Turkey unlikely to give in to Varosha pressure

Reconstruction cost at EUR 4 bln

 

Despite the Finnish presidency’s efforts for a last-minute secret or other meeting to achieve a breakthrough in the long-stalled Cyprus talks, Turkey is not likely to accept the proposal to allow the return of Greek Cypriot refugees to Famagusta.

A Finnish envoy visited Cyprus briefly yesterday to lay the ground for a meeting prior to the European Commission’s progress report on Turkey’s accession negotiations.

The Greek Cypriot side has decoupled the issue of Famagusta port and the return of the ghost town of Varosha from a comprehensive United Nations solution.

The government in Nicosia says the opening of Famagusta port is a matter between Cyprus and the EU, while the return of Greek Cypriot refugees to their homes they fled in 1974 is between Cyprus, Turkey and the UN. The Turkish Cypriots have no say in these two matters, while Ankara wants to upgrade Mehmet Ali Talat’s role as an equal negotiator with the Republic of Cyprus government.

Foreign Minister George Lillykas said on Monday that the cost of rebuilding Varosha would be upward of EUR 4 bln, and that opening Famagusta port would suggest all supplies trade would reach the reconstruction site through that port, effectively benefiting the Turkish Cypriots.

Kare Halonen, the Director General of the Finnish Foreign Ministry’s Department for Europe, had meetings in Nicosia Tuesday that aimed to reach an agreement in order to prevent a crisis between the EU and Turkey.

Halonen met with the Director of the Cypriot President’s Diplomatic Office, Tasos Tzionis and with Rasit Pertev, counselor of the Turkish Cypriot leader.

“We will continue our consultations during the next days. Our aim is to find a solution before the 8th of November, when the progress report on Turkey’s EU accession negotiations is published”, said a spokeswoman of the Finnish Embassy in Nicosia.

She said that the Finnish EU Presidency is working very hard on political as well as on civil servants level hoping to reach a solution before the progress report.

Regarding a high level meeting in Helsinki, the spokeswoman told CNA that for now this is mainly an idea, adding that all depends on the results of the consultations that take place this period.

“There is no confirmation yet that such a meeting will take place”, she said.

Halonen departed in the afternoon for Germany.

Varosha a precondition for successful initiative

 

Government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis said that the precondition for the success of the Finnish EU presidency’s initiative was the return of Varosha to its legitimate inhabitants, noting that the Finnish presidency had expressed some ideas and thoughts about talks in Helsinki, aimed at discussing its initiative.

He said efforts were focusing on the success of the Finnish presidency’s effort and noted that Turkey had so far not given any positive indications but several negative ones.

Asked what the Finns had actually said, Pashiardis said “there are some thoughts and ideas of the Finnish presidency for representatives of the Turkish government and the Cypriot government to participate in proximity talks in an effort to successfully promote the Finnish initiative.”

Invited to say what level the talks would be held on, Pashiardis said it would most probably be between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Turkish press reports suggested a meeting between Foreign Minister George Lillykas and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul could take place this weekend, but that Ankara wanted Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to be present.

“We will not discuss the issue of the return of Varosha with Mr. Talat. It is a matter that does not concern him,” Pashiardis added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Lillikas said that the Republic of Cyprus had not received an invitation and neither had Greece for a meeting regarding the Finnish proposal, noting that the solution of the Cyprus problem was not being discussed at this moment.

He said that the key to the whole issue was Varosha and the return of the people to their homes, adding that the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots do not participate in any talks because the issue solely concerns the Republic of Cyprus and the EU.

The Finnish EU Presidency proposal provides for the opening of the Turkish occupied port of Famagusta under EU administration for 24 months, in combination with the opening of Turkish ports to ships carrying the Cypriot flag and the transfer of the closed city to the UN.