Papadopoulos Annan Meeting

From The CNA:

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan noted today with satisfaction that the leaders of both communities in Cyprus have agreed that bicommunal discussions on a series of issues, agreement on which is needed for the benefit of all Cypriots, will be undertaken at the technical level.

A joint statement issued after an hour-long meeting in Paris between Annan and Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, read out to the press in English by Annan`s Spokesman Stephan Dujarric, says that Annan and President Papadopoulos agreed to continue their ongoing dialogue with the expressed aim at accelerating the search for a comprehensive, fair and mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem.

According to the statement, ``UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan and President Mr. Tassos Papadopoulos met in Paris today to review the situation in Cyprus and examined modalities for moving forward on the process leading to the reunification of the island.``

``They agreed, as they have in the past, that the resumption of the negotiating process within the framework of the Secretary General`s good offices must be timely and based on careful preparation,`` Dujarric said.

He added that ``to that end the Secretary General was pleased to note that the leaders of both communities have agreed that bicommunal discussions on a series of issues, agreement on which is needed for the benefit of all Cypriots, will be undertaken at the technical level.``

``The Secretary General and President Papadopoulos expressed their common hope that these discussions would help restore trust between the two communities as well as prepare the way for the earliest full resumption of the negotiating process,`` he said.

Dujarric added that ``the Secretary General noted that he had received assurances from the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mr. Talat that he shared the same aspirations.``

``The Secretary General and Mr. Papadopoulos also agreed that it would be beneficial for all concerned and would greatly improve the atmosphere for further talks if progress could be achieved on further disengagement of forces and demilitarisation of the island, on the complete de-mining of Cyprus and on the issue of Famagusta,`` he said.

He pointed out that ``they took note of the recent decision by the European Union to release the much awaited funds for the benefit of the Turkish Cypriot community.``

``In this context they expressed their warm wishes for the full and speedy recovery of Mr. Talat,`` he added.

Concluding the statement, Dujarric said ``the Secretary General and President Papadopoulos agreed to continue their ongoing dialogue with the expressed aim at accelerating the search for a comprehensive, fair and mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus problem.``

Following the statement, President Papadopoulos and Annan replied to questions.

Media Two Facedness

The European Union has agreed to unblock aid worth 139 million euros to the Turkish Cypriots, ending a two year dispute. This agreement could have been reached last year during Britain’s EU presidency but certain EU members insisted on linking the financial assistance with direct trade. The RoC government disagreed with this claiming that direct trade constitutes de facto recognition.

Lets recall how the press reacted back then when there was no agreement ... The money has been stuck in Brussels' coffers ever since, because the (Greek Cypriot) Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since May 2004, has blocked the release of the funds. A statement like this or something similar was common when one read about this particular issue. Then of course followed by how the Greek Cypriots voted NO (oxi) to the Annan plan. Strong commentaries followed ... The audacity of the Greek Cypriots who make up only 700,000 people, do they not realize the Turkish Cypriots need these funds, how ohh how can they be punished when they voted YES to the Annan plan. SHAME! Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!

Most of these articles that discuss the Cyprus issue will say, but Ankara says this and Ankara says that but never state what Nicosia’s view is on a given matter.

We don’t need to know what Ankara says, we only need to know the facts. Around the time when a few EU member States were pushing for linkage between financial assistance with direct trade, the news wires picked up a story on “balls to embargoes (their website),” a story about Turkish Cypriot Football players stripping off clothing in protest of the embargo. The organizer was quoted in the press as saying that the campaign is about human rights and not politics. Yes, the very same embargo that has helped spawn luxury villas and yachts dotted all over the North of the island. What am I going on about? It seems the Turks have already rejected the EU deal and only a handful of news agencies are reporting it. That's right, direct trade was not linked to the aid.

Does it meet their maximalist demands, it does not. Never the less, this is a compromise deal that is a benefit to the Turkish Cypriots. The money will fund projects to improve infrastructure and the economy in the North, is this not considered a benefit? The rejection also tells us that any possible future agreement on the Cypriot issue that does not contain the maximalist demands of the Turks and the authorities in the North, would be rejected outright. Here is an example of a press article being receptive to Turkish arguments. The Cyprus spin stops on this site ... Financial Times, step to the front line:

Turkey upset by EU deal on N Cyprus
By Daniel Dombey in Brussels and Vincent Boland in Ankara
Published: February 26 2006 18:49 | Last updated: February 26 2006 18:49

The European Union has agreed a controversial aid package for the Turkish Cypriot community in northern Cyprus, in a decision that has upset Turkey and threatens to complicate further Ankara’s negotiations to join the EU.

