Nicosia.- Cyprus` President Nicos Anastasiades will participate in the 45th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, which will take place between 21 and 24 January.
According to a written statement by Government Spokesman Nicos Christodoulides, the President “in view also of the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, has accepted an invitation to attend and participate in the 45th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which will take place between 21 and 24 January”.
The theme of this year’s Forum, “The New Global Context,” reflects the current situation on the political, economic, social and technological changes.
It is expected that a great number of heads of state and governments – among them Turkish Prime Minister Ahmer Davutoglu – will attend the Forum, along with leaders of world economic organizations and multinational enterprises. On the sidelines of the Forum, the President of the Republic will hold a series of meetings with world leaders.
UN SG’s special Advisor Espen Barth Eide is the Managing Director of the World Economic Forum. President Anastasiades will depart from Cyprus for Switzerland on Wednesday, 21 January.
ANASTASIADES
The President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades has made it crystal clear on Thursday that he will not be forced to return to the negotiating table, under threat or blackmail, expressing at the same time regret that the UN Secretary General has adopted the “logic of blackmail.”
Reiterating his commitment to a political settlement which would reunite Cyprus, he also said some quarters have ignored Turkey`s blatant violation of the Republic`s sovereign rights, in particular with regard to Nicosia`s exclusive economic zone.
“Ι will not succumb, under any circumstances, to threats or blackmail in order to be drawn into negotiations”, President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades has stressed, reacting to the UN Secretary General`s report on the UN operation in Cyprus.
In an interview with Mega TV after the report was issued officially, President Anastasiades revealed that in New York last September he was given promises by the UN Secretary General, the UNSG Special Advisor Espen Barth Eide, the US Secretary of State John Kerry, the US Vice President Joe Baden, the Russian Foreign Minister that Turkey would be willing to move forward in the negotiations, which were set to begin on October 9.
In addition, President Anastasiades revealed that an Ambassador of a great power informed him that Turkey was ready to lift the embargo on ships carrying the Cyprus flags. Instead, five days later Turkey issued a Navigational Telex or NAVTEX, committing parts of the Republic`s exclusive economic zone.
President Anastasiades pointed out that it is inconceivable for everybody, on one hand, to recognize the illegality of Turkey`s move and at the same time invite the Greek Cypriot side to participate in a dialogue under these conditions.
Replying to a question, President Anastasiades said he believes that, having seen his support of a UN-proposed solution plan (the Annan Plan) in 2004 which most Greek Cypriots rejected, he would have accepted any kind of solution.
“I am determined to find a solution and I have made this clear, he said, adding that the UN instead of recognising his proven good will, they assume that he would accept any kind of proposal in order to satisfy their own interests.
Asked if he agrees now with a proposal for a change in the strategy of the Greek Cypriot side on the Cyprus issue, President Anastasiades said that “we have chosen the path of dialogue. On the other hand Turkish intransigence is well known.”
“It is unthinkable for some people to ignore Turkey`s provocations and exert pressure on the President to change his policy, or consider that his policy has failed”, he added.
“We are not looking for any solution. We want a solution that leaves no winners and no losers. We do not want a solution which will be the product of blackmail and the will of the powerful”, he said.
The President stressed the need for unity on the internal front and added that “we should not abandon the logic of a solution based on the legality of international law and adopt the logic of the blackmail, as unfortunately has been adopted by the UN Secretary General.”
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS
The UN Secretary General’s special adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide acknowledged Wednesday that President Nicos Anastasiades has made a positive contribution to the efforts for the resumption of the UN-led talks.
“I think we should see that a step has been taken by Mr. Anastasiades and that`s something to build further on. I now call on all sides and also the Turkish Cypriot side to recognize this”, he said, adding that these will be issues that he would bring to the Security Council`s attention in a week and a half.
He explained that until recently there was no agreement on whether hydrocarbons should be discussed as part of the negotiations and Anastasiades has made a constructive contribution saying that towards the end of the negotiations all issues will be on the table.
Eide expressed also his increased concern because as he said “things are not moving and I`m afraid that as they are not moving they are de facto moving in the wrong direction”.
Saying that the two leaders are strongly arguing in favour of return to the talks, he added that the problem is that they have not been able to sort out the factors in the right order so that the talks can actually start.
In an interview to a Turkish daily, Eide said that after Anastasiades’ move the ball is in Mr Eroglu’s court.
