UNO Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon sponsored Trilateral Cyprus' Talks : Geneva Progress Mystery ?

*Geneva/Palais des Nations/Angelo Marcopolo/- UNO Secretary General Ban Ki Moon-sponsored Trilateral Cyprus Talks, that he transferred for the 1st time in Geneva's superb "Palace of Nations", facing a splendid Garden/Forest with an eye-catching view over a huge Lake and the outstanding Jura Mountains emerging among the clouds,  may have, indeed, marked a "Progress", as he noted, but this also augmented a growing "Mystery" inevitably surrounding them:

- What really happened between the two main Cypriot protagonists : Cyprus' President Demetres Christofias and Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Comminity (in the area under Military Occupation by Turkey's Foreign Troops since 1974) -Dervis Eroglou, and why did they cancelled their scheduled Press Briefings at the last minute ? Which are UNO's Real Plans and Timing for the evolving prodedure, and why ? Will International/European Law (mainly UNO Security Council's Resolutions and ECHR's long-established case-law, due to be revitalized by EU LIsbon Treaty's "Charter of Fundamental Rights") be respected, or pushed aside ? Will UNO find a way to stimulate a Solution creating a Stable Federation able to generate converging (Economic and other) Interests, instead of diverging ones, and with a really Functional Power Structure, avoiding deadlocks, stagnating quarrels and conflicts, to prevent risks of Conflicts and a break down of a too loose confederation (as the famous American Constitutionalist, Alexander Hamilton, had warned the USA, already as 2 Centuries earlier), etc. ?

   - Contrary to the Past situation, "2 Months ago", when "I called the leaders together in New York, because I felt that the Negotiations were Losing Momentum", now, on January 2011 at Geneva, "there has been Progress since" then, UNO's Secretary General Ban Ki Moon unexpectedly stressed in his anouncement to Journalists present at the Palais des Nations at Geneva, including "EuroFora", at the conclusion of his meeting with the Leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Communities, during the whole Morning and after a Working Lunch, on early Afternoon.

    - "As recent Surveys have shown, both Communities in Cyprus want more than Talks : they want a Solution", Ban Ki Moon added in this regard, apparently referring to "Uni-Peace" Geneva-based NGO's Polls. "The leaders have heard that message and they are acting", he attested. Therefore, "I Welcome the Steps that (they) have taken Today, which give a Clear Indication of their Commitment to reUnifying Cyprus asap", UNO's S.G. stressed optimistically.
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    But Ban Ki Moon was Tight-lipped on the Substance of the "Progress" reportedly achieved in Cyprus' Talks : Instead of citting concrete Issues, he preferred to focus on Methods used to bridge the initial gaps, in a systematic, but apocryph way :

- On November 2010, "I asked .. to identify the Core Issues in all of the Chapters yet to be resolved", and "to agree on a Practical Plan", he reminded.

- "They have done this.... Both sides worked Energetically to take the Negotiations Forward", UNO's Secretary General found now, on January 2011. "Despite Mr. Eroglu's Heart Surgery (which cancelled a meeting), the two leaders held 4 meetings, while their representatives have met a further 13 times" meanwhile, he noted.

- In particular, "based on Discussions Today", at Geneva, "it is clear" that they "worked to Move Closer together through a Range of Bridging Proposals", anounced now Ban Ki Moon, reminding the working Method that he had revealed as early as since October 2010, in his reply to "EuroFora"s Question at EU Parliament's Press Conference in Strasbourg, with which UNO's Head practically kicked off his New Effort on Cyprus :  - "During the last 2 Years (2009-2010), they have opened all their Positions, all their Cards. And now (2011)  it's Time to Fold together whatever Cards can be Met Together, and make Decisions, on the Basis of Compromise and Flexibility", but, "most of all, ...a Long Vision for their Future", UNO's Secretary General had told us then (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unosgoncyprus.html )

- This was done "notably in Chapters of Economy, EU matters, and Governance/Power sharing", Ban Ki Moon revealed, adding also a 3rd, rather unexpected point to the 2 first, already citted by Cyprus' President Christofias as possible areas for some concrete progress, (See earlier "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport).

- "Nonetheless, more Work must be done to reach further Convergences on the Outstanding Core Issues", acknowledged UNO's SG, notoriously hinting at the Refugees/Displaced Persons' Human Rights to their Family Homes, Private Properties and to return to their Ancestral Land, as well as to Territory and Population, Security Guarantees, etc.

