Goverance and Power or Property and Territory

[DenizIsmail]

The Cyprus negotiations could fail if President Akinci is not willing to return significant territory to the Greek Cypriots. The ratio of territory per capita, and the demand to return land formerly occupied by the Greek Cypriots are red lines for the Greek Cypriot side.

So far, discussion on territory has been limited to criteria and has not included details such as maps and place names.

Akinci has also repeatedly said that the negotiations on territory should be made abroad to avoid leaks and speculation.

The Turkish Cypriot side’s hand is strong in terms of property and territory, whereas the Greek Cypriot side’s hand is strong in terms of governance and power.”

Turkish Cypriot NGOs have called on Akinci to make the necessary concessions on territory and property for the sake of achieving a federal solution in Cyprus.

“We would like to remind the Greek Cypriot side that political equality and rotational presidency are very important for Turkish Cypriots. We would also like to remind the Turkish Cypriot side that territory and properties are very important for the Greek Cypriots.”

Clearly President Akinci will have his work cut out not to upset the Turkish Cypriots, for whom territory is also an important issue, and which is a potential deal breaker for the Greek Cypriots.

Ezra Aygun – Cyprus Weekly

[wanderer]

Archbishop Chrysostomos said on Sunday that Turkish Cypriots, who constituted a minority of 18 per cent in Cyprus could not hold the presidency of the island when Greek Cypriots have the majority of 82 per cent.

The rotating presidency is an outstanding aspect of the current Cyprus negotiations with both side drawing ‘red lines’ on the issue.

During a speech at a mass in Nicosia, the Archbishop said that there should be no insistence on the system of rotating presidency, “unless they prove to us that there is a country where 18 pet cent of the population elects the president of the country.”

“Then we will go and vote for (Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa) Akinci to become the President of the Republic of Cyprus,” he added.

In statements afterwards, and asked by journalists if he had expressed his concerns to President Nicos Anastasiades and the political party leaders, the Archbishop said he had told the president and the party leaders that a solution with provisions such as the rotating presidency would not be approved by the people, adding that “everyone understands this.”

He noted that the president told him on several occasions that he would not bring before the people a plan that the people would not accept.

As regards the issue of settlers in the north, the Archbishop said that those married to Turkish Cypriots should be able to stay for humanitarian reasons, but the others should leave the island.

A 1960 census showed that Cyprus had a population of 572,707 consisting of 77.1 per cent Greek Cypriots, 18.2 per cent Turkish Cypriots, 1.1 per cent Maronites, Armenians and Latins, and 3.6 per cent others. According to the 1960 Constitution, the Armenian, Maronite and Latin religious groups opted to be part of the Greek Cypriot community.

However the demographics have shifted dramatically since then with going on a million residents of whom around 80 per cent have Cypriot citizenship. The two leaders have agreed that the population of the north for the purposes of a settlement would be fixed at 220,000 and the Greek Cypriot population would be 802,000.

The Archbishop also referred in his speech to the turbulent situation and the wars in the Middle East, noting that Christianity needed to continue to exist in this area of the world where it was born, and that the Orthodox Church would continue to make efforts to this end.

[wanderer]

That looks like a deal then

[Mountain Edge]

And never the twain shall meet

[kerry 6138]

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/o ... a-minority

Singapore are looking into this now perhaps the Archbishop could have a word with the Swiss , EU or UN ,Canada,New Zealand..

[DenizIsmail]

Morphou (Guzelyurt) should be among the areas under the Greek Cypriot constituent state in a Cyprus settlement, President Nicos Anastasiades has said.

Speaking during a protest rally organised by Morphou municipality and community groups held at the cultural centre in Astromeritis in the Nicosia district on Sunday, Anastasiades also reassured the Turkish Cypriots that necessary assistance will be given to those who will have to be relocated.

Appropriate accommodation will be given to those Turkish Cypriots who vacate homes belonging to Greek Cypriots, Anastasiades said.

He reiterated that the solution currently being sought will be a win-win situation.

Anastasiades also welcomed Ankara’s positive tone, noting however that Turkey must show a positive stance at the negotiating table. Especially with regard to chapters where it has a decisive role to play, such as the withdrawal of its military troops from the island as well as guarantees.

