Cyprus rivals launch new peace push

Rival Cypriot leaders Mehmet Ali Talat (left) and Demetris Christofias meet for talks in the UN-patrolled buffer zone of the capital Nicosia

Rival Cypriot leaders launched intensive talks on Wednesday on reunifying the Mediterranean island which the United Nations described as a "historic" move after three decades of failed diplomacy.President Demetris Christofias, a Greek Cypriot, and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who are both seen as pro-settlement moderates, held well over an hour of talks in a renewed push for unity."Today is an historic day for Cyprus," said UN chief Ban Ki-moon's special envoy, former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, who was at the meeting in the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the divided capital Nicosia.Downer said "significant progress" had been made to build confidence and create a solid foundation for the negotiations, which mark the first major push for peace on the island since a failed UN plan in 2004."There have been difficult moments over the past months and there will likely be further difficulties and challenges ahead. At the same time, the Cyprus problem is not insurmountable and the negotiations which begin today can and must have a successful outcome," he said.Wednesday's meeting-the fifth this year between the two leaders-paved the way for substantive negotiations to begin on September 11, initially focusing on power-sharing.Christofias and Talat are then expected to meet at least once a week. The two have also agreed to set up a hotline so they can remain in constant telephone contact throughout the negotiations."We are confident that we will succeed in concluding an agreement and hopefully as soon as possible... and hopefully... this year," the Turkish Cypriot leader said."There is a common will and a common desire and a common effort to achieve this target," added Christofias.The negotiation process has an open-ended timeline but the United Nations has warned that the talks can not go on indefinitely without tangible progress.The buildup to the talks has been clouded by the refusal of Turkish Cypriot authorities to allow Greek Cypriot pilgrims to travel via a town in the remote northwest of the island to attend a church service.However, hundreds of Turkish- and Greek-Cypriot peace activists rallied on Monday night in the capital's buffer zone chanting for a reunified Cyprus.Preparatory talks at committee level since March have been accompanied by confidence-building measures, notably the opening of a crossing in Ledra Street linking south and north in the symbolic heart of old Nicosia.It is the first intensive push for peace since a UN reunification plan was approved by Turkish Cypriots but overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots, just a week before the island joined the European Union in 2004.Optimists are pinning their hopes on the personal chemistry and shared left-wing politics of the two leaders. Christofias, who heads the communist AKEL party, was elected in February on a platform of relaunching peace efforts. Talat, who heads the leftist Republican Turkish Party, led the Turkish Cypriot "yes" vote in 2004.Any agreement the leaders reach will then have to be sold to the two communities in simultaneous referendums.Greece said it was hoping for a positive approach to the new talks process from its regional rival Turkey, which retains some 40,000 troops in the breakway north of the island."We would like to hope that Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side will approach this new process with the requisite political will, moderation and constructive stance, so that this effort can have a positive outcome," Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said.Talat said he was entering the talks with Turkey's full backing. "Ankara is supporting us in a solution," the Turkish Cypriot leader said.Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when tens of thousands of Turkish troops occupied its northern third in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080903161205.ele1eo0c&show_article=1&catnum=0

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