- For that purpose, "Today", in Geneva, "we have identified a number of Elements designed to maintain Momentum, and to address more Directly the Details of a workable, mutually beneficial Solution", as well as "to Clear the Air on several Key Issues", thanks to the "contribution" of this January 2011 "meeting's .. discussions", which were "Spirited and Substantial", Ban Ki Moon went on to reveal.

- In particular, "the leaders have discussed the Outstanding Key Issues in a more InterRelated fashion, since a Settlement proposal will need to consist of an Integrated Package across Chapters", UNO's S.G. anounced, apparently touching upon a Central point :

Greek Cypriot side's position has, indeed, been apparently evolving, during the last 15 Years, towards Political proposals to accept some limitations of Refugees/Displaced Persons' Rights (one of the Hardest points of Differences, as Ban Ki Moon observed earlier) in exchange of equivalent concessions from the Turkish side on the "Territorial" issue (i.e. on the quantity of Land attributed to each future Federated State), to which Christofias reportedly added also the "Population" issue, i.e. the number of Turkish mainland Settlers who might be allowed to stay in Cyprus.

This kind of "Properties for Land" political bargaining, had been Secretly evoked since 1997 at Montreux/Glyon UNO-sponsored Cyprus' High Level Talks, in a Message send to Ankara also through some Turkish Journalists only, that "EuroFora" heard by the then Government Spokesman. It became a louder message on 2004 at Burgenstock, underlined, this time in front of all Journalists, by another Government Spokesman during a confidential Briefing. Before it evolved into an Open, Public Call, launched this time by Cyprus' President Christofias on 2010, who added in the Equation also the issue of the number of "Turkish Settlers" that might, eventually, be allowed to stay in Cyprus, or not, according to overall compromises to be negotiated.          

But the Turkish side, while reportedly agreeing to add Land into an overall "Package",; nevertheless routinely searched, in the Past, to leave Territorial issues for the End of the Talks, contrary to what was done now.

+ However, Ban Ki Moon also anounced that he has "encouraged both sides to talk to (UNO) Experts, that I can make available, on the Technical aspects of the Property issue", as he called Refugees/Displaced Persons' Human Rights to Restitution, or, if it's impossible : Compensation for their Family Homes and/or Private Properties, as well as in order to "Return" to their Ancestral Land, as things were before the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion/occupation.

This is obviously a very delicate question, since, as a matter of general principle, Human Rights' issues should never be treated as ..."Technical" points, contrary to Turkey's persisting pressure, also because this risks to backfire, f.ex. as it occured back in 2004, unless it's properly handled in an adequate way. (On this point see also other, subsequent "EuroFora"s NewsReports, dur to be published asap).

Particularly when Ban Ki Moon himself just reminded, speaking to UNO's Human Rights Council here in Geneva yesterday, at the eve of his Cyprus' meetings, that "Human Rights are at the Heart of whatever we (UNO) are doing",  after the Historic UNO's 2005 Heads of State/Government's Summit and UNO's General Assembly at New York (Comp."EuroFora"' Co-Founder's NewsReports from the NY) decided to "put Human Rights at the same level as Development and Peace".      

- "We (UNO) must shine light on abuses Everywhere" violations of human rights exist, Ban Ki Moon stressed, calling "to fully rise above ..regional interests" and "go beyond narrow considerations", because UNO "must be seen as Impartial … and Fair. It cannot be seen as a place ruled by bias or special interests. It cannot be a place that targets some countries, yet ignores others. It cannot be a place (which) overlook(s) the human rights violations of" some. UNO has "To function impartially … (and) objectively" to "redress shortcomings on Human Rights" in the Past, as he said.
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+ Speaking for the Future of Cyprus' Talks, Ban Ki Moon added that "the two sides also agreed to Intensify the Negotiations, through a Series of Additional Meetings in the coming Weeks, and I have pledged to make Myself Availabe to them again, Soon, to continue to Take Stock of progress and to encourage the parties in further Narrowing the differences", as he said. But, contrary to those who speculated about another Trilateral in Geneva on March, he didn't anounce  yet openly any precise Date at all.

- Meanwhile, as early as "at the end of February, I will be providing the (UN) Security Council with a ... Report on the state of the talks", Ban Ki Moon also anounced, and, for that purpose, "I shall Closely Follow the efforts of the leaders in the coming Weeks, as they reach further Convergences accross All Chapters", as he said, obviously implying hard Political Bargaining with various "Give and Take" offfers. "If the Constructive Spirit that I witnessed Today continues, I am certain that I will have a Positive Report to submit", later this Month, he warned.
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    But he didn't explain in Public the real reasons behind such a sudden hurry to intensify efforts to solve a 37 Years old problem, so fast that moves would have now to be counted only in a few "Weeks"' time..

