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Main News
Dujarric: Nothing has really changed since Geneva
Alithia, Kathimerini, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis, Sunday Mail
Negotiations Process
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros and Haravgi report that Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General (UNSG), told the Cyprus News Agency that after the UNSG’s meeting with the two leaders in Brussels on Friday, that “nothing has really changed since Geneva.”
Dujarric said that when there is anything new to announce the UN will ensure to do so, but for the time being he said the UN is continuing to hold contacts with interested parties. Responding to a question regarding the contacts held in Cyprus recently by UN envoy Jane Holl Lute, Dujarric just said that Lute has returned to the US, the paper adds. Regarding the visit being paid to Cyprus by the UN head of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Dujarric said he held internal meetings with UNFICYP personnel.
Phileleftheros reports that during the TC leader Ersin Tatar’s meeting with the UNSG in Brussels on Friday in the margins of the European Council (EUCO) summit, Tatar reiterated his argument against a federal solution in Cyprus and that a new vision is needed, and said in statements later that the UNSG had told Tatar that he was right but there was nothing he could do. Tatar said Antonio Guterres acknowledged the imbalances created through the Republic’s EU accession, but said he had nothing to do with that since he was not in his current post at the time.
Phileleftheros reports that Tatar insisted that there is no basis for a bizonal bicommunal federal (BBF) solution, but said that given Greece’s and the GC side’s EU membership, a two-state solution could form the basis of a solution. Justifying his claim, according to Phileleftheros, Tatar said that a solution which leads to one sovereignty within the EU will mean that in the long-term, ties with Turkey will be severed, something that Tatar said TCs will never accept, emphasising the importance of Turkish guarantees.
Tatar added that the TC side’s two-state solution policy is fully supported by Turkey, and said that in view of the injustices performed against TCs by GCs, the latter ought to take steps to satisfy the TC’s wishes regarding sovereignty, Phileleftheros reports. These measures will then allow the UN Security Council (UNSC) to take different decisions. Phileleftheros reports that Tatar said that if a solution is imposed then problems may arise in Cyprus, even clashes, adding that if a solution will seek to protect the balance between Turkey and Greece, then this must be based on sovereignty.
Cyprus Mail reports citing the Cyprus News Agency that the TC ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu was also unhappy with comments made by President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who said after the EUCO that the EU would “never accept” a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem. Ertugrulogu condemned “the unfortunate and far from reality EU policy which has not kept any promises it made to the Turkish Cypriots to date”. Ertugruloglu said TCs, together with Turkey, will keep fighting to preserve their legal rights.
The paper reports that he added that the EU failed to refer to the TC people, who are directly concerned with the Cyprus problem, and take into account their will. By backing the UN resolutions “which have lost their force”, the EU “prevents the realisation of a realistic and lasting cooperation between the two sides on the island,” Ertugruloglu said. Referring to the opening of the fenced-off area of Varosha, he said that their decisions were “within the frameworks of international law and respect of property rights”.
Alithia reports that the TC ‘presidency’ issued a similar announcement, claiming that the EUCO conclusions text shows that at the very least, the TC side’s stance has not been understood. The announcement said that the TC side is waiting on the EU to re-evaluate its policy in Cyprus on the basis of the political and legal realities of the island.
Kathimerini reports that the practical issues that led the EUCO to delay taking any concrete decisions on implementing a positive agenda with Turkey, through the issues of migration and the modernisation of the customs union, granted Nicosia some breathing room. The paper writes that though Nicosia managed to boost references in the EUCO conclusions text as regards the Cyprus problem and Varosha, a direct link between a positive agenda and positive developments in the Cyprus problem was not achieved. Kathimerini reports that this was Germany’s doing, with France also shifting to support Germany’s approach. The paper writes that though the EU took a stand against a two-state solution, it is nevertheless seeking to improve relations with Turkey with or without a Cyprob solution.
Phileleftheros reports that the final text of the EUCO conclusions could say more, but writes that even obvious points the basis of the Cyprus solution had Nicosia on its feet.