Is it controversial because the EU agreed to it or because the Turks find it unacceptable? I did not bother to read the rest of the article.

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Pardon My French!

Turkey yesterday refused to allow a Cyprus flagged ship to enter the Turkish port of Mersin. The government of RoC says the denial of permission to dock was a violation of the customs union agreement. Please read below for more details and to see what the Prime Minister of Turkey had to say about this matter.

Erdogan insult as Turkey turns Cyprus ship away


By Philippos Stylianou

A CONTAINER ship flying the Cypriot flag that sought to unload its cargo of textiles at the southern Turkish port of Mersin, was turned away, raising a storm in the already-troubled waters between Cyprus, Turkey and the EU.

Following protests by the Cyprus Government, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said yesterday that a European Parliament enlargement team stationed in Ankara had raised the issue with the Turkish authorities.

Rehn stressed that Turkey should honour the commitments it had undertaken in the framework of its association agreement and open its ports to Cyprus ships.

The incident came just as the Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, holding the EU presidency, had called on Ankara after talks with visiting Cyprus President Papadopoulos, to enforce the EU accession protocol by opening its ports and airports to the Republic of Cyprus.

No attention

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan rudely rejected Schussel’s statements, saying that Turkey did not pay any attention to those who had threatened its EU perspective.

"Pardon the language, but to them we say up yours," Erdogan said addressing a meeting of businessman at the sea resort of Kusandasi.

In Nicosia, acting Government Spokesman Michalis Pashiardis referring to Ankara’s refusal to allow the docking of the Cypriot vessel said that "Turkey cannot dock in the port of the European Union with the high-handedness and the mentality of a pirate."

Immediately after the Mersin incident became known Government Spokesman Giorgos Lillikas said the Government was taking due action towards the Austrian EU Presidency, as well as to the European Commission.

Violation

"This act by Ankara constitutes a serious violation, inter alia, of the Customs Union Agreement, which exists between Turkey and the EU," Lillikas said, and added:

"With its stance, Turkey has proved yet once more that it refuses to harmonise itself with the acquis communautaire and is not convincing in its commitment to proceed in its EU course, exhibiting respect for its obligations."

The Cypriot container ship Able F arrived outside the port of Mersin from Italy early on Wednesday morning and remained about 3km offshore inside Turkish territorial waters waiting for its agent to make docking and unloading arrangements.

The port authorities automatically refused entry to the ship and alerted the Shipping Department, which in turn told the Turkish Foreign Ministry about it.

The Cypriot vessel was asked to leave Turkish territorial waters but, according to some reports, the ship authorities insisted on being given the grounds for being turned away in writing.

They met with the refusal of the Turkish authorities and the ship left Turkish waters under the wary eye of patrol boats after it had stayed there for about 15 hours.

Violated

According to an AP report, the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a statement alleged the Cypriot vessel had violated standard practice of port approaching presenting a "fait accompli."

Commenting on Turkey’s action, the spokesman of the Greek Foreign Ministry in Athens, Giorgos Koumoutsakos, said it was not helpful.

"Turkeys’ course towards the European Union and the progress of its accession process are judged in accordance with the degree of its response to specific conditions and prerequisites, which mainly refer to a series of agreed EU documents. It is obvious that today’s action by Turkey does not help; far from it," Koumoutsakos stressed.

The Turkish press gave wide coverage to the incident, mostly presenting it as an attempt by Cyprus to force open the question of Turkey lifting its embargo on Cypriot airplanes and vessels.

In his statements to the press, Pashiardis rejected Turkish allegations that the Cyprus Government knew of the intention of Able F to dock at Mersin.

Obliged

EU Commissioner Olli Rehn said that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament would monitor very closely Turkey’s compliance with its EU obligations.

He also warned Turkey that in October the Committee would carry out a general evaluation of the situation, in order to verify Turkey’s compliance with all its commitments.

Rehn’s spokesperson, Krisztina Nagy, noted that according to the EU-Turkey Association Agreement that incorporated the customs union, Turkey was obliged to allow the free movement of goods for all EU member states.

"Shipping restrictions prevent those concerned to choose the most economical means of transport, resulting in obstacles being placed in the free movement of goods and commerce in general," she said.

The Able F’s textile cargo was being delivered to Turkish businessmen and the ship had an agent at the port of Mersin.

The Cyprus Shipowners’ Union yesterday condemned the action by the Turkish authorities and expressed support for the measures taken by the Cyprus Government.

They added that, in addition, they would ask for the help of the European Shipowners Union in making Turkey honour its protocol signature.

Cyprus Weekly, February 2006

A little more of this ...

A photo of Cypriot Health Minister Andreas Gavrielides (L) and Turkey's Health Minister Recep Akdag, pictured together at the beginning of an informal meeting about the "Impact of Avian Influenza on Public Health in Europe" in Vienna February 24, 2006.

Stratfor Faux Pas

Stratfor has an article on Turkey's Accession to the European Union. Both, its Summary and Analysis are inaccurate. The Summary part of the article begins by stating that “Turkey should recognize Cyprus by the end of 2006, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said Feb. 21.” What Mr. Schuessel really said was that Turkey was obligated to open its ports to Cypriot vessels by the end of the year. Nothing new here, the European Union, for quite some time now, has asked Turkey to open its ports to Cypriot vessels. The fact is that Cyprus and the European Union as a whole, met their obligations to Turkey in 2005. It is now time for Turkey to reciprocate. The Analysis part of the article states that “The Austrians effectively sided with the Greek Cypriots against Turkey -- an agreement made stronger by Vienna and Athens' memories of fighting Ankara. The Greeks remember battling Turkey over Cyprus in 1974,” what kind of revisionism is this? Athens memories of fighting Ankara, battling Turkey over Cyprus in ’74 ... are these statements made to justify the unjustifiable? Furthermore, if Turkey wishes to be anchored in Europe, then, like every other candidate country before it, large or small, must meet the criteria for membership.

Investment Arbitration Claim

From the PR Newswire:

Cypriot Investment Firm Files $10 Billion Investment Arbitration Claim Against Turkey at World Bank for Seizure of Electric Utilities

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Cypriot investment firm Libananco Holdings Company Ltd. announced today that it has filed a US$10 billion investment arbitration claim against the Republic of Turkey for its unlawful 2003 expropriation of the assets of Cukurova Elektrik Anonim Sirketi (CEAS) and Kepez Elektrik Turk Anonim Sirketi (Kepez), two of Turkey's largest hydroelectric companies.
read more »

News Roundup

Development Boom to Legal Mess
The authorities in the occupied North are preparing to pour in large amounts of money into the development of parts of the Morphou region. Morphou (Guzelyurt in Turkish) is currently under Turkish Cypriot administration. It is believed that, under a future agreement, Morphou would return to the Greek Cypriots as part of an overall settlement to the Cyprus problem. The Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris today (21.02.06) quoted Mr. Talat as saying "Strengthening our economy is more important than the Cyprus problem." Mr. Talat's remark was made while addressing the "Association for the Development of the Area of Morphou." A small bit of info on Morphou: The town of Morphou fell to the advancing Turkish troops on August 16, 1974. An estimated 8,000 Greek Cypriots from Morphou were forced to abandon their properties.

EU Backs UN Sponsored Talks
The European Union on Tuesday said it supports UN backed talks between Turkey and Cyprus, but acknowledged that resolving the conflict between the two countries would not be easy. "The Austrian presidency is doing everything in its power to support the current UN sponsored process," Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, whose country currently holds the bloc's rotating six month presidency, said in a statement. "We know the situation is very complex and difficult and that it will not be easy to solve the conflict." Schuessel's comments came after a meeting in Vienna with Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos.

International Film Festival
Cyprus will hold its first film festival in March. The festival is a three-day event being held on March 24-27, and will include the screening of 130 films from 40 countries competing in feature film, short film and animation categories. "We have a VIP jury for the entries, it will be a very glamorous event," said organiser Petra Terzi. "Cyprus offers several comparative advantages to filmmakers because of its landscape and climate," said Vakis Loizides of the Cyprus tourism board. Authorities were preparing a package of incentives to encourage studios to the island, he said.
Cyprus International Film Festival: http://www.ciff2006.com/

Divided Capital

A photo of a couple standing in front of the barrels that divide the Greek and Turkish Cypriot controlled areas at the UN buffer zone in the divided capital of Nicosia, Cyprus, on Friday, Feb. 17, 2006.

Reviving Peace Efforts

The Cypriot President will meet with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Paris on February 28 to discuss reviving efforts to reunite the war divided island nation. U.N. spokesman Mr. Stephane Dujarric today confirmed the Cypriot government’s announcement of the meeting. The spokesman said the agenda will include reviewing the Cypriot issue and discussing ways of moving forward on reunification. Please read below for more details.

Tassos and Annan to meet in Paris

BY ANDREAS HADJIPAPAS

PRESIDENT Papadopoulos and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will meet in Paris on February 28 to explore ways of reviving the stalled Cyprus peace talks.