    So that, one of the unresolved yet Geneva "Mysteries "obviously is UNO's next TimeTable on Cyprus...  

    The Turkish side, after having, notoriously, draged its feet wasting Time for Decades, recently changed tactics, accusing now the Greek Cypriot leaders to delay Talks too much, pursuing unclear aims, and, despite a persisting Gap in core issues, it curiously claims that a solution might be reached fast, otherwise UNO's Secretariat should unilaterally impose another one soon.

However, the Official Agreement for these Cyprus' Talks clearly is from the start that there will be "No Time Deadlines, nor Imposed Arbitrages" from External factors, but a Free Discussion between Cypriot parties themselves, on the basis of UN SC Resolutions and a set of agreed Principles.

Greek Cypriots denounce gross Deviations of the Turkish side from UN SC Resolutions on Cyprus' reUnification, as well as from EU Principles and Human Rights, suspecting the Turkish Cypriot Leadership to rush to provoke a Deadlock in the Peace Talks, in order to exploit it as a pretext for a definitive Partition of the island. Therefore, they reportedly expect from the European and International Community, examining objectively the facts, to incite Turkey to respect the Rule of Law, and advance forward with proposals compatible to UNO, EU and CoE Principles.

So, while Ban Ki Moon should naturally make sure that both parties are making sincere efforts to bridge differencies and mark Timely progress towards Cyprus' reunification, at the same time, he'd obviously better avoid any Hasty, insufficiently prepared moves, in order to prevent falling to any eventual trap that might push him towards a provoked Deadlock...
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In the Past, during previous UN-sponsored High-Level Talks on Cyprus' issue, that "EuroFora"s co-founder had personally followed, (f.ex. at Montreux/Glyon in 1997, in Geneva on 2000, at Burgenstock on 2004, etc), the Parties had organized Press Conferences for all Journalists either at their respective Hotels or at UNO's premisses, usually in addition to more internal Press Briefings made by each Delegation separately.

But this time, "EuroFora" just witnessed UNOG's Head of Communications, Corinne Momal-Vanian, after settling President Christofias' scheduled Press Briefing at the Palais des Nations' floor 1, to discuss with T/C Leader Eroglou's assistants another Press Briefing, eventually at another Room, close to the Ground Zero collective PressRoom, while also advising them (as also "EuroFora" did afterwards) to choose not the same moment, but preferably another, f.ex. posterior moment to Christofias', so that Journalists would be available also for Eroglou, instead of doing that simultaneously at 2 differend places.

However, everything was unexpectedly cancelled at the last moment inside UNO's Palais des Nations, and, even if "EuroFora" didn't have enough Time to check (because we had to leave urgently for Strasbourg, to participate to  ECHR's Annual 2011 Press Conference, exceptionally fixed for early next morning at 9 a.m),  for the 1st time after covering UNO-sponsored Cyprus' High-Level Talks for more than 10 Years, now we didn't hear, nor learned about any substantial Press Briefings which might have been prepared separately, at each Delegation's Hotel, at least not until the Hour when we had to leave Geneva. Something which is a quite unusual Fact, contrary to the traditional Press Briefings, normally held shortly after such UN events, so that it opens many unanswered Question-marks about its possible causes...

 An unofficial Turkish (not Turkish Cypriot) source, speaking to  "EuroFora" at early afternoon, claimed that it was UNO's SG Ban Ki Moon himself who asked to both parties not to say anything to the Press, because that Geneva meeting had revealed hard differences between them, so that the UN preferred to hide strong disagreements behind a positive but false appearance.

However, when "EuroFora" asked Ban Ki Moon's Press Attaché, who was present on the spot, Vanina Maestracci, she sharply replied that, as a matter of general principle, "any party invited to UN-sponsored talks has a right to speak to the Press", (i.e., perhaps meaning f.ex. even the non-internationaly recognized, illegal breakaway regime of the Turkish Occupied Territories of Cyprus, where lived most of the Turkish Cypriot Community represented by Eroglou), and advised us, in order to be sure, to check what really happened with UNOG's local Press service based in Geneva.

But, while UNOG's Director of Communication, Corinne Momal-Vanian became then exceptionally unavailable, at least UNOG's new Press Chief, Alessandra Vellucci, clearly replied to an "EuroFora"s question (if it's true that UNO's SG Ban Ki Moon reportedly had asked the parties to exceptionally avoid speaking to the Press) by denying the above mentioned Turkish version (Comp. supra), and stressing that "it (i.e. the sudden cancellation : See supra) came directly from the Delegations", i.e. from someone among the parties' diplomatic staff.

