President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday put the brakes on rising optimism over the UN-brokered Cyprus peace process saying that despite reported progress substantial differences on the thorny property issue are still there. But he also made clear that his face-to-face meeting in Nicosia with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci was carried out in a positive…
Leaders intensify process, governance and funding were discussed
Greek and Turkish Cypriots made progress on the powers of the central government and the constituent states, President Nicos Anastasiades, said on Friday, and there was sufficient common ground for an agreement on that issue. Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci on Friday kicked off the intensified phase of reunifications talks, which provides for…
A healthy dialogue needs trust says @KudretOzersay
With the events of Istanbul unfolding as a backdrop, former Turkish Cypriot negotiator in the Cyprus peace talks Kountret Ozersay maintains that “The main reason we have such a crisis, is the lack of trust. Trust is something which goes hand in hand with a healthy dialogue” He points out that “Initially we believed that…
The owner, the user, or common sense?
By Andreas D Symeou Negotiations on the Cyprus issue are entering their most critical phase ever. The property issue will be one of the main keys in reaching an agreement and the issue on which the least progress has been achieved so far. The few convergences that have been publicised were, in fact, mostly reached…
Akinci: Granting “citizenship” to 25,000 persons is out of the question
Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (26.04.16) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci has said that granting “citizenship” to 25,000 persons is out of the question. In statements yesterday in the occupied area of Cyprus after his 3,5-hour meeting with President Anastasiades within the framework of the Cyprus negotiations, Akinci replied to a question regarding…
[email protected]: Cyprus deal a Turkey gas pipeline prerequisite
In an interview with Greek-language daily Kathimerini, published on Sunday, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said a prerequisite for a gas pipeline to Turkey is a solution to the Cyprus problem. In reference to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s energy aspirations, Kasoulides said a Cyprus reunification deal could offer the possibility of routing a gas pipeline from the eastern Mediterranean to…
[email protected]: Turkish EU hopes rest on Cyprus deal
Democratic Rally (Disy) chief Averof Neophytou said on Saturday that without a Cyprus problem solution, Turkey had no EU membership prospects, adding that he hoped the formation of a new coalition partnership in the breakaway north would not impact peace talks. Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci handed over the mandate to the National Unity Party UBP…
Keeping the peace wheels turning
By Annie Charalambous Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides hopes certain issues determining the speed of UN-brokered Cyprus peace talks are overcome so that the pace picks up. Otherwise, he warned, the pace of the negotiations aiming to reunite the divided island will become much slower and this could stifle momentum. “I sincerely hope that within 2016…
[Hurriyet] Politics in 2015: Amid peace talks,hopes increase for Cyprus deal
Even though no resolution has been yet met, hopes have risen for a peaceful solution to the more than 40-year-old Cyprus issue in 2015. While ending the year, the two leaders of the Turkish and Cyprus communities on the divided island have for the first time aired on TV together to wish the islanders and…
On shaky ground
UN-brokered peace talks aiming to reunite the divided island have reached a “stage of uncertainty” with even agreements already reached becoming hard to realise, insiders told the Cyprus Weekly. Nonetheless, the imminent opening of a new crossing point at Dherynia, in the Famagusta district, is good news following a compromise reached between the two leaders…