UN Head Ban Ki Moon starts 2nd mandate on "Enhanced" test on Cyprus issue on crucial EU- Turkey era

*Geneva/Palais des Nations/Angelo Marcopolo/- The next few Months may prove to be a Crucial Test more for UNO's own role in the World, than for Cyprus' issue itself, if we judge by the unusual, but very interesting context in which UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon anounced a kind of RoadMap to Cyprus' President Demetres Christofias and to the Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community, Dervis Eroglou, after holding a 3rd Summit at the UNOG, prepared by his Cyprus' Envoy, former Foreign Minister from Australia, Alexander Downer :

Indeed, Ban Ki Moon, who has just been re-elected for a period of 5 more years, "ending only on 2016", as he later told Journalists, including "EuroFora", in Geneva, at another occasion, (See other "EuroFora" NewsReports from UNOG), is personaly placed in an Ideal position in order to prove whether the .. "UN do not exist, as such", but "only States", as an experienced American former UN Official had stressed a long time ago at the CoE in Strasbourg, (and some, still believe today), or, whether, UNO can really became able to exist, develop and make respect at least some basic Principles and Values, and "Think Big", as its present Secretary General told Journalists, including "EuroFora", at a Press point, later this Evening, after a landmark Speech to the UN's ECOSOC Assembly, exceptionally meeting in Geneva this year (See relecvant "EuroFora"s NewsReport).

That's obviously because Ban Ki Moon is now able to act, in the  framework of his competences,  as he thinks best for the General Interest of the International Community, which has been entrusted to him, independently of any eventual Pressure or Threat by any State(s), and, therefore, can tackle the prospect of an "Enhanced" UN role on the notoriously thorny Cyprus' issue, (a "hard nut to crack" for more than 35 Years), as he has just asked to do, reportedly obtaining the agreement of both parties.
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- UNO's SG Rightfuly denounced a "Far Too Slow" "progress of Negotiations" between the New Turkish Cypriot Community's leader, Dervis Eroglou, and Cyprus' President, Demitris Christofias, in 2011, since even "some Important Areas have Not been Touched yet", as he criticized, (apparently pointing at the Territory-sharing and Security Guarantees' issues, notoriously kept by Turkey for the last stage : Comp. also President Christofias' Reply to "EuroFora"s Question on the Guarantees issue, when he visited the CoE in Strasbourg, back on 2008, initially published in full only in the Greek language version of our Multilingual Newsite). "On both sides the Public has become Weary", he regretted.

- That's why, in this regard, Ban Ki Moon, also righfully, "raised with both leaders the importance of Looking Ahead at the Objective, rather than focusing on the problem in minute detail", that being "the Commitment of both sides to agree on the details to create a United Cyprus", as he repeatedly stressed, adding that "the Parameters of the Agreement that we are striving to reach (are) as set out in relevant (UNO) Security Council Resolutions", and chosing even to conlude his Press Statement by pointing at "the compromises required for a Settlement and the prospect of Living Together in a United Cyprus".

- That's why we "must ReNew Hope and Enthousiasm for a Solution" on Cyprus' ReUnification, UNO's SG stressed with voluntarism, while fiding also that, "for this reason, Today's Meeting (in Geneva) has been Useful and Productive", as he said.
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But, perhaps, in fact, the most intringuing point emerging now also Officially in Public from the July 2011 Geneva UNO Top Cyprus' meeting is that of TIME :

- The bi-communal Talks started by Christofias since he took over on 2008, (changing the previous stance of former Cyprus' President Tassos Papadopoulos that Direct Talks should start only when UNO would attest that the two parties might have come close enough to have "a common ground" for the process to have a real Chance to succeed), were explicitly based also on the Principle that there will be no more strict "Time Deadlines imposed" to the parties concerned, (contrary to what had provoked a 2004 Failure of the controversial 5th version of a UN Secretariat Draft in the Past), and this seems to be still accepted by Ban Ki Moon today f.ex. when he speaks of "Cypriot-led and Cypriot-owned Negotiations", "aiming to reach a comprehensive Solution as Soon as possible".

- But, on the contrary, the July 2001 Ban Ki Moon's statement, (reportedly read on the basis of some "Talking Points" earlier drafted by his Envoy, former Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer), goes on to add also his "expectation that by October (2011) the leaders (of Cyprus' Communities) will be able to .. reach.. Convergence on all Core Issues", so that "this will take the Cyprus' Negotiations close to their Conclusion". "It would also pave the way for ... a Final, International Conference", as he anounced.

This inevitably raised immediately question marks in most Cyprus' politicians and people, as well as independent observers. Not because of UN Head's comprehensible wish to incite Progress on solving Cyprus' issue, which appears legitimate (Comp. supra), but in relation with Ankara's well known anxiety to to try to impose, at any price,
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What's the real reason for Turkey's "Submit or Crash" push on UN Cyprus' talks ?
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On TIME Deadlines, Turkey, after notoriously delaying any solution to Cyprus' issue for more than 3 Decades, suddenly started to desperately search to impose a make-shift, shaky deal, tailor-made for Ankara's selfish interests, apparently anxious of Cyprus' EU entry, prepared since 1990, but developed and realized between 1998-2004.

Now, the new fixation point is, for Ankara, July 2012, when EU Member Cyprus will take over the rotating EU Council's Presidency. Turkey claims that this might freeze EU - Ankara relations, but, in fact, Cyprus' policy is, on the contrary, in favor of Turkey's controversial EU bid, simply because Nicosia still believes that EU might oblige Turkey to at least respect some elementary Principles, if it wants to advance towards EU Membership.

At any case, a Strandstill in EU - Turkey Negotiations has, notoriously, already appeared, more than 1 Year earlier than that, as both EU Commissioners, various other rotating EU Presidencies, and even French President Sarkozy has recently observed, (f.ex. during his latest visit to Ankara as G 20 Chairman), proposing to the Turkish Government to better drop officially its controversial and unpopualr EU bid, and, instead, strike a deal with the EU for another kind of close relationship.

+ For all these reasons, in fact, it obviously can't be true that Ankara might really "fear" Cyprus' EU rotating chair (7-12/2012).. The truth, indeed, on the real cause for Turkey's sudden eagerness to irresponsibly push towards a "Pass or Crash" behavior from UN Secretariat on Cyprus' talks, (obvious in almost all recent Statements by Turkish Authorities, who routinelly repeat, nowadays, that a Deal has to be brokered on Cyprus' issue, at any price, before July 2012, otherwise, UNO should conclude that there is No Solution at all, and definitively Stop seaking Cyprus' