Nami: the new territory map won’t be very different from the one in Annan plan

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris (11.10.13) reports that self-styled minister of foreign affairs Ozdil Nami, speaking at the Diplomacy Reporters Association (DMD) in Ankara yesterday, said that the positions of either side regarding the territory issue have been set out and that the map, which will emerge, is not expected to be much different from the one in the Annan plan. He went on: “We, as Turkish side, conveyed to the other side that we won’t be able to be in a comfortable position as far as the territory compromise.” He said that ten years have passed since the submission of the Annan plan and apart from the fenced off town of Varosha, additional investments have been made in territories which are subject to the territorial arrangement. “Life is continuing”, Nami said and added: “because of this, it is more difficult to make so many concessions. However, the territory arrangement will be approximately in a similar way to that map.” He went on that these issues are not issues that will be discussed for months, adding that the most complicated issue that remains open is the property issue. 

Reiterating that the Cyprus talks will be continued from the point they left off and important convergences during the period 2008-2010 on issues such as power-sharing and administration, EU and economy, were achieved, Nami added that the positive atmosphere should be utilized. Nami claimed that the property issue, which is one of the issues that was left behind, is not as difficult issue as it used to be in the past.

He also said that the side, which is stalling for time, will pay the price. “We think that the period until January is a reasonable period in order to reveal a plan for a new comprehensive solution.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot side will never allow the European Union to attend the reunification talks as another party, Nami claimed that the Greek Cypriot side had finally recognized that they cannot use their EU membership as a card to play against Turkey.

Nami also said the upcoming talks will not start from scratch in November, and went on to say that there should be a definite deadline to the negotiations, which he said cannot go on forever. He added that the Turkish Cypriot side plans to hold a referendum in March on the agreed-on solution.

On the issue of the reciprocal visits by the two representatives, Osman Ertug and Andreas Mavroyiannis, to Athens and Ankara,Nami said that the visits aimed to bring “symbolic spring weather” to the stalled negotiations.

Ozdil Nami suggested that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could one day visit the Republic of Cyprus. “I cannot speak on behalf of Mr Davutoglu. But I would say, ‘Why not?” Nami said, adding that if his Greek counterpart crosses in the “north” or if Davutoglu crosses in the “south”, or maybe they can meet in the buffer zone. Nami concluded that the date of Davutoglu’s illegal visit to the occupied areas has not been yet fixed.

Replying to a question whether the Cyprus Church will take or not a positive step for the Cyprus talks, Nami said that he doesn’t have any hopes for assistance from the Church, and added: “you know that its approaches come from the history, and this is not possible to be changed in the coming months. We don’t have a mission as to bring the Church in the correct path.”