Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has said that he will submit a document comparing the positions of the Turkish Cypriot side with the joint declaration, agreed between himself and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in February.
The paper will be submitted during his meeting on Monday with Eroglu, in the context of the ongoing UN-led peace talks.
President Anastasiades, who was addressing, on Thursday, a group of university students from Greece, said he would also communicate the document to all parties involved in the Cyprus peace process, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during a meeting with him, on April 2, in Brussels.
Reflecting on recent developments, he said that the initial positions of the two sides have been submitted, adding that there is divergence between them.
“I would like to believe that these are just the initial positions and that further clarifications will follow”, he noted, adding that the joint declaration acts as a shield for the positions of the Greek Cypriot side.
He noted that ahead of his meeting with Eroglu, on Monday, a comparison of Turkish proposals in relation to the joint declaration will be prepared.
He explained that convergences and divergences will be examined. Accordingly, he said, the document to be presented to Eroglu will also be given to the UN chief and to all interested parties, including the various states which have expressed an interest in the Cyprus reunification process or which are permanent members of the UN Security Council.
President Anastasiades expressed the hope that Turkey’s declarations of good intentions will become evident in practice, via specific actions which will allow Cyprus to be reunified as soon as possible.
Referring to the discovery of natural gas within Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, he noted that it constitutes an incentive for a solution and at the same time upgrades Cyprus’ geostrategic position. He assured that all means at the government’s disposal will be used in the effort for justice.
Referring to applications of Greek Cypriot owners of property in the Turkish occupied areas to the “immovable property commission”, in the occupied areas, he said over 5,600 applications are pending currently.
“I don’t know how much territory these applications relate to but if time passes without progress, eventually certain aspects of the solution, such as the property issue and territorial adjustments will become areas which the Greek Cypriot side will not be able to negotiate on,” he explained.
Greek Cypriots who receive compensation for their properties are obligated to transfer them to the Turkish state and this is a concern, he added.
The Turkish state, he said, asks Turkish Cypriots to transfer their properties in the southern areas controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus in exchange for Greek Cypriot properties in the northern occupied areas. As a result, not only do parts of the occupied areas come under the control of Turkey but also Ankara has a presence in the territory controlled by the state.
Anastasiades then proceeded to present the main provisions included in the joint declaration.
Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded the island and occupied its northern third. UN-backed talks resumed in February this year, following an agreed Joint Declaration between President Anastasiades and Dervis Eroglu.
The leaders are scheduled to meet end of March while the negotiators of the two sides meet on a regular basis.
