Cyprus Talks: Talks fails as both leaders fails to reach agreement

The ongoing reunification talks between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot sides at Mont Pelerin in Switzerland has collapsed as both leaders were unable to find a common ground for settlement. Baris Burcu, the spokesman for Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci blamed the Greek Cypriot side for the failure of the talks owing to its extremist attitude.

According to Burcu, the Turkish Cypriot side went into the negotiation “with all its seriousness” and ready to reach a result, adding that “Unfortunately, the Greek Cypriot side did not come up with adequate preparation. They did not have enough political, philosophical and technical preparations.”

Burcu said the Greek Cypriot side asked for one week interruption, which was granted them but unfortunately, they did not prepare during that period as well.”

Burcu said the Turkish Cypriot side had made efforts for many hours to overcome “Greece’s hesitation” after it said it would not participate in a multilateral or a five-party conference unless the guarantees are abolished and the Turkish army. 

Speaking on the issue of territory, Burcu said Greek Cypriot president, Nicos Anastasiades had suggested the return of a number of Greek Cypriot refugees higher than the one in the Annan Plan and “did not go back even a millimetre” from this stance.
Burcu said it was not “ethical” to demand “90,000 and to do so 12 years after the Annan Plan”.

“If they put forward a number and do not move back not even for a millimetre, if they are not reasonable, how we will find a solution?”, Burcu said. 

“They have a maximalist stance. Either [you give] this or nothing else. Why are they doing this?” he asked.

After initially appearing that talks were going well, the talks in Mont Pelerin broke down on Monday,after the two sides appeared to disagree over the territory to be returned in the event of a settlement.

According to Cyprus Mail, the Greek Cypriots side reportedly wanted some 90,000 refugees to return, which also meant that the Turkish side would have to return Morphou (Guzelyurt).

Burcu also said that Anastasiades displayed a hard stance on territory and also Greece on holding a five-party conference.

“The map and the territory would be in the five-party meeting. We would not end the territory at Mont Pelerin, but they wanted to put this in their pocket as well. This was their thought beforehand. This is not fair. If we will establish a state with equality, this should be perceived at all levels of the pyramid.

While we would have liked to end even the rotating presidency in Switzerland, we could not do this as well.”

Burcu stated that the Turkish side would evaluate the situation.

“I experienced a disappointment as a person who has been working for peace for 42 years. I saw what happened and what has been done. If the Greek Cypriots could exhibit half of the will exhibited by our president, our negotiator and our team, this problem would have been solved”.

Burcu said the proposal of the Turkish Cypriot side on the territory during the first round of talks at Mont Pelerin was that 29,2% of the area will remain under the administration of the Turkish Cypriot constituent state and added that the number of returning refugees was the reason for the deadlock in the negotiations.

“We have submitted our proposals and improved them until the last moment, but they did not move even for a millimetre. In spite of the difficulties imposed by life, Akinci, by pushing our limits, took such a step wanting them also to behave logically”.

The Turkish Cypriots side wanted the issue of territory to be settled at the multilateral meeting that would include Turkey, Greece and the UK as guarantor powers.
 
Source: CyprusMail