Mounting war of words imperils unification process

NICOSIA: A planned meeting between rival Cypriot leaders scheduled for yesterday were called off as a war of words over a nationalist commemoration in Greek Cypriot schools threatens reunification talks.

There was no immediate statement from the United Nations, which has been hosting the talks, but the Cyprus government said that Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades had been informed on Wednesday that the meeting would not go ahead.

The row threatens nearly two years of UN-backed negotiations on ending the island’s decades-old division that many had seen as the best chance for a settlement since Greek Cypriots rejected a UN reunification plan in 2004.

A meeting on Thursday last week broke up in acrimony with Mr Anastasiades and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci accusing each other of walking out.

UN envoy Espen Barth Eide had voiced confidence that this week’s meeting in Nicosia would go ahead regardless, but the climate of trust between the two leaders has deteriorated.

The head of the UN peacekeeping force on the island, Elizabeth Spehar, had shuttled between the two sides to try to broker a compromise, meeting Mr Akinci on Tuesday and Mr Anastasiades on Wednesday but to no avail. Mr Anastasiades said the meeting’s cancellation was regrettable and that he remained ready to return to the table.

“I regret the decision of Mr Akinci not to attend the meeting tomorrow. I am ready to continue the dialogue at anytime,” he said on Twitter. Mr Akinci’s spokesman also confirmed the cancellation.

Tensions have soared over the Feb 10 approval by the Cyprus parliament for Greek Cypriot schools to commemorate a 1950 referendum on “Enosis” — union with Greece.

The unofficial referendum — staged before Cyprus won independence from colonial ruler Britain — overwhelmingly approved Enosis but had no legal value.

Almost 96% of the majority Greek Cypriots signed up in favour of union with “motherland” Greece in the poll held in churches and coffee shops, according to its organisers, the Cyprus Greek Orthodox Church. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.