The crucial issue is whether the UN chief will be persuaded to appoint a special envoy for Cyprus who will shuttle between the two sides in order to see if there is enough common ground allowing the UN to launch a new initiative.

So far, the Secretary-General has been reluctant to do so, noting that there remained a wide gap between the sides.

He now wants to make sure any new effort will have reasonable chances of success.

Presidential Under-secretary Christodoulos Pashiardis said yesterday the President was "ready to listen but also to make concrete suggestions." This was seen as an indirect reply to critics, who have been claiming Papadopoulos is not keen to resume the peace process.

Papadopoulos, who has dismissed the Turkish "action plan" announced by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul last month, is expected to present counter-proposals, involving the return of the deserted town of Varosha and the joint operation of Famagusta port under EU supervision.

The official announcement about the forthcoming Paris meeting said Papadopoulos and Annan had agreed to meet "in order to review and take stock of the situation in Cyprus and discuss ways of moving forward the process of reuniting the island."

Pashiardis said the two men would examine "effective ways of preparing the ground for the launching by the United Nations of a new effort to conduct meaningful talks with serious prospects of success".

Foreign Minister George Iacovou said that as a means of preparing the ground, the S-G could either appoint a resident representative, or send a high ranking UN official to the island periodically to carry out proximity talks between the sides and report back to him.

He stressed that this did not mean new talks were "imminent."

Reports suggest the aim is to see whether settlement talks, which grounded to a halt two years ago, can get off the ground by the summer, even th0ough most observers believe chances of a possible breakthrough will be better after the Turkish elections next year.

Iacovou said the important thing was to see whether the Turkish side was ready for "substantive" negotiations, after agreeing to consider "substantial changes" to the Annan Plan.

The Greek Cypriot side has already submitted to the UN a detailed list of changes to the Plan, which was rejected by the vast majority of Greek Cypriots in the May 2004 referendum.

The National Council will be meeting today under President Papadopoulos to review developments, following requests by the Opposition who have been expressing concern about the lack of movement, stressing that the protracted stagnation helped cement the island’s division. Iacovou said the Paris rendezvous showed that "there is mobility."

Papadopoulos is likely to tell Annan that any new UN brokered peace process musts see the full involvement of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, not just of Britain and the US.

He also wants the European Union to play an active role in any new negotiations, since he insists that a settlement must be based on Security Council resolutions and the principles upon which the EU is founded.

President Papadopoulos leaves for Vienna on Sunday for a two-day working visit to Austria, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

He will meet Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel and Federal President Heinz Fischer, to explain Cyprus’s views on EU matters and efforts to resolve the problems of the divided island.

Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday he was ready to resume negotiations "on the basis of the Annan Plan".

He added: "The Secretary General will probably decide after his meeting with Mr Papadopoulos whether he will take a new initiative. I believe the S-G will take this initiative, if the Greek Cypriot leader really desires this, if the meeting is not just for creating positive impressions in view of the election period."

Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis, speaking during a brief visit to Germany, said his government’s policy on Cyprus and other national issues "does not change, is stable."

He said Greece was willing to contribute to efforts to find a just, workable and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem. The solution should conform with international law, UN resolutions and the principles and values of the European Union, of which Cyprus is already a member.

Meanwhile, US deputy assistant Secretary of State Mathew Bryza has again put off his planned visit to the island, originally set for last summer. Although he said in Brussels he hoped to visit the region later this month, the US Embassy informed the Foreign Ministry this week that Bryza would probably be coming "some time in the spring."

Cyprus Weekly, 18 - 25 February 2006

The Common Vision

Matthew Bryza, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs will be paying a visit to Cyprus in the coming weeks. The U.S. official will be bearing a message and that is ... Turkey's membership process will not be slowed down because of Cyprus. His arrival to the region at this time is no surprise. He will be promoting Turkey’s “new” action plan. The government of RoC has already rejected the Turkish offer, describing it as reheated food ... which it is, but the plan is skillfully packaged, widely advertised and sold as fresh delicacy by Ankara. Mr. Bryza and the secessionist statelet in the North share a common vision over direct trade, and it appears Mr. Bryza was promoting Turkey’s new action plan before Turkey announced that it had a new action plan. During Mr. Bryza’s visit, the Turkish leadership (guided by allies) may entertain a different proposal as it seeks to corner the government of RoC and portray it as being intransigent. There are 36 chapters that will be negotiated with Turkey during its EU process. Any EU member can veto any of 36 different chapters of negotiations. It is believed that Cyprus will not be able to use its right to veto a relevant chapter if Turkey is being seen as doing something on the Cypriot issue, even if that something is meaningless. That is why i expect more superficial proposals to come out of Ankara.