It's true that UNO's SG Ban Ki Moon had warned himself, at the end of his statements to Journalists present at the Palais des Nations at Geneva, including "EuroFora", that, because "there (i.e. Cyprus' Peace Talks) are Issues of great Sensitivity, ... we have agreed not to take any Questions (from the Press) at this time", asking for "your patience and understanding on this", as he told us all earlier. But this didn't hinder the parties to make at least some Statements, at their own initiative, to the Press, nor the usual separate Press Briefings, etc., and, perhaps, it didn't even exclude full Press Conferences from any party which might have wished to do so, as long as UN Secretary General himself wouldn't be personally involved.
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    Apparently, however, the attitude of Cyprus' political leaders vis a vis Journalists present at UNO's Palais des Nations looked naturaly positive :           

 
    Christofias, at first surprised, launched a large smile when he saw "EuroFora" in Geneva, at his right side, (left side for those looking towards UNO's SG), afterwards thoughtful, finaly saluted, smiling, all Journalists at the end of Ban Ki Moon's statement.

    Also Eroglou appeared particularly active, coming and going in front of "EuroFora" already before Ban Ki Moon's statement, looking rather glad to be in Geneva, (that Christofias' aids, Georges Iacovou, an experienced long-time former Foreign Minister, and Nicos Emiliou, Foreign Ministry's Director, former Ambassador to Strasbourg and Brussels, already knew quite well).

    UN SG's Cyprus Envoy, former Australian Foreign Minister, (whose Brisbane basis at Queensland recently were targetted by exceptional Floods), reportedly saluted the Press, since early Morning, by claiming that, last night, he had "seen a Unified Cyprus in (his) Dream". Something to which Christofias didn't resist to the temptation to react by saying that "we have been dreaming that for more than 36 Years", (i.e. since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and still persisting Occupation of the island's northern part).

    Downer was later standing close to Iacovou, (who noded when he recognized "EuroFora"), while Lisa Buttenheim, UN SG Special Represntative in Cyprus was keeping a more discreet stance.
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     In order to justify Turkish side's recent claims for hasty moves on Cyprus, Turkish Prime Minister and President Erdogan and Giull routinely refer to a controversial 5th version of a 2002-2004 Failed Draft Plan, prepared and unilateraly imposed mainly by a former Brittish  "Labor" Prime Minister Blair-recruited former Head of UNO's Political Secretariat, Pendergast, a former Ambassador to Turkey  who knew to speak Turkish but not Greek, and was fired by f. UNO Secretary General Koffi Annan on 2005, who tried afterwards to personally supervise a New, better Start.

Meanhile, however, the move, by imposing a Draft obviously unacceptable to Greek Cypriots (by testricting too much Refugees' Human Rights to return, and for restoration of their Family Homes and/or Private Properties, as well as setting up a Shaky, too fragile, and fygocentric interests boosting confederation-like structure, ready to crack and break down at the first conflict, risking to provoke a definitive Partition, etc),  notoriously gave Turkey a pretext to appear, for the 1st time since it Invaded and occupied on 1974 the northern part of the island,  as if it would have Stopped Blocking UN  efforts for its ReUnification, so that EU could start Negotiating Ankara's controversial and impopular EU bid...

But, in fact, Turkey had notoriously undermined already most of UNO's previous attempts to reunify Cyprus in the Past, and Turkish side's intransigeance vis a vis the UNO had already gone as far as to openly .. REFUSE even to meet with UNO's Secretary General when Koffi Annan had explicitly invited to launch intercommunal Talks for a solution on Cyprus' reUnification "on the basis of UN Security Council Resolutions", at New York, on September 12, 2001..

The Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community in the Territories Occupied by Ankara's Army, Rauf Denktash then, had ironically warned Cyprus' President Christos Clerides that he would "only jumb in the air" when he decided, on the contrary, to accept UN SG's invitation and left for New York : Astonishingly, the Turkish side's strange warning proved true when the 9/11 Mass Terrorist strikes, which killed many Innocent People, appeared precisely when Cyprus President Clerides' AIrplane was approaching USA Airspace, so that he was excluded from landing in the US and was obliged to stop at Canada, and later return back Home, without ever reaching UNO's Headquarters at New York, (which had, at any case, been exceptionally "closed" for 2 weeks....

