Leaked document reveals disparity on Cyprus talks
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 03, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - A classified document on the Cyprus talks that was leaked to the Greek Cypriot press and revealed the parties’ disparity on several key issues has been censored by the state-run Turkish Cypriot news agency.
The document listed points of convergence and disagreement on key issues that would affect a reunited state, including governance and power sharing, the Cyprus Mail reported Sunday, citing the daily Simerini newspaper. The Greek Cypriot paper had quoted extensively from the 35-page document, whose cover page was stamped "secret," and published snapshots of excerpts.
Serious disagreements
The document reportedly recorded serious disagreements between the two communities and said Turkish Cypriots wanted a weak central government, an unquestionable concept to the Greek Cypriot side.
"The relationship between the Federal Government and the Constituent States shall not be one of dominion, supremacy or hierarchy," the Turkish Cypriot side said, according to the leaked document. "Neither the executive, the legislature nor the judiciary of the Federal Government shall exercise superiority over the organs of the constituent states. Likewise, the organs and officials of the federal government shall not claim a right to issue orders or instructions to the respective organs of the constituent states.
"The Federal Government shall entrust the implementation of federal laws, including the collection of specific taxes, to the constituent states," the Turkish Cypriot side added. "Any measure enacted by federal organs shall not supersede measures enacted by the competent authorities of the constituent states."
As for the Greek Cypriot position, the document recorded them as saying: "The Greek Cypriot side cannot accept the use of wording which is incommensurate with federal systems and which harks to a confederal rather than a federal system."
Power-sharing disputes remain at the heart of the Cyprus problem. Other thorny issues include security guarantees and property-settlement claims.
The state-run news agency said it censored the document because its publication would disturb the balance between the two sides during a critical period, daily Hürriyet reported.
Serious disagreements
The document reportedly recorded serious disagreements between the two communities and said Turkish Cypriots wanted a weak central government, an unquestionable concept to the Greek Cypriot side.
"The relationship between the Federal Government and the Constituent States shall not be one of dominion, supremacy or hierarchy," the Turkish Cypriot side said, according to the leaked document. "Neither the executive, the legislature nor the judiciary of the Federal Government shall exercise superiority over the organs of the constituent states. Likewise, the organs and officials of the federal government shall not claim a right to issue orders or instructions to the respective organs of the constituent states.
"The Federal Government shall entrust the implementation of federal laws, including the collection of specific taxes, to the constituent states," the Turkish Cypriot side added. "Any measure enacted by federal organs shall not supersede measures enacted by the competent authorities of the constituent states."
As for the Greek Cypriot position, the document recorded them as saying: "The Greek Cypriot side cannot accept the use of wording which is incommensurate with federal systems and which harks to a confederal rather than a federal system."
Power-sharing disputes remain at the heart of the Cyprus problem. Other thorny issues include security guarantees and property-settlement claims.
The state-run news agency said it censored the document because its publication would disturb the balance between the two sides during a critical period, daily Hürriyet reported.