what was agreed in Switzerland!

[kerry 6138]

We know the talks broke down because of troops and guarantees, I'd be interested in what was agreed especially regarding property.

[jofra]

As you say, would be interesting, but only of academic interest as nothing - whether agreed or not - will happen now. It would (might) just show whether all those who bought here would have had cause for concern....

[Hedge-fund]

I think the major shock was how very close they came to an agreement.

[DenizIsmail]

New initiative announced to return 16,000 Greek Cypriots to Maraş. I hope this is not true?

Taken from LGC NEWS today

[jofra]

.... I hope this is not true?

Why? It's uninhabited, unused, a complete and utter waste of useful and potentially valuable "real estate" (consider how it was in the fifties and sixties) - and such a move/"gesture" - properly and highly publicized around the world - would demonstrate that the TC side are prepared and willing to attempt remedial action, and would further expose and highlight the real culprits...

[erol]

http://cyprus-mail.com/2017/07/24/turks ... a-reports/

[waddo]

Wonder if the Greek Cypriots will let expats onto their beach's?

[Keithcaley]

Wonder if the Greek Cypriots will let expats onto their beach's?

Probably only if I lose a bit of weight, or promise to remain fully clothed!

[turtle]

I think the major shock was how very close they came to an agreement.

But how close did they "Really" get to an agreement ?

[waddo]

I was in the South on Monday Keith - you have nothing to worry about at all!!! Anyway, being a Greek beach it would cost loads to use it - first there is mine detection equipment to hire, then oil remover from when they strike oil off the coast, there is bound to be an "insurance" kiosk somewhere along there and you would probably need a photocopy of your passport - anyway, by the time it all comes off you won't be allowed on it because you will not be an EU citizen - lol.

I still think it's a good idea, that area has just sat in decay for far too long now, about time it was put to some use again no matter who it is who gets to use it.

"But how close did they "Really" get to an agreement ?" - Right up to the point where the GC Government thought there might be one, then panic set in over job losses and it all went South again.

[kaiserphil]

I was in the South on Monday Keith - you have nothing to worry about at all!!! Anyway, being a Greek beach it would cost loads to use it - first there is mine detection equipment to hire, then oil remover from when they strike oil off the coast, there is bound to be an "insurance" kiosk somewhere along there and you would probably need a photocopy of your passport - anyway, by the time it all comes off you won't be allowed on it because you will not be an EU citizen - lol.

I still think it's a good idea, that area has just sat in decay for far too long now, about time it was put to some use again no matter who it is who gets to use it.

"But how close did they "Really" get to an agreement ?" - Right up to the point where the GC Government thought there might be one, then panic set in over job losses and it all went South again.

Very good post Waddo, especially para 2 and 3. In the early 60s I thought the then Famagusta was the best town on the island. Fond memories of falling out of the Spitfire cabaret in the early hours and heading straight for "Smokey Joe's", following the scent of pork and beef steaks on the grill.

Oh happy days!

[waddo]

Smokey Joe's! Now there is a memory indeed.

[Art]

In answer to the original question.

They agreed to disagree.

[paul90]

The following is worth a read.
The author is John Mavro, a Greek Cypriot, responding to an article in the Cyprus Mail.
Although lengthy it is a view that is shared by many Greek Cypriots on the Cyprus Mail forum.
I hope that John Mavro does not mind me reproducing it here:

The prospect of a settlement under a federation has well and truly evaporated at Crans Montana. Forever.

It is all so depressing and tragic. That the gangsters and criminals that have misgoverned this island since that cursed day in August 1960 when it gained ''independence'', who have caused the death of thousands of our compatriots, both GC and TC, who have wreaked havoc and destruction on the majority of its population and in the process have become very rich with their wholesale theft and plunder of state resources and taxpayers funds have once more been placed in these positions from where they have, for their OWN self interest and gain, extinguished the last flame of hope. That we could re-unify the island under a win-win settlement borne of a politically equal partnership based on realistic compromise, with our TC compatriots.

The super pseudo patriots and rejectionists, little Papadopoulos, Sizopoulos, Theocharous, Perdikis, Lillikas, the archbishop and now joined by the biggest disaster of all, the chameleon and spineless Anastasiades, an absolute liar and of zero morals and principles, have once again managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Aided and abetted by the marxist Michelin Man, the foreign minister of Greece Kotzias.

