Post by tileiohmaleas on Mar 22, 2008 23:31:28 GMT -5
New hope
By Charlie Charalambous
Hopes are high that today's face-to-face meeting between President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will pave the way for peace.
And Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou yesterday insisted that this is not another false dawn because failure is not an option.
"If we don't manage to come to an agreement tomorrow (Friday) we will try, try and try again, we can't accept the division of the island.
"We don't want to use the word failure. Contemplating failure is excluded."
Today's exploratory session is expected to be the first of many rounds of talks as both sides take small, tentative steps towards ending the stalemate.
Since Christofias was elected president on a mandate to resolve the Cyprus problem as soon as possible, the international players have re-engaged in the hope this time it's for real.
"If one of the two sides doesn't want reunification then we have a problem, but division is not a solution, it is catastrophic," said Stephanou.
We believe that Greek and Turkish Cypriots can have their own small revolution and break free from the mother countries to find a solution that benefits Cypriots."
The meeting at the chief of mission's residence inside the UN compound at Nicosia airport is seen as a bright light after years of gloom on the Cyprus problem.
One of the positive outcomes of today's key meeting is the expected announcement on the opening of Ledra Street and agreement on a crossing point at Limnitis.
Goodwill
A blocked-off Ledra Street is the most visible symbol of Cyprus' conflict-strewn past, highlighting Nicosia as the world's last divided capital.
Opening Limnitis would also give resident of Pyrgos direct access to Nicosia, cutting journey times by more than half.
Foreign diplomats are also expecting a deal to be brokered on the two crossing points.
We expect an announcement on Ledra and Limnitis on Friday," a diplomatic source close to the talks told The Cyprus Weekly.
"We are cautiously optimistic, there is goodwill on behalf of both the two protagonists. The international community sees this as a very significant meeting."
Moreover, the movers and shakers on the Cyprus problem believe the differences between the two sides "can be bridge."
Opening Ledra and Limnitis would contribute to a climate of reconciliation and trust.
Christofias has made clear he is entering the talks with an "open mind" and with an abundance of goodwill. The international community has also voiced its optimism that the dormant July 8 process can finally get back on track.
Although Turkey wants to put the Annan Plan back on the table and Talat is looking to sidestep the twin-track process that is the July 8 accord, Christofias is adamant he can broker a deal.
He is also aware that the negative climate has changed and his election has re-ignited international interest to get a new initiative under way.
But the government says it cannot waver from insisting the July 8, 2006 process be a launch pad for progress on the Cyprus issue.
"We want very much for this meeting to have an outcome, a result. For us this would mean the two leaders deciding to proceed with realising July 8”, said Stephanou.
In press conference earlier this week, Christofias said he expected Talat to "honour his signature" on the UN-endorsed agreement.
Stephanou said in 34 years since the invasion, the leaders of both communities have signed only three agreements; July 8 is one of them.
The other two were high-level agreements of 1977 and 1979 when the principle of Cyprus becoming a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation was agreed.
Correct
Nicosia has also ruled out reviving the Annan Plan as Turkey has called on the UN and EU to do.
"Sticking to the Annan Plan is a recipe for doing nothing. The Annan Plan is past, it's not something we should discuss four years after it was rejected," said Stephanou. “Full stop."
Turkish Cypriot hardliner Rauf Denktash told Talat this week to demand a "two state" solution for Cyprus in his showdown with Christofias.
Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou said the Greek Cypriots were entering this new phase will all the goodwill necessary to achieve a just solution, but the question was whether the Turkish side wanted the same thing.
"Tomorrow (Friday) we will find out where the other side stands."
After meeting Christofias earlier this week, ex-President Tassos Papadopoulos said his successor was correct in insisting on the July 8 process and getting the working committees up and running.
SOT
HOPES