|
The
negotiation process aimed at reaching a Cyprus settlement by 1 May 2004
started yesterday (February 19). TRNC President Rauf Denktas, Greek Cypriot
leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, met yesterday under the auspices of the UN
Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto.
President
Denktas was accompanied in the negotiations, which are being carried out in
the conference centre set up in UN controlled Lefkosa International Airport,
by Prime Minister, Mehmet Ali Talat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Serdar Denktas, Presidential Undersecretary, Ergun Olgun,
the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Aytug Plumer, and
the TRNC Washington Representative, Osman Ertug.
Following
the meeting, the two leaders later separately met with EU Enlargement
Commissioner, Gunther Verheughen.
Speaking
to the press following yesterday’s meeting with the two leaders, De Soto
said the meeting had gone well and it was a very constructive session with
ample good will. He said the leaders had agreed to meet on a daily basis at
9.30am at the UN controlled Lefkosa Conference Centre. De Soto added that,
if necessary, the two leaders would also get together during the weekends
and in the afternoons.
Speaking
after De Soto, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Gunter Verheugen said:
“The reason I am here today if first of all to say that the EU wants to
demonstrate its strong will and preparedness to support and facilitate the
efforts of the UN”.
Pointing
out that the EU would try to be as helpful and constructive as possible
during the negotiation process Verheugen said: “The EU will provide
everything that is needed to help the UN make this a success”.
Explaining
that the EU’s aim was not only to settle the disagreements between the two
sides, but at the same time prepare the two sides for EU membership,
Verheugen said, there were only 70 days left for the island’s accession
into the EU and that the EU favoured a united Cyprus’ entry into the EU.
Verheughen
said: “What we have to discuss is to how to help the Turkish Cypriot
community start a catch-up process and of course to organise mechanisms
which can guarantee that the elements of a settlement that will be found are
compatible with the conditions and environment of the EU”.
The
technical committees, which were decided to be formed during the New York
talks, also started their studies yesterday at 15:50 at the UN controlled
Lefkosa International Airport.
PRESIDENT
DENKTAS: “GREEK CYPRIOTS ARE AT EASE…HOPEFULLY THEY’LL CHANGE”
Following
his meeting with the Greek Cypriot leader yesterday (February 19) morning,
speaking on his return to the TRNC Presidential Palace, President Denktas
giving information about the issues that were raised by the two sides during
the negotiations, said, the Greek Cypriots were at ease and with the comfort
of being an EU member were trying to patch up the Turkish Cypriots amongst
them. “Hopefully, they will change”, said the President.
Reminding
that the two sides had their first meeting yesterday, President Denktas said
the Turkish Cypriot side requested that bizonality be strengthened and
brought to a much stronger position than stated in the Annan Plan.
Pointing
out that with the settlement of Greek Cypriots in the North the principle of
bizonality would be eliminated, the President said, bizonality, which is
related to security, identity, personality and founding partner status, was
an issue that the Turkish Cypriot side placed great importance on since
1975.
Stating
that the Greek Cypriot side’s approach on this issue was that
“within the framework of EU norms, this freedom should be given
but, we don’t know how the European courts would evaluate bizonality
according to EU norms”, President Denktas said, the Greek Cypriot side did
not foresee bizonality based on the separation of two ethnically distinct
national establishments.
Explaining
that the Greek Cypriot side was referring to a bizonal administration, where
one side would be administered by the Turkish Cypriots and the other by the
Greek Cypriots, the President said, however, the Greek Cypriot side did not
accept each of the side’s being composed of one hundred per cent Turkish
Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
Stating
that the property issue was also included in the issue of bizonality and
that these issues should be immediately settled, President Denktas said:
“We requested that a commission be established to compensate the Turkish
Cypriot people for all their losses incurred between 1963-74, which is very
important for us. However, we have still not received a satisfactory
response and a discussion whether this complies with the criteria of the
Annan Plan or not has arisen. Some compensation is envisaged in the Annan
Plan. We
want a commission to investigate the situation and bring to light to all
evidence in order to solve the compensation issue justly. Our proposal has
been put on hold, but we will insist that it is taken up…”
Stressing
that what was important for the Turkish Cypriot side was the equality of the
two national peoples and not the equality of the two constituent or
component states in the Senate, the President said, as was the case in 1960,
the existence of the two national peoples should be a basis, otherwise if
this remains as members coming from the two component states, in the future,
Greek Cypriots (holding the citizenship of that component state) will be
able to come to the Senate representing the Turkish Cypriots.
He
added: “We see a danger here”.
Pointing
out that the basis was the existence of the two founding sovereign peoples
and that the powers derived from this would lead to the creation of the
joint central government, President Denktas said, this was the case in the
Ghali Set of Ideas and why was this now being changed and talked about by
underlining it. He said this issue was also on hold.
Referring
to the issue of derogations, the President said: “This is very important
for us. To secure bizonality and guarantee the rights of the two peoples, we
need to request derogations for a majority of the EU norms”.
Explaining
that this was also one of the issues discussed during the meeting, the
President said, however, the picture that emerged was to the effect: “We
(UN) can’t dictate to the EU. In the event of the two sides agreeing, and
the two sides have not yet agreed, we don’t know how the courts will
decide on these derogations…”
Stating
that another issue where modifications were requested was preserving the
Greco-Turkish balance until Turkey became an EU member, President Denktas
said in order to achieve this Greece should not claim too many rights from
Turkey and from an economic point of view, there was the need for a
transitional period to bring the Turkish Cypriot economy up to the Greek
Cypriot level.
Referring
to the Greek Cypriot requests, the President said these were not surprising
for the Turkish Cypriot side because all their requests, which they had told
the Turkish Cypriot side, were openly published in the Greek Cypriot press
on February 19.
Saying
that during the negotiations the Greek Cypriot approach was to the effect
that, ”Cyprus is now an EU member. The EU acquis communitaire exists.
Thus, there is no need to play with these. What needs to be done is to look
at how we can place you (Turkish Cypriots) in this”, President Denktas
said the Turkish Cypriot side had given the necessary response to this.
He
said: “The Greek Cypriots want the constitutions of the two constituent
states to be in line with EU principles and norms and international law. We
say that we have other rights, they are special rights and should be
protected as derogations. On the issue of the settlers and refugees the
Greek Cypriots want to know who will vote in the referendum. They don’t
want the settlers to vote in the referendum. We reminded them that according
to our Constitution there is no such thing as settlers. There are citizens.
It is not possible to discriminate against these citizens. They insist that
we find a solution to this problem. This is how comfortable they are. We say
that the only solution for this is to change the Constitution, but we have
no such intention. They insist that we change the Constitution, therefore,
what they really want to do is very obvious. This in an incorrect approach.
We don’t ask them who has settled in the South, how long they’ve been
there and whom they’ve made citizens. They say if we want they can give us
a list. The issue can not be settled with such an approach.
The citizens of the TRNC are real citizens. Those who voted in the
last elections, have the right to vote. Anyone reaching the voting age by
the referendum date will also have the right to vote”
Pointing
out that the Greek Cypriots have adopted the approach that they’ve reached
an agreement with the EU on shortening the transitional period, the
President stressed that the transitional period shouldn’t be shortened and
the basic measures necessary for the Turkish Cypriots should remain
unchanged.
Stating
that the Greek Cypriots wanted the Greek Cypriot members of the Presidential
Council to be increased from six to nine and to extend their term of duty,
the President said this issue was not yet discussed in detail.
The
President also added that in addition to the committees dealing with
international agreements and basic laws, a special committee dealing with
the cost of a settlement would also be set up.
|
