation (BBF), which would benefit all Cypriots as well as the wider region.
Also in comments to the CNA, Osadchiy said Russia hopes the Geneva summit will lead to talks seeking to achieve a comprehensive, just and viable settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots, in the form of a BBF with single legal personality, sovereignty and citizenship.
Phileleftheros reports that Osadchiy also said that any adjustments to the current base for the settlement are subject to UN approval, adding that a continuation of the status quo does not reflect the interest of both sides.
Osadchiy said Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), continues to stand against imposing on both sides different ready-made ‘food for thought’, that may only lead to additional difficulties.
KEY ACTORS
US
>> US welcomes the UNSG’s efforts in Geneva
>> US continues to support a Cypriot-led comprehensive settlement to reunify the island as a BBF, which would benefit all Cypriots as well as the wider region
Osadchiy (Russia)
>> Russia hopes 5+1 will lead to talks seeking to achieve a comprehensive, just and viable settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots, in the form of a BBF with single legal personality, sovereignty and citizenship
>> Any adjustments to the current base for the settlement are subject to UN approval
>> Continuation of the status quo does not serve interests of either side
>> Russia against imposition of alternative proposals on both sides , that may only lead to additional difficulties
Religious leaders call for end to stalemate in Cyprus peace process
Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Politis
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
The religious leaders of Cyprus that make up the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP) jointly expressed their best wishes for the meetings being held in Geneva to end the stalemate of the Cyprus peace process and resume the dialogue on the future of the island, the dailies report.
In a press release, the religious leaders said the two leaders are meeting at a holy time for Christians and Muslims – Easter and Ramadan. They assured that they are closely following developments and praying that after decades of conflict, mistrust, division and insecurity, “God will guide you to walk in the path of wisdom and righteousness.”
They called on the leaders to pay special attention to the living religious heritage of Cyprus and improve the ability to access, use and restore places of worship and cemeteries from which the public has been separated as a result of the decades-long unresolved Cyprus conflict.
They urged the leaders to embark on a common journey of increased cooperation, dialogue, and empathy between the communities, for memories to heal, trust to replace fear and for hope to grow.
Study shows majority GC, TC youth favour BBF solution
Alithia
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
An academic study has found that the majority of both GC and TC youth aged between 18 and 29 years old are in favour of a bi-zonal bicommunal federation (BBF), Alithia reports.
The project report of the study, entitled ‘Youth and Politics in Protracted Conflicts: a comparative approach on hope for a settlement and return of Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs)’, was published on April 5.
The study found that despite widespread disappointment in both communities manifesting itself in low expectations for a positive outcome in the peace process there is nevertheless an overwhelming majority in both communities that wish for peace, for solution of the Cyprus problem, for specific trade-offs between political equality for TCs and security arrangements for GCs that safeguard from the influence of Turkey and for a BBF.
In numbers, the study found that 85.5% of GCs and 67% of TCs wish for ending the Cyprus problem in a way that assures political equality for TCs and assures security for GCs from any Turkish influence, while 66.5% of GCs and 63.6% of TCs wish for a mutually agreed upon accord that will result in a BBF.
The study, that involved a representative sample telephone survey with 536 GC and 550 TCs, was headed by Charis Psaltis, Associate Professor of Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cyprus.