Cyprus Talks: Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades says ''Return of 100,000 refugees, Morphou'', on table of talks in Switzerland next week

Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades during a televised press conference on Friday evening said that among the Greek Cypriot side’s positions on the issue of territory in the ongoing reunification talks between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides is the return of at least 100,000 refugees to the north, under Greek Cypriot administration.

Speaking at the press conference, ahead of his trip with counterpart, the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to the resort of Mont Pelerin in Switzerland next week where the are to discuss the thorny chapter of territory, Anastasiades noted that the issue is yet to be discussed but that each side submitted its positions on the matter.

Speaking on the possibility of the return of Morphou to the Greek side, Anastasiades said that the aim is to achieve those territorial adjustments that will allow the maximum number of Greek Cypriots to return to areas in the north, under Greek Cypriot administration, which includes Morphou.

“Our positions have already been submitted. Areas must be returned with such population density, so that at least 100,000 return under Greek Cypriot administration,” said Anastasiades.

According to Cyprus Mail, the proposals in question also concern areas linked with the community’s historic ties, and are also linked to the fertility of the soil, its use, as well as the shorelines.
Anastasiades said that he is going to Switzerland for the peace talks next week bearing in mind that the settlement must satisfy the expectations of Cypriots, but also reduce concerns.

Anastasiades said he chose to give an account of the most important convergences and understandings achieved so far in the negotiations, adding that the chapters of security and guarantees and of territory, “which will define the final outcome”, have not yet been discussed.

“It is well known that there is significant deviation on both issues between the positions of both sides. I hope that at the negotiations that will take place as of Monday in Switzerland, we will have such progress, that the potential will be created to move to the substantive discussion on the chapters of security and guarantees,” said Anastasiades .

Anastasiades noted that significant progress has been achieved the chapters of governance and power-sharing, the European Union, economy, and to a lesser extent, property and that despite those progress, there still exist some significant disagreements on the chapter of property.

He also said that there is progress as regards the right to property through a number of procedures like resettlement, partial or alternate property return, property exchange and compensation.

Anastasiades added that the aim of the negotiations, is to ensure a strong, effective and functional governance system and that a list has been agreed with, among others, responsibilities of the central government including external relations, relations with the EU, the defence policy, the management of natural resources, control and safety of land, sea and air borders, and immigration policy.

“Each state will have exclusive responsibility among others to maintain its own independent social security system, its own health system, its own educational system, and its own local government,” Anastasiades said, adding that the particular ethnic, cultural and religious characteristics of each community will be ensured.

“I want to make it clear for the umpteenth time that I find completely unacceptable claims that the under negotiation solution will lead to a confederation and not to a federation.” This, would be the case, said Anastasiades adding that if talks were between the leaders of two pre-existing states and not between the leaders of two communities as is the case today.

Anastasiades said that the island’s demographic character post settlement will be, “with a small deviation, the demographic composition of the Republic of 1960”.
Source: CyprusMail