Where in hell did Anastasiades and Kotzias get their maximalist demands and ''dogma'' of zero Turkish guarantees and zero troops from day 1 of a settlement? Not even that other hardcore idiot and rejectionist Tassos Papadoulos, the self proclaimed ethnarch No. 2 who actually set us on the route to official partition back in 2004, made an issue of these guarantees and was prepared to accept phased withdrawal of troops to the levels (650 Turkish and 950 Greek) as called for in the treaty of independence signed by no less than their ultimate ''hero'', the imbecilic priest Makarios.

For Anastasiades and Kotzias to make these ludicrous and unrealistic maximalist demands at Crans Montana can only mean one thing: that they deliberately and knowingly set these ''red lines'' in order to scupper any prospect of an agreement being reached.Since the TCs were, by vast majority, in favour of such arrangements remaining in place given our murderous actions in 1963 onward. And did Anastasiades and Kotzias REALLY believe that a country such as Turkey, with its own problems of ultra nationalism, the influence of the military and national pride would actually cave in and accept these ''red lines''? From their vanquished opponent?

True leaders and statesmen would NOT have set such non-pragmatic objectives and ''red lines''. They would have focused on the achievable and realistic and negotiate the best possible win win settlement. Which would have unified the island and turned it into a prosperous, modern and functioning state for the benefit of ALL its citizens. And not for their own thieving caste of mafiosos and gangsters. And genuine leaders would have prepared the electorate for the compromises ahead, all minor really in the context of a settlement under a federation, by pointing to the positives. Instead the well known super pseudo patriotic scum bombarded us with their negativity, doom and gloom about Turkey's intransigence. And of course, the gullible sheep, including the ''patriotic'' idiots who pose as ''commentators'' here fell for their black propaganda once again.

Clearly Anastasiades had far bigger priorities than settlement of the Cyprob. He is far more concerned about being re-elected in 2018, even if a dysfunctional, half of, basket case that our banana republic is.he cannot see beyond his very narrow passages in his little brain which are still steeped (and blocked) in the anachronistic ''politics''of the 1960's, Grivas, EOKA B, enosis and the rest his miserable mind dreams up. Obviously, he NEVER believed in a federal solution but merely adopted this in order to be elected in 2013. How elese can one describe him, when back in April, with the talks already stalling and having reached a critical impasse and were on the verge of collapse, Anastasiades, instead of locking himself in a room with the reasonable Akinci (no doubt he will be removed during the next elections in the north and replaced by a hard liner), he decides instead to fly off to Bollywood for almost two weeks. A setting far more appropriate for his mindless and laughable actions but catastrophic for the sensible among us.

That Anastasiades has made a ''b*lls up'' of these talks would be the understatement of the decade. Just like Tassos in 2004, he has been totally outwitted by Cavusoglu and Erdogan. Who, it must be acknowledged, were warning us that end 2016 was the natural deadline to reach settlement. Instead, he, like all the clowns before him, thought that Erdogan was bluffing. Except, and this will make the super patriots foam at the mouth, Turkey is a serious state, whatever its shortcomings under Erdogan. And they will do what they say.

The obvious question from the conclusion of this editorial: quo vadis as a ''country''? What happens next? Where do these imbeciles take us next given that official partition is here and Turkey's Pan B, to be followed by Plan C and D etc, are being implemented on the ground?
To use Glafkos Clerides immortal words, now that these negotiations for a federation have failed, it is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute and not knowing where the bottom is.This is how uncertain and precarious our position is. In addition to saying goodbye to the north forever.

But we should not worry. After all we have such giants of diplomacy and statesmanship as Anastasiades, Kasoulides, Lillikas, papadopoulos, Sizopoulos, Lillikas and Theocharous. Who will now change our ''strategy on the Cyprob and cause great ''political cost'' (whatever that means) to Turkey. We are after all the champions of integrity, honesty and keeping our word, and the rest of the world will believe us and pass another 2,000 or so resolutions in our favour. To be added to another 10,000 passed since 1974. Which, as the sensible among us know, are as useful as the archbishop is in dispensing spiritual guidance here.

And let us not forget Anastasiades' propaganda chief, Nicos ''Goebbels'' Christodoulides who can be trusted to more or less try convince us that we have scored another great and ''heroic'' victory against Turkey.

After all, if this idiot fell out of the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building and on his way down past the 10th floor was asked how it is going, he would reply ''so far so good!''

[terry2366]

Most likely agreed they had had a good time lots of meals enjoyed lots of travel and same time next year for the jolly to start again. Where shall we go next time Singapore sounds nice.