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Cyprus Inner City Press Asks UN
To Confirm Lute As Envoy,
Spokesman Stonewalls
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
UNITED NATIONS,
May 8 – After the Cyprus talks
collapsed at Crans Montana in
Switzerland back in early July
2017, on August 3 Inner City
Press asked the UN when its
Special Adviser Espen Barth
Eide was quitting. It happened
on August 15; he has still not
been replaced as of April 17,
when Inner City Press asked UN
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric
about a report that incoming
head of UN Political Affairs
Rosemary DiCarlo would be his
replacement and wear, in
essence two hats for two jobs.
On May 9 Guterres will
swear-in DiCarla, in front of
"Photo Agencies Only." Inner
City Press has asked Dujarric
what that means, without
answer, and why the May 8 noon
briefing transcript is not
available. Here is the video:
Inner City Press asked
Dujarric to confirm that Jane
Holl Lute is Guterres' interim
envoy on Cyprus. Dujarric
refused. [Later, the
transcript became available,
here: Inner City Press: I
wanted to ask you, on Cyprus,
I'd asked you before — or
maybe it was Farhan [Haq] — to
confirm that Jane Holl Lute
was named as interim envoy; it
seems to be the case.
Spokesman: No.
That's not the case.
Inner
City
Press:
There is no interim… there's
no one reaching out…?
Spokesman: I have no
announcement to share with
you.
Inner
City Press: The…
the… the Foreign Minister of
Cyprus has… has thanked the
Secretary-General for naming
an interim official. So
who is that interim official?
Spokesman: I don't have
any announcement for you at
this point. Yes, sir?
Inner City Press: That's
kind of un-transparent.
Spokesman: It's not
un-transparent. When
we're ready to announce
something, we're ready to
announce. People from…
in 193 Member States often
announce things for us.
When we are ready to announce
it, we will announce it.] On
May 4, Inner City Press asked
UN spokesman Farhan Haq, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: A
spokesperson for the Turkish
foreign ministry, Hami Aksoy,
has said: "It is not
possible to reach a federal
solution with the Greek
Cypriots' mindset. We
believe it is time to try a
new way." So, this is
setting off waves, saying that
essentially that Turkey is
saying that the former
framework for dealing with
this may be thrown out the
window. Is there a
response from the UN? And
people there continue to say
that Jane Holl Lute is this
temporary envoy. Is that
something that you continue to
deny?
Deputy Spokesman:
There's nothing to announce
about any visits and, like I
said a few days ago, there's
certainly no appointment of a
special envoy to
announce. Regarding
these quotes, we're not going
to respond to all of the
rhetoric from different
officials, but what we have
made clear is the need for the
parties to come back to the
table, and we're trying to see
what can be done to bring them
back." On May 2, Inner City
Press asked the UN to confirm
or deny reports that Jane Holl
Lute is becoming interim envoy
- the UN refused to confirm.
From the UN's May 2 transcript:
Inner City Press: there
have been a number of reports
saying the Secretary-General
has made Jane Holl Lute a sort
of a temporary or interim
envoy on Cyprus. Can you
address that? I know,
also, in her other role that
she has for the UN… you know,
she has a number of other… of
outside… some business and
board… corporate board
service. Has this been
vetted?
Deputy Spokesman: At
this point, all I can really
say on that is that there are
currently no plans to appoint
a Special Adviser of the
Secretary-General on
Cyprus. Upon the closing
of the Conference on Cyprus
last year, the
Secretary-General encouraged
all parties to reflect in
order to determine whether the
conditions would mature again
for a meaningful process in
the near future. The UN
is in contact with the parties
to determine a way to seek the
outcomes of their reflections
and their views on the way
forward. Yes?
Inner City Press: But on
Jane Holl Lute, nothing?
Deputy Spokesman: That's
what I have for now.
I’ve got no further thing to
announce." And he closed his
Office five hours later with
nothing. From the UN's April
17 transcript:
Inner City Press: I want to be
sure to ask you something on
Cyprus, just to understand
better. There's a story
in the Cyprus Mail that says,
"Rosemary DiCarlo has the most
likely chance of becoming the
next personal envoy of UN
Secretary-General António
Guterres in Cyprus"… or “on
Cyprus”, I guess that would
be. And I just wanted to
know, is it even possible that
one could be
Under-Secretary-General of
Political Affairs and also a…
an envoy on a specific
topic? And when does she
begin?
