Agreement on three chapters has reportedly been reached in the Cyprus talks in New York

Under the title “Three chapters are ok”, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (31.10.11) reports that an agreement has been reached on three chapters at the trilateral meeting taking place in New York between the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu.

According to the paper, the two leaders have agreed on Economy, Internal Security and the European Union, “except for some minor complications”.

The paper, citing information obtained by its general director Resat Akar, who notes that his information comes from “very reliable sources”, reports that there is consensus between the two leaders on the three above-mentioned chapters which are ready to be signed.

As regards the economy, it has been agreed that rotating presidency will exist in the Central Bank and the Commission of the Public Service. On this issue there is a small disagreement about the duration of the term of the Turkish Cypriot president, since the Greek Cypriot side wants the Turkish Cypriot term to be shorter.

The paper also writes that a branch office of the Central Bank will be opened soon in the north.

On the issue of the EU funds, it was agreed that the two founding states will be benefited by the funds as “two separate regions”.

The two sides have also agreed on the budget of the federal state. According to the agreement, the two sides will contribute to the budget in accordance to their population. In addition, the infrastructure problems of the Turkish founding state will be faced partly by the federal’s state budget and by the EU Structural Funds.

Euro will be the currency of the federal state. However, the Turkish lira will be in use one year after the solution.

However, the leaders have not agreed as to whether the agreement in Cyprus will become primary law of the EU.

As regards the Internal Security, two institutions will be established at a federal level. The one will be the federal police and the other will be the common investigation authority. Rotating presidency will exist in these institutions as well. However, when the president is Turkish Cypriot, the vice president will be Greek Cypriot and vice versa.

The numbers of the members of the federal police will be 500, while the number of the common investigation authority will be 300. The common investigation authority will deal with issues like terrorism, money laundry, human trafficking.

As regards the European Union, a common committee will be established, which will be exerting the decisions of the federal government in EU decision-taking mechanisms. The committee will be consisting of four members, two Turkish Cypriots and two Greek Cypriots. Again, there will be rotation in the Brussels permanent representation office of the federal state. When the representative is Turkish Cypriot his assistant will be Greek Cypriot and vice versa.

Equal representation will take place in judiciary.

In addition, it was agreed that the “alarm bell” method will be used in case there is an important disagreement between the two sides. The “alarm bell”, which is successfully used in Belgium, will be used for example in case that draft-laws are rejected or accepted by the assembly, and a decision against any community is taken.

Finally, the paper writes that it is expected that an announcement will be made on the reaching of an agreement on these three chapters in the New York meeting. The paper also writes that there is great possibility that the difficult issues are left for an “international conference”.

In addition, all the Turkish Cypriot newspapers report today about the New York summit.

Vatan writes that the trilateral meeting has started.

Kibrisli refers to the issue under the title: “Meeting without ties”.

Havadis notes that: “They started good in New York”.

Gunes refers to: “Critical hours in New York”.

Ortam reports on the issue under the title: “One more time”.