The two leaders will dine with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, in what has been classed as an ‘informal’ meeting, which would suggest no decisions would be taken or any plans laid out. This brings us back to the question of what the point of such a meeting be, considering there would be no agenda, and that one leader sets conditions for the start of a process that are well beyond the red lines set by the other leader.
Perhaps this was the only way of persuading Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar to agree to the so-called trilateral meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and Guterres. There had been an attempt by the UN to set up such a meeting in August, but it was publicly turned down by Tatar, within a day of Christodoulides announcing it was on the cards and was scheduled for August 14. The sounding out of the two sides continued and the ‘informal’ meeting was eventually agreed and finalised.
Speculation is that Guterres will tell the two leaders that his personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin, who is also expected to be present at the dinner, will carry on her effort to bridge the differences between the two sides for a few more months. Whether Tatar agrees to this, will depend on what Turkey wants. That he has agreed to travel to New York for the meeting indicates that Ankara might be prepared to show an element of flexibility and put aside, for a while at least, the conditions for sovereign equality and equal international status.
Despite the upbeat rhetoric, about seeking a positive result from the talks and going to New York with the best intentions, there has been a question mark over what Christodoulides’ plans are. He has had an easy ride so far, constantly calling for a resumption of talks, aware that Tatar would not agree. He has done nothing, however, to try to persuade the Turkish side that he means business. Repeating that he wants a resumption of the talks from where they were left off in Crans Montana, is no proof he is committed to a settlement, by any stretch of the imagination.
Former Disy leader, Averof Neophytou, said on Sunday that “it is not enough to declare our readiness for resumption of talks,” adding that Christodoulides should be going to the dinner “well-prepared and determined to contribute to the breaking of the deadlock.” He is absolutely right – the onus for breaking the deadlock that would set in motion a new process, belongs to Christodoulides, because the continuation of the status quo suits Tatar.
The president seems aware of this. Last Thursday, he explained that he was “not interested in the blame game and accusations.” He added: “It is our country that is under occupation and we have a responsibility to do whatever possible (to get a result), and I am going to New York with this mindset.” So far, he has not showed any signs of this new mindset, but if he does in New York there may be a small chance that Tatar would be forced to move from his entrenched positions.