Spokesman: As you know,
we announce new appointments
when we're ready to announce
them so that there's… wherever
we are in the world, there's a
wonderful game of speculating
what the Secretary-General
will do until there's an
announcement. As… in
theory, anything is
possible. But,
obviously, we're not in a
position to talk about an
announcement.
Inner
City
Press:
But isn't it a job that
takes…?
Spokesman: There was a
discussion yesterday with the
two… in Cyprus where the two
leaders had a frank and open
exchange of views during their
two-hour tête-à-tête
discussion, which was
facilitated by the UN.
This was the first time the
two leaders met since the
conclusion of the Conference
on Cyprus in Crans-Montana in
July of last year. Both
sides have made it clear that
the meeting did not mark the
resumption of the
negotiations. But,
obviously, as we've always
said, the Secretary-General's
good offices remain at the
disposal of both parties.
Inner City Press: And
when does Rosemary DiCarlo
start?
Spokesman: 1 May, I
believe." We'll see. The UN
wouldn't even give a read out
of UN Secretary General
Antonio Guterres' meeting with
Cyprus' foreign minister
Christodoulides in Rome,
despite Cyprus statements
about it being constructive
and productive. The UN calls
it short and not worthy of a
read-out. Video here.
From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: I heard you
talking about a bilateral
meeting with an EU
counterparty in… in… in
Rome. Did you give a
readout of the Cyprus
meeting? Because the
Cyprus side is. Deputy
Spokesman: No, there's
no real readout to have.
It wasn't a very lengthy
meeting. They discussed
a number of issues; as you
might imagine, Cyprus would be
among the issues discussed
with the Cypriot Foreign
Minister. Inner City Press:
No, I'm saying the
talks. They're saying
the President is ready to
resume talks and that this was
conveyed to the
Secretary-General.
That's the headline in the
Cyprus… Deputy
Spokesman: There's no
readout we have to provide of
the fairly brief meeting."
We'll have more on this. When
Guterres gave his speech on
2018 priorities on January 16,
among European conflicts he
did not even mention Cyprus.
Here was the entire section:
"Eighth, removing the
paralysis that has let
European conflicts fester and
freeze. Having started
two world wars, and taking
into account the resources and
capacities available to
Europe, it is unjustifiable
for conflicts in the region to
persist. Resolving these
situations requires pushing
back the dangerous tide of
nationalism, and revitalizing
the relevant mediation
initiatives – including the
Normandy Format and Trilateral
Contact Group on Eastern
Ukraine, the OSCE Minsk Group
on Nagorno-Karabakh, the
Geneva International
Discussions related to Georgia
and the “5+2” process on
Transnistria. A concerted
effort for solutions leading
to long-term stability in the
Western Balkans is also
urgent. I urge European
leaders to show that the
continent can live up to its
ideals of shared prosperity
and peaceful coexistence."
Maybe like with the UN's
regional groups, Guterres puts
Cyprus in the Asian Group. But
it is nowhere in his speech,
unlike Transnistria.
When UNFICYP Special
Representative Elizabeth
Spehar took questions on
January 17, Inner City Press
asked her about Guterres'
omission, about how much
leaving the Ledra Palace Hotel
will cost, and what happened
on the investigation of
UNFICYP CFO Husein Moussa for
becoming a Cyprus citizen. On
the last, she said it is
subject to a "professional"
investigation. Very thorough,
for an organization which can
evict and still restrict the
Press, for doing its job,
without any hearing or appeal.
Her answers are here.
We'll have more on this. At
noon on August 15 Inner City
Press asked UN spokesman
Stephane Dujarric, “Is there
any UN role during the
upcoming General Assembly week
to try to get it back on
track? And does the
Secretary-General take note of
various statements since it
fell apart?” Video here,
UN transcript here
and below. Now on October 6,
Dujarric has issued this
statement: "“At 10:50 am on 4
October, an UNFICYP vehicle
carrying humanitarian supplies
departed Nicosia for Greek
Cypriot communities in the
Karpas, as has been regular
practice for close to four
decades. UNFICYP was obliged
to limit today’s delivery to
medical aid supplies,
following the Turkish Cypriot
administration’s unilateral
decision to impose taxes and
fees on other humanitarian
goods. UNFICYP regrets the
decision taken by the Turkish
Cypriot administration, which
it considers to be an
unfortunate development. The
Mission’s role of delivering
humanitarian assistance to
Greek Cypriot and Maronite
communities in the northern
part of the island is based on
a longstanding agreement
between the sides known as
Vienna III, and provides
hundreds of elderly and other
vulnerable people with basic
supplies on a weekly basis.