Cyprus Protests Airspace Violations

From the Financial Mirror:

Cyprus protests to UN over Turkish violations of air space

Cyprus’ Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Andreas Mavroyiannis, has protested to the UN over new violations of international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkish military aircrafts, that took place between November 9, 2005 and January 4, 2006, calling for their immediate cessation.

In a letter sent to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on January 11, 2006, that circulated yesterday as an official UN document, Cypriot Ambassador stressed that “Turkey’s policy of persistently breaching international law and defying international rules and regulations gravely jeopardizes the safety of international civil aviation and the stability of the region”.

He also noted that “Turkey’s systematic attempts to undermine the sovereignty and unity of the Republic of Cyprus by promoting an illegal secessionist entity, arrogating, inter alia, to itself the right to have a national airspace, further complicates the efforts to build trust and confidence between the two sides and resume negotiations”.

Ambassador Mavroyiannis added that “such actions are yet further evidence of Turkey’s sole objective, namely to consolidate the existing division of the island and maintain thus its military presence in Cyprus in perpetuity”.

Meanwhile, Government Spokesman George Lillikas has said “The Cyprus issue is a European problem as well, and a European problem for Turkey.”

He added that “it is up to Turkey to stop having the Cyprus issue as an obstacle for its EU accession course”.

Complacent attitude to Blair’s Oram's defence

Blair has not visited occupied northern Cyprus in connection with her defence of a British couple who have been ordered to tear down a built on house on property belonging to a Greek Cypriot refugee, British Minister for Europe Douglas Alexander has confirmed.

In his written response to Theresa Villiers MP, Alexander said nor was Blair the guest of the British Consul-General when recently visiting Istanbul in her professional capacity.

The Government warns British citizens, through its online travel advice and in response to enquiries, of the risks purchasers face when buying in northern Cyprus, said Alexander.

Cherie Blair’s decision to defend the Orams has already caused a diplomatic outcry from the Cyprus Press and Government. In April last year EU newcomer Cyprus warned it would use courts in other EU countries to enforce decisions against property investors who had bought property in northern Cyprus that Greek owners had been forced to abandon when Turkey invaded the island. This followed a European Court of Human Rights decision upholding the property rights of one such Greek owner against the Turkish Cypriot occupiers of her property.

It put the number of Greek Cypriots affected at over 200,000 and estimated that between them they hold valid titles to approximately 82 per cent of the privately owned land in the occupied areas. UK property investors have been prominent buyers of properties in northern Cyprus where prices have tended to be cheaper than in the south.

Villiers said that although it was a relief to hear Blair had not visited Turkish occupied Cyprus in relation to the case, she was still dismayed at the complacency of Alexander’s letter. The Government was trying to bring the two sides together in Cyprus, but the Foreign Office did not seem even to be worried about the controversy caused by Blair's involvement in case.

'In defending the Orams, she is flatly contradicting the advice of the Foreign Office by actively supporting those who have gone against this advice and “bought” land owned by refugees’, she said, vowing to campaign for the Government to strengthen its advice to those thinking of purchasing property in occupied northern Cyprus.

Slaves & EU’s Prestige

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy is currently in Ankara to help revive stalled talks to reunite Cyprus. The Turkish daily Zaman today talks about the meeting Mr. Philippe Douste-Blazy had with his Turkish counterpart.

Speaking at a joint press conference following their meeting, Mr. Gul mentioned that he briefed Mr. Douste-Blazy on the new action plan for Cyprus. Mr. Gul also brought up the issue of direct trade between the EU and Northern Cyprus. The Turkish daily Zaman, quoting the Turkish Foreign Minister, stated ... “Do not be a slave to the Greeks,” what a nonsensical statement. Mr. Gul went on to say that “Greeks block the regulations, which destroy the EU’s prestige.” He said that Turkey is willing to fulfill its commitments and that the EU should also fulfill its commitments to Northern Cyprus.

Mr. Gul is seeking direct trade between the EU and the breakaway statelet in the occupied north. Turkey's Foreign Minister also wants Northern Cyprus to have the ability of participating in various international organizations and sporting events. How do proposals like these help reunify the island? Can Mr. Gul tell us exactly what he means by reunification (for Cyprus) which he allegedly aspires to and promotes? Can anyone point to a Turkish proposal that does not insist on a settlement based on the continued separation of the two communities?