Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (13.06.14) reports that the Turkish Cypriot negotiator, Kudret Ozersay has alleged that the Cyprus problem had since a long time ceased being an issue which could be solved only by talking and added: “The Cyprus problem has actually ended in a sense. Because everything has been exhausted, what should be done is to enter into a kind of a give and take that will step by step close the existing differences between the sides”.
In statements to Anatolia news agency’s correspondent in London, Ozersay claimed that “some concrete steps” should be taken by the Greek Cypriot leader in order for the negotiations to develop more positively.
Explaining the reason of his visit to London, Ozersay said: “We have held some visits to Greece and Turkey and had meetings with the two guarantor countries. This visit is its continuation because Britain is also a guarantor power”.
Noting that they are now in the second stage of the negotiations described as the “substantial negotiations”, Ozersay argued: “The problem we are experiencing is that we do not know what the next stage will be. However, if this was known, the sides would behave accordingly when they were negotiating, they would take their steps accordingly and they would enter into a more serious negotiation. Unfortunately, an open ended process exists now. However, on the other hand, there are also some natural timetables. Some political and economic developments that should be taken into attention are waiting for us. No one can escape from this”.
Alleging that the Cyprus problem has since a long time existed being an issue that could be solved only by talking, Ozersay claimed that steps need to be taken which will secure that the Greek Cypriot side wants to change the existing situation. He alleged that if such steps are not taken, it is not very possible to solve the Cyprus problem only with negotiations.
Asked whether the negotiations are developing in a more positive way during President Anastasiades’ term compared to the former President Christofias’ period, Ozersay alleged that in order for this to happen, the Greek Cypriot leader should take some concrete steps and argued that many things developed far below their expectations during President Anastasiades’ period. He went on and alleged: “Mr Anastasiades has unexpectedly put onto the table some certain conditions. For example, he put forward the condition that we must give him some concessions on the issue of Varosha. Afterwards he put forward the condition that the EU should sit at the table. Afterwards he said that if a joint declaration is issued, he could sit at the negotiating table and the sides had been forced to negotiate on the joint declaration for many months. For what? For the resumption of the negotiations. […] There was no need for putting preconditions for sitting at the negotiating table to find a solution within the framework of the established UN parameters in the negotiations which have been going on for 46 years since 1968. This has frankly caused disappointment”.
Ozersay said that the cross visits to Athens and Ankara have positively contributed to the negotiating process and added that they are planning on holding more such visits.
Referring to the US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Cyprus, Ozersay noted that they attach importance to the steps taken by international players, including the USA, for solving the Cyprus problem or encouraging the sides “as long as the sides are treated in an equal and balanced manner”. He alleged: “This cannot be done only by making statements and encouraging. We all saw until today that it did not happen. It cannot happen only by saying that ‘I support the solution in Cyprus’. The Greek Cypriots should be forced to feel that some things could not be attained without the solution”.