Cyprus Discussions Await New Turkish Position On Island's Partition

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Nicosia

07 November 2002

In the aftermath of the Turkish elections, which returned a pro-Islamic, pro-EU government party to power, the various parties involved in negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem are seeking to understand how Turkey may approach the issue in future.

Winning party AKP (the Justice and Development Party) is thought to be determined to find a solution to the problem, as a necessary precursor to its own EU bid. 'A pro-EU government is obliged to solve the Cyprus problem. Without the problem solved, Turkey's path cannot be open', said Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the opposition Republican Party.

AKP foreign affairs chief Yasar Yakis told Reuters: 'We see both administrations under a single roof based on political equality and inspired by the Belgian model as suitable.' Taken at face value, this appears to move away from the long-time insistence of the Turkish north of Cyprus that it must have separate sovereignty, which has been one of the main stumbling blocks to a solution. Cyprus's Chief EU negotiator George Vassiliou said yesterday that if AKP leader Erdogan supported this position, "then we will have a solution". But Rauf Denktash, leader of the Turkish Cypriots, may have other ideas. Currently recuperating after heart surgery in New York, the aged and ailing leader has proved very inflexible in talks with Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is close to formulating a proposal to be put to the two sides, aimed at resolving the impasse before Cyprus is admitted to the EU. This week, however, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou pledged that Greece will support Cyprus, even in the extreme case that Nicosia rejects the UN proposal. Which seems to put the kybosh on the proposal before it's even on paper.

Papandreou told a Greek programme that, "in the most extreme case if Cyprus rejects the Annan proposal, then Athens will support Cyprus and together we will fight until the end for Cyprus' accession to the European Union in December." Former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, speaking on the same programme, said he would be surprised if a Cyprus solution was achieved before the EU Summit in Copenhagen on December 12.

The US and Britain are said to be pressing the UN to submit its plan by the end of this week, but UN officials said that Kofi Annan wanted to be sure about the Turkish reaction before unveiling the plan, which was therefore unlikely to see the light of day for at least another two weeks.

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