President Demetris Christofias believes that a political settlement in Cyprus is possible by December, if Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership change course.
President Christofias' comments came in the wake of positions expressed by Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat in Ankara, that the current UN-led negotiations could conclude by December this year. Foreign officials speak of an ''international timeframe'' expiring in December, when the European Commission is expected to assess Turkey’s accession course.
''There is no international timeframe,'' the President stressed replying to questions, adding that ''if there is something which could be considered international, that is our agreement with the UN Secretary-General that there will be no timeframes and especially no suffocating ones and that there will be no arbitration,'' in the ongoing talks, which began in September last year.
Stressing that he remains committed to this agreement, President Christofias expressed ''anger and regret'' at any suggestion that EU leading personalities or UN officials might be talking about timeframes.
''We want a solution soon,'' the President said, stressing that ''if Turkey needs a solution, it must first help itself. In my opinion, Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot leadership must change course and respect the fundamental principles of international law, in addition to showing respect for the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, of the United Republic of Cyprus, which I hope will emerge out of the unitary state.”
''If Turkey shows this respect and shifts its policy, it is possible to reach a settlement by December,'' Christofias said, warning everybody that they should remind Ankara, not Nicosia, of this coming December. Ankara, he added, must be reminded of its obligations towards the EU, Cyprus and the international community, which so far it has failed to meet.
Turkey has refused to recognise the Republic of Cyprus, where it maintains some 40,000 occupation troops in the northern part of the country. Turkey has failed to open its ports and airports to Cypriot flagged ships and aircraft, in spite of repeated calls from Brussels.
Replying to questions, the President said it is high time that the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee is abolished. The Treaty designated Britain, Turkey and Greece as guarantor powers of the independence and territorial integrity of the newly established Republic of Cyprus. Ankara insists on continuing with the existing guarantee system.
The President explained that “a lot has changed in the world, Cyprus, Greece and Britain have joined the EU and Turkey is knocking on the EU door, the Cypriot people have suffered and I believe the people are now mature and the conditions are ripe to do away with guarantors.”
He also said that the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee and the Treaty of Alliance give no right for unilateral military intervention to any of the three guarantor powers (the UK, Greece and Turkey).
“The guarantors, instead of safeguarding the independence of Cyprus, have worked for its dissolution,'' he said.
He noted that Greece, after the fall of the military junta, punished those responsible for the heinous crime, and pointed out that Turkey continues to commit a crime, which is the substance oaf the problem, the continuing military occupation of Cyprus’ northern part.
Five days after the July 15 coup, in 1974, inspired by the Greek military junta, Turkey invaded on the pretext of restoring constitutional order on the island. Since then, its troops occupy 37 per cent of Cyprus' territory, in spite of repeated UN calls to withdraw.
Christofias and Talat have been engaged in UN-led talks since September last year, with a view to finding a negotiated settlement that will reunite the country.