Haravgi reports that the Cyprus-related points in the EUCO conclusions text practically only serve to send positive messages for the market and not for the political reality in Cyprus. Nevertheless, the paper writes that the reactions by Turkey and the TCs, which insisted on sovereign equality before the resumption of talks, are not encouraging, while the TC side’s rejection of the UNSG’s proposal to appoint a special representative that would work towards finding common ground leaves the UN limited in terms of moves.
Haravgi reports that in the face of this impasse, Lute sought to test the waters with both sides by tabling different ideas, such as those being pushed forward by Britain which however were shot down by Nicosia from the start. The paper writes that Lute even told her interlocutors in Nicosia that the GC side misunderstood Britain’s intentions, who are pushing for a BBF solution. Lute also said that there is no two-state solution on the table since “there is no table”, Haravgi reports, noting that this statement could prove dangerous since it could mean that when a table does emerge, so will a two-state framework. Whatever the case, the paper writes that Lute left with empty hands once again.
Meanwhile, Phileleftheros reports citing information that with the aim of motivating Turkey and the TC side, the UNSG is planning to include in his report on his Good Offices mission in Cyprus a reference to ‘self-administered areas’. The paper writes that Lute had mentioned this during her meeting in Nicosia to see how her interlocutors would react, with Nicosia expressing strong opposition. Nicosia’s reaction, according to the paper, was based on the fact that such a reference would to a large extent grant the TC side a regime, which it would be able to secure after a solution. In light of this, the UN said it would highlight along with the specific reference that they would not recognise a second state on the island.
Politis asks how Anastasiades can on the one hand state that he is seeking a Cyprob solution and call on the UNSG to hold a new meeting while arguing at every turn that he will not accept that Cyprus becomes a Turkish protectorate. While the paper accepts that perhaps Anastasiades would say that he is simply seeking the right kind of solution, but notes that the question remains as to why Anastasiades would raise this argument now.
Politis also raises the question of whether the TC side is really seeking a two-state solution, and writes that what is in fact being sought is a recognition of their sovereign equality in advance for two reasons: first, because they believe that that as long as the Republic is governed by GCs and is part of the EU, then negotiations are will not be held in good faith, and second because if they are granted sovereign equality then they will have a right to secession regardless of whether a solution is achieved. This would grant the TC side control over Cyprob negotiations. But, Politis writes, this would hinder any chances of the resumption of any formal talks.
Even so, Politis writes that though Anastasiades will continue to raise the matter of Cyprus becoming a Turkish protectorate, the majority of GCs don’t really care about Cyprob anymore, as signalled by the recent parliamentary elections. In the meantime, Turkey will continue to consolidate its faits accomplish in the north in terms of population, economy and the military. When the time comes for talks, Politis believes that these talks will be based on geopolitics and the social and population situation, which favour Turkey.
KEY ACTORS
Dujarric (UN)
>> Nothing has really changed since Geneva
Tatar
>> In meeting with UNSG in Brussels, UNSG said he was right that a federal solution is impossible and a new vision is needed but there was nothing he could do
>> A solution which leads to one sovereignty within the EU will mean that in the long-term, ties with Turkey will be severed, something that TCs will never accept & so Turkish guarantees are necessary
>> In view of the injustices performed against TCs by GCs, the latter ought to take steps to satisfy the TC’s wishes regarding sovereignty, which will then allow the UNSC to take different decisions
>> If a solution is imposed then problems may arise in Cyprus, even clashes
>> If a solution will seek to protect the balance between Turkey and Greece, then this must be based on sovereignty
Ertugruloglu
>> EU policy is unfortunate and far from reality and has not kept any promises it made to the TCs to date
>> TCs, together with Turkey, will keep fighting to preserve their legal rights
>> By backing UN resolutions which have lost their force, the EU “prevents the realisation of a realistic and lasting cooperation between the two sides on the island
>> Decisions for reopening Varosha were within the frameworks of international law and respect of property rights