CYPRUS/GREECE: President Tassos Papadopoulos of Cyprus yesterday congratulated the new Greek Prime Minister, Mr Costas Karamanlis, on his election victory and observed that the New Democracy government in Athens was as committed to Cyprus as was the former PASOK government.
During the 11-week election campaign, Mr Karamanlis, who has no foreign affairs experience, paid a visit to the island with the aim of reassuring Greek Cypriots of his full support during the ongoing UN-brokered negotiations to reunite Cyprus, divided since Turkey invaded and occupied the north in 1974.
With the aim of maintaining Athens's warm relations with Ankara, Mr Karamanlis also met the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who, like the Greek premier, is determined to resolve the Cyprus problem. Mr George Papandreou, PASOK's head, Greece's former foreign minister and the architect of Greco-Turkish entente, offered his support to Mr Karamanlis. Only 12 hours after his victory in the polls, he was forced to shoulder the difficult task of assisting the Greek Cypriots in their quest for a viable, functional federation based on the reunification plan put forward in 2001 by the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan.
Mr Papadopoulos and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr Rauf Denktash, took part yesterday in the 11th session of UN-brokered talks since February 19th and discussed security issues. So far, each has submitted proposals on a range of issues which the other side has rejected. Although the two men are set to begin give-and-take on specific provisions of the Annan plan, few observers believe they can reach an agreement by the deadline of March 22nd because their positions are too far apart.
The Greek Cypriots (82 per cent of the population) want the settlement to assert the unity of the island and gradually reintegrate the communities in conformity with the EU requirement that its members grant freedom of movement, residence and investment throughout the country. But Turkey and Mr Denktash insist on reinforcement of the Green Line which divides the island and long-term communal separation.
Turkey, which calls the shots, submitted a "shortened list" of demands to the UN facilitator, Mr Alvaro de Soto, who visited Ankara last weekend. On his return to Nicosia, Mr de Soto said it may be difficult for the sides to conclude a deal in the next two weeks but expressed the hope that Greece and Turkey, scheduled to join the negotiations from March 22nd-29th, may be able to resolve outstanding issues.
Mr Denktash, who holds that the UN plan, if not modified to meet his requirements, would drive the Turkish Cypriots from the island, was also in Ankara at the weekend. He came back to Nicosia reassured that he had the full backing of the Turkish government, as well as the traditional politico-military elite which does not seek a Cyprus settlement or EU membership, although 80 per cent of Turks back their country's candidacy.
The unpublished document apparently contains input from the military which demands that Turkey's security interests must be taken into account. Turkey's deputy chief-of-staff, Gen Ilker Basbug, a hardliner on Cyprus, is set to visit the north this week.
Meanwhile, the editor of the Turkish Cypriot daily, Kibris, Basaran Duzgan, claimed that "officials" in northern Cyprus are working against an agreement, including leading members of Mr Denktash's National Unity party. The mainland Turkish daily, Hurriyet, said Mr Denktash was determined to "save" the Turkish Cypriot state and Turkey from the Annan plan, and to put the Justice and Development party government in an "embarrassing situation." Mr Denktash retorted by complaining that the Turkish press was trying to undermine and "belittle" him.