UNFICYP stands ready to assist
the sides to reach a mutually
acceptable solution, with the
interests of the affected
communities in mind."
What impact will this have?
Back on August 15 Dujarric
replied that “The
Secretary-General was clear in
his comments in Crans-Montana
that he remains available
should the parties come to
him. I'm sure that
Cyprus will be one of the many
issues that will be discussed
in the Secretary-General's
various bilaterals that he
will have during the General
Assembly.” As Secretary
General Antonio Guterres has
been petitioned
by more than 2,000 people,
Inner City Press remains
restricted in its movements
and access in the UN, for
having covered the Ng Lap Seng
UN bribery scandal in the UN
Press Briefing Room. These
restrictions remain
in place 18 months later, even
with the 2017 General Assembly
high level week a mere month
away. Two days after Inner
City Press published the
two-page July 4, 2017 Eide
“Leaders' Meeting” statement
as leaked to it, scan on Patreon,
below here in full, it asked
Guterres' deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: I actually have a
follow-up on Cyprus. It was
leaked to Inner City Press a
document called Leaders
Meeting 4.7.2017, which
purports to be Mr. Eide
conveying what he understood
from António Guterres,
including by text message,
that, on troops, Mr. Guterres
wanted a reduction to the
level of those under the old
Treaty of Alliance, the levels
of 1960, and any number of
other issues. Given the
importance of the issue, is
that his position? And now
that Mr. Eide’s no longer in
the position, is this his
document? Is this the
final position of the
Secretary-General?
Deputy Spokesman: First
of all, I don’t have any
comment on… on leaked
documents. Second of
all... ultimately, the
positions in a diplomatic
process are ones that will be
evolved through discussions
with the parties themselves. I
wouldn’t have any comment on
what the state of play may
have been four or five months
ago. Diplomatic
processes evolve over time.
Here it is:
“Leaders' Meeting 4.7.2017
Eide: I talked with the UNSG
last night and also this
morning we were texting and
follows closely what is going
on and he is very interested
and of course, as all, he was
a little worried about the
lack of progress.
Based on my conversations with
him, I would like to clarify
the points he raised based on
the conversation I held with
him and his comments.
On security, I think we have
to start recognizing that what
we need is a new security
regime, not the continuation
of the old. I think we need,
as he said, the end of the
unilateral right of
intervention and the end of
the Treaty of Guarantees. The
current situation will be
replaced by a solid system of
assurances where the whole of
Cyprus and all Cypriots of
both communities will feel
secure and by robust
implementation and oversight
mechanisms that will include
an outside element
(international dimension: UN,
multilateral / international /
friendly countries. Current
guarantors cannot implement
and monitor themselves.
On troops, there would be a
rapid reduction from Day 1 to
a low level and then to
numbers equivalent to those in
the old Treaty of Alliance
(timetable to reach the levels
of 1960 and verifying
mechanism to oversight needs
to be agreed). In relation to
sunset clause versus review
clause, this was something
that would need to be
discussed at the highest
level. Need to discuss mandate
/ purpose / SOFA agreement,
obligations and so on.
On territory, the TC side need
to adjust the map presented to
respond to concerns expressed
by GCs regarding some
localities. You need to say
Morphou.
On property there are two
principles: for areas under
territorial adjustment and the
rest regime to be constructed
in a way that would lend
itself to give prevalence to
dispossessed owners but not a
100%, for areas not under
territorial adjustment regime
to be constructed in a way
that would lend itself to give
prevalence to current useers
but not a 100%. Specific
elements to be further
elaborated.
On equivalent treatment, as
regards permanent residence of
Turkish nationals to have a
quota and that should be
equitable to Greek nationals
who become permanent
residents, except the regime
related to students, tourists
and posted workers. Further
discussion is needed on what
is equitable on the
application of permanent
residence.
The issue of effective
participation needs to be
discussed further as regards
the issue of a favorable vote
(when and under which
conditions, which bodies and
the relevant
deadlock-resolving
mechanisms), while any other
remaining elements in
power-sharing, including the
demand of the TC side for
rotating Presidency should
also be discussed.” We'll have
more on this.
***
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