Stefanou said that the letter – copies of which were provided to members of the National Council – aimed to “demonstrate and condemn the unacceptable aspect of the Turkish proposals”, adding people should be able to “read it, assess it, and judge it” for themselves.
The government spokesman said that the letter “emphasises the framework of the process, but also the basis for the negotiation which was agreed between the two communities and adopted by the UN; for example that it belongs to the Cypriots, that there are no strict timelines and there is no question of new arbitration.”
He added: “The President emphasises in his letter that many of the (Turkish Cypriot) positions contradict both the agreed basis as well as the sensitive balance that has been created throughout these years” within the framework of the UN’s efforts.
Stefanou said that the letter drew particular attention to the “bitter experiences” of the 2004 Annan Plan, which it characterised as “an unfair and unbalanced plan, and a non-functional and non-viable proposed settlement”.
In the letter, Christofias reinforced his assessment of the unacceptability of the recent Turkish Cypriot proposals on governance and power-sharing, by demonstrating in detail that they went further than the 2004 plan which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Greek Cypriot side for being “one-sided”.
Noting that the Annan plan was a product of a “one-sided arbitration in favour of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side” and that it provided for a “non-functional and non-viable proposed settlement,” the President states that “it was, therefore, essential to bring about such substantial improvements in the various aspects of the Cyprus problem that would allow a possible agreement to be acceptable to the Greek Cypriots.”
Despite this, “some people have used their favourite tactic in rushing once more to distort, to raise fears and try to panic the people into believing that the President is supposedly striving to bring back the Annan Plan or Annan-style plans, which in addition will be imposed on the people.”
Stefanou said: “The people, of course, recognise that neither is the Annan Plan coming back, nor is there any plan coming from abroad to be imposed on the people. We have said this many times, but some people are monotonously and insistently harping on the same tune.”
WHAT THE LETTER SAID:
“…It is thus regrettable that the Turkish Cypriots did not adhere to a similar standpoint. Many of their positions contradict both the agreed basis, as well as the sensitive balance, created throughout these years… the Turkish Cypriot side supports positions which contravene the agreed basis and the sensitive balances which have been shaped during decades of negotiations…”
By Charles Charalambous,CyprusMail. Published on January 21, 2010