On the 26th of January, Eide will brief the Security Council in New York on the Cyrpus issue, and as he said “I will give as honest and genuine representation of what is going on here”. He added that he would urge cooperation from not only the sides in Cyprus but all other states to help to create the conditions necessary for a speedy resumption of talks.
Eide said that there`s no purpose of just talking, but there`s a need for the resumption of the talks with the purpose of actually getting somewhere and talked about the need for a structured agreement for the talks process within a time line that would allow him to go back to the Council a second time and make observations about “how well we are doing and how we find a solution”.
The new NAVTEX, issued by Turkey regarding its illegal seismic surveys within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, was one of the main issues of discussion between the UN Secretary-General Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide and the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe David Lidington on Thursday afternoon at the Foreign Office.
Arriving in London from Cyprus, the UN official had the opportunity to update the British minister on his meetings with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu. Eide outlined his conclusion, following the meetings, that current circumstances are not favourable to resuming the UN-led negotiations.
The Foreign Office pointed to a Tweet posted by David Lidington on his account, in which he said he was glad to welcome Eide to the Foreign Office to talk about his work to secure a settlement in Cyprus.
During the 40 minute meeting, Lidington reaffirmed London’s support for the Norwegian diplomat’s efforts to break the deadlock over the Cyprus issue. “You could say it was a routine follow up meeting following the visits of both to Cyprus, an opportunity to update each other and exchange views over all recent developments in Cyprus. Mr Lidington was there at the end of November and wanted to listen to Mr Eide’s more recent assessment,” a diplomat told CNA.
The discussion was mainly focused on developments surrounding the exploitation of mineral resources in Cyprus’s EEZ. “The meeting was held in the context of the recent development of the renewed Turkish NAVTEX,” said the same source.
Espen Barth Eide was in London to participate in the launching of the World Economic Forum’s ‘Global Risks 2015 Report’.
NEGATIVE REPORT
The UN Secretary General fully supports his Special Advisor for Cyprus and stands by his report, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric has said.
“The UN Secretary General fully backs the work of his special envoy Espen Barth Eide and stands by his report. As in many cases – in general terms – reports of the Secretary General elicit reactions from one side or another. There is no reason for us to comment on the reactions to the SG’s report”, he said.
Cypriot Permanent Mission to the UN is holding a series of meetings with all UN Security Council members pointing this out the references in the UN Secretary General`s report on UNFICYP which do not reflect reality.
Nicosia had on Tuesday and Wednesday a series of contacts with a view of deleting the reference on the so called “isolation” of Turkish Cypriots.
Sources say that Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides met with Ban Ki-moon`s Special Representative in Cyprus Lisa Buttenheim, while the matter was also raised to Eide. The UN is said to have put forward excuses such as the fact that the report has already circulated and has been signed by Ban.
Diplomatic sources say that head of the Permanent Representation of Cyprus Nicos Emiliou has sent a letter to Ban Ki-moon protesting the wording used.
In particular paragraph 36 contains wording relating to the so called “isolation of Turkish Cypriots”. It is noted that such references had stopped being included in the UN SG`s report after the end of term of Kofi Annan.
Paragraph 36 starts by noting that “an active civil society and the continued development of economic, social, cultural, sporting or similar ties and contacts can provide critical support to political leaders and help them to make the necessary compromises at the negotiating table”.
Similarly, it continues, “the removal of restrictions and barriers that impede the economic
development of the Turkish Cypriot community will promote trust”.
Such a development, the text reads, “will help to address the isolation concerns of the Turkish Cypriots, as well as their inability to participate meaningfully in an interconnected world, thereby preparing Cyprus for a comprehensive settlement. In my view, encouraging trade can only have a positive effect on the objective of reunification”.
“I once again call upon both community leaders to exert efforts to create a climate conducive to
achieving greater economic and social parity between the two sides, including through joint projects and increased trade, which will make an eventual reunification easier and more likely. In the context of an internationally sanctioned peace process, efforts in the opposite direction can only be counterproductive”, the paragraph concludes.
The report contains other problematic wording, the most serious having to do with hydrocarbons, with a reference to “common natural resources”.
It further avoids to condemn the violation of the Republic of Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the part of Turkey.
It also repeatedly uses the wording “Greek Cypriot authorities” and includes assessments of the situation as regards missing persons.
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