Esra Aygin
Appeasing fears prevalent in some circles that Turkey might
not be sincere in its apparent support for a solution to the Cyprus problem, Ankara
once again gave assurances of unfaltering determination to back the current
negotiation process and the prospect of a referendum in the first half of 2016.
Senior Turkish officials in Ankara reiterated full support
for the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides’ pursuit of a federal settlement
during a visit earlier this month by Turkish Cypriot chief negotiator Özdil
Nami. A diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, described Nami’s
visit as ‘extremely positive’ and underlined that Ankara is very pleased with
the speedy progress achieved at the negotiation table in such a short period of
time. Ankara feels that it has regained the moral high ground in the
negotiations, which it had lost due to the intransigent stance of the former
Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, the source said.
During the Ankara visit, Nami and the Turkish Cypriot
negotiation team accompanying him, held meetings with Turkish Minister of
Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu, Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu of
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other high-ranking officials.
During a half-day meeting with Undersecretary Sinirlioglu and
ministry officials responsible for Cyprus, all the convergence papers prepared
by the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides were reviewed, while discussions
were held on outstanding issues including property, territory, security and
guarantees, which are all currently on the negotiation table, according to the
source. Nami and his team were later received by Foreign Minister Cavusoglu,
who reiterated support for a federal solution in Cyprus.
According to the same source, Turkey’s biggest concern in a prospective
settlement is to ensure the security and political equality of Turkish
Cypriots. “It is very clear that Turkey wants the Cyprus problem to be solved,”
the source said. “But it wants to be sure that the current climate of peace and
calm on the island will not be spoiled and that the Turkish Cypriots will
really be a politically equal partner of the federation.”
While Ankara agrees that the convergences reached by the
sides on the topic of governance and power sharing are very positive, it
supports Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci’s argument that rotating
presidency – which the Greek Cypriot side has not yet accepted - is an
essential ingredient of political equality, the source said.
Ankara is particularly pleased with the agreement recently reached
by the two leaders in Cyprus on property, according to the source. After a
meeting on 27 July between Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Greek
Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special
Advisor in Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, told journalists that, “Regarding
property, the leaders agreed that the individual’s right to property is
respected. There shall be different alternatives for the regulation of the
exercise of this right. Dispossessed owners and current users shall have
various choices regarding their claims to affected properties. These different
choices shall include compensation, exchange and reinstatement. The exercise of
any such choice shall be subject to agreed criteria. There shall be a list of
categories of affected properties. There shall be an independent Property
Commission mandated to resolve property claims based on mutually agreed
criteria. The Property Commission shall comprise of equal number of Turkish
Cypriot and Greek Cypriot members.”
Turkish officials believe it is of particular importance
that the right to property of users has been recognized by the Greek Cypriot
side, as well as the right to property of the original owners, and that the
resolution of property claims will be handled by a Property Commission,
according to the source.
Another important issue discussed in Ankara was the ways of financing
a solution, and in particular, ways of raising funding for the payment of
compensations as part of the solution of the property problem, the source said.
During the meetings with Nami and his team, it was decided that Turkey would
take up the issue and study ways of raising funds, including international
funding, taking advantage of possible EU resources, and possibility of
developing the Turkish Cypriot properties in the south.
“Turkey wants the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides to
finalize the current stage of negotiations as soon as possible and to move on
to the next stage, where the thorny issues of securities and guarantees will be
taken up in an international conference with the participation of Turkey,
Greece and the United Kingdom,” the source said.
Turkey has not given any indications on what its stance will
be regarding the security and guarantee agreements that are currently in place.
Turkish officials have, on a number of occasions, stated that the issue would
be discussed when the right time comes and all other outstanding issues have
been solved or are close to being solved.
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