President Anastasiades said the chapter on territory, which will now be discussed at the talks, and the chapter concerning security and guarantees will determine the success or failure of the peace talks

He gave assurances that Turkish Cypriots who will have to vacate homes belonging to Greek Cypriots will be given appropriate accommodation.

Cyprus Mail

[Hector]

'The two leaders have agreed that the population of the north for the purposes of a settlement would be fixed at 220,000 and the Greek Cypriot population would be 802,000.'

Oh, so the freedom of movement of EU citizens enshrined in EU law doesn't apply to Cyprus then?

[jofra]

"He gave assurances that Turkish Cypriots ..........will be given appropriate accommodation" - rather than comparable or similar accommodation.....
A brilliant euphemism - rather like the innocuous-sounding "final solution".....

[DenizIsmail]

Burcu criticised the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades of frequently touching upon the territory issue during his speeches and naming places or locations in the process.

“No names, locations, percentages or maps have been discussed to this day. If the Greek Cypriot side believes it can obtain an advantage by naming places before we start to discuss this issue then it is greatly mistaken”, Burcu added.

Reminding that 12 years had passed since the 2004 Annan Plan referendum, the president’s spokesman said that many changes had taken place in terms of territory during this time period.

“We expect Mr Anastasiades to understand that such unnecessary statements that ignore the realities on the island and which are shaped by the demands of the rejectionists will not contribute to a settlement”, he said.

[DenizIsmail]

How can this be fair?

President Nicos Anastasiades said late Friday he has reasons to believe that the ongoing negotiations for a Cyprus settlement would reach discussions on territory.

Speaking during a Famagusta event Anastasiades said the ongoing negotiations were at a crossroads.

“We are concluding the discussion on four chapters, governance, economy, European Union and property and if there is progress, as is expected, we will discuss the issue of territory, which is fully attuned of course with the property issue”.
“If we reach this point, said the President, I have reasons to believe that it will be a very important moment in the history of the negotiations as it will be the first time the Turkish side will be asked to put its positions in writing.”

Due to its special status, the town of Famagusta was and is a priority he said, without undermining the significance of other areas in the north.
Ansatasiades said the Greek Cypriot side had raised the issue that on the first day of a settlement, Famagusta would be returned.

He said it would not be fair that Turkish Cypriots could acquire immediate benefits from day one if Greek Cypriots should have to wait.

The benefits, he said, should be evident from the first day so that “every Cypriot citizen feels that a new day is dawning for the country”.

For this reason, he added, “we are pursuing the return of Famagusta to its lawful citizens from day one and for Varosha to be returned to its lawful owners as well as those uninhabited areas, and from day one we expect the withdrawal of a significant number of Turkish troops.

Anastasiades said some convergences have been achieved that allowed him to assure that “all Cypriot citizens will have the right to freedom of movement, acquiring property, settlement, exercising their profession or any economic activity throughout the island. The full respect of the right of ownership is secured and the demographic character of the island from day one will reflect, with a small deviation, the traditional demographic composition of the Republic of Cyprus as it was established in 1960.

Referring to the Turkish Cypriots, he said it was the only way out of the isolation they were in. Turkish Cypriots have to understand that with a solution, they would become European citizens and enjoy all the benefits from living in a well organised state he added.

On Turkey`s role, it was often said that Ankara holds the key to a solution “therefore it depends on Turkey if the positive rhetoric it develops will come into practice,” said Anastasiades.

“We are at a point where a solution will benefit all, Turkey, Europe, Greece and especially our region,” he added. But for Turkey, with a solution to the Cyprus issue it would contribute to achieving peace in a troubled region and its road to Europe would take on a new dimension.

Anastasiades said that the daily lives of the people in Cyprus who work either in the government, semi-government or the private sector would not change as all government departments would continue to operate just as they do today. The same with the local administration and the health and social insurance systems since both constituent states will have their own systems.

“What we need to do is to remove from the people`s minds, the evils of the past and the distrust which we have in the presence of the occupation army and to build a new political culture that will underpin the status of Cypriot citizens and to the notion that regardless of our national identity, we all ought to serve above all the interests of our common country,” he said.

The implementation of a solution would take place under strict timeframes without disrupting daily lives and the most important thing was to cultivate a feeling of security for all citizens. “Our insistence that a European state, full member of the EU does not require guarantors or guarantees or occupation troops is therefore not accidental,” he said.

The EU constituted sufficient protection as would the structure of the state.

Taken from Cyprus Mail today