Cypriot leader urges unity, says Turkey key to settlement
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Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias said on Thursday his first priority was a peace deal on the divided island but said the key to a settlement was Turkey, whose bid to join the EU is hampered by the conflict. (UPDATED)
In his confirmation speech to parliament, Christofias said he was ready to work for a settlement, but said he could not negotiate a deal without help from Ankara. "Solving the Cyprus problem is the first priority of our government," Christofias said before formally taking over from outgoing Tassos Papadopoulos. "It will not be easy, we are aware of the difficulties. The key to a settlement is in Ankara's hands. Turkey should decide to cooperate for a settlement", he added. Â
Christofias, 62, rode a wave of discontent with his predecessor's hardline policies towards Turkish Cypriots to win a runoff election on Feb 24. Almost immediately, he came under pressure to make good on promises to push reunification efforts. Peace talks have been in limbo since 2004, when Greek Cypriots, on the eve of joining the European Union, rejected a U.N. reunification plan accepted by Turkish Cypriots. Diplomats said they expected Christofias to meet with Mehmet Ali Talat, the Turkish Cypriot leader, in early March.
As the victory of Christofias is expected to five a new impetus to solution efforts, Talat will receive Michael Moeller, special representative of the U.N. Secretary General and United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) chief of mission, in Nicosia on Friday. Moeller is also scheduled to meet Christofias on Monday.Â
Talat sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on February 22nd and explained Turkish side's position prior to prospective talks in Cyprus. President's spokesman Hasan Ercakica said the letter aimed to assist UN chief for his initiative and facilitate it. However, Ercakica said he would not elaborate about the content of the letter although Greek Cypriot newspapers published news reports about the letter. "We do not have any intentions to put pressure on new Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias," Ercakica said.
According to Greek Cypriot newspapers, Talat asked UN leader to start new negotiations in line with Annan Plan which was voted in a referendum in 2004 and said it was time to acknowledge Turkish Cypriots' contributions to a solution to the Cyprus problem.
EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, the son of a former president, returns to Cyprus as foreign minister in the new coalition cabinet led this time by the communist party AKEL, the government press office announced. Bank of Cyprus senior executive Harilaos Stavrakis takes over as finance minister, while the interior ministry portfolio goes to Neoclis Sylikiotis, a former interior minister. MP Costas Papacostas steps in as defence minister. The Christofias lineup follows horse-trading over the distribution of ministries between the three parties in government.
Press reports have suggested that as a goodwill gesture a new crossing point over the UN-patrolled buffer zone may be opened in the heart of the walled old city of Nicosia, the worlds last divided capital. The plan has been on hold for the past four years amid rows between Papadopoulos and Talat over Turkish forces deployed in the area of the proposed Ledra Street crossing.