Thus, thanks to September 11's Terrorist deadly attacks, which killed some 3.000 simple, innocent People, by cancelling the September 12 UNO SG's High-Level Rendez-Vous on Cyprus (s. Supra), Turkey managed to escape from, otherwise inevitably negative consequences over its controversial and impopular EU bid.
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Even more, "EuroFora"s co-founder, who spoke on phone, during the 9/11 WTC strikes, (before even realizing what was going on !), with CoE's Rapporteur on Cyprus' issue, f. President of the Paneuropean Organization' Parliamentary Assembly's Political Committee then, Hungarian Socialist MEP Andras Barsony, was astonished to hear from the experienced, key-politician that, "after what is happening right now, (UNO's) work on Cyprus' issue will be freezed and postponed for later on in the Future".

- But even then, "it (UNO's efforts to solve Cyprus' issue) will re-start on a New, very Different Basis" (i.e. less contrary to Turkey's interests), he foresaw, as he told us while WTC twin towers were dramatically  falling apart, during that 11 Tragic Day of September 2001..

The "Basis" on which were founded UNO's efforts on Cyprus, were, indeed, one of the "Hottest" issues at that moment, to the point that f.ex. the Swedish EU rotating Presidency appeared then exceptionally upset and curiously unable to reply to "EuroFora" co-founder's Questions whether UN SC Resolutions continued to be the Basis for UNO Secretariat efforts on Cyprus, or not, (semething which, normally, should be taken as given...  - "I can't reveal anything about the substance of (UN-sponsored Cyprus') Negotiations !", merely replied us then, unusually nervous, the f. Swedish Foreign Minister Ana Lindh, (who was later murdered in an unclear incident).

However, that 9/11 "Prophecy" proved rather True, at least for a great part, when, during the forthcoming period of 2002-2004, someone inside the UN Secretariat started to provide former SG Annan with Draft Plans on Cyprus which appeared further away from UN SC Resolutions for a really ReUnified Cyprus, Refugees' Human Rights, Turkish Invasion Troops' withdrawal, etc, but much closer to Ankara's wish for a shaky, Loose Confederation, so weak that it would easily fall apart and result to definitive Partition, pushing aside Refugees/Displaced persons' rights, aggravating centrifuge interests, separating National Resources, keeping Turkey's troops too long, adding dangerous interim periods when Cyprus' Republic would have been abolished even before a New Unified State might have been firmly established and liberated from Turkish Occupation Troops, etc, which resulted to the 2004 notorious Failure (See supra).

Thus, Turkey, who had been notoriously stuck and cornered on September 2001, because of its opposal to UN SC Resolutions on Cyprus' ReUnification (See supra), on the contrary, obviously exploiting what happened after 9/11, during that 2002-2004 period, it started to accuse, for the 1st time, the Greek Cypriot Leaders, claiming that they would be opposed to a solution (since it was notoriously impossible for them to accept a controversial 5th version of a UN Secretariat's Draft), even if more than 75% of the Population voted against that particular imposed version.
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Controversial UNO's Envoy for Human Rights in Palestine, Professor Richard Falk (a U.S. Citizen), who was accused to question the 9/11 official version, later replied by pleading for Freedom of Speech and for the Right to find the Truth, denying accusations that he threw responsibilities to the US Administration as "false", but stressing that a New, Full and Efficient Investigation was needed.

It is notorious that several People, who had struggled together with 9/11 Victims' Families to find the full Truth on the Deadly Mass Terrorist strikes which killed some 3.000 simple, innocent persons, didn't yet see any really satisfactory and convincing Investigation on the 9/11 facts, many of whom remain still unclear, ...despite former US President GWBush's efforts to allow a Senate Hearing, an initial Enquiry by the Association of American Architects and Civil Engineers, followed by a multi-million $ funded, 4 years-long NIST's Technical Investigation on WTC's strange, total implosion, etc. Current US President Obama's Administration, almost 4 Years since his election, hasn't yet launched any new independent Enquiry on 9/11, contrary to hopes expressed by some of his supporters, as well as Victims Families' representatives including f.ex. NGO leader Beverly Hills, wife of a man traped and killed at WTC's upper floors, who later died herself in a shady airplane crush shortly after meeting with Obama.

But, independently of the 9/11 controversy, (which obviously exceeds far beyond the scope of this NewsReport), it's obvious that most commentators stick to an opposition between those who are suspicious of some kind of misleading cover-up, and those who throw responsibilities to some Islamic extremists, without even considering the possibility that these two opposed versions might be, in one way or another, totally or partially, both true..., given also the well-known complex links of some Islamic circles from Pakistan...  (Comp. next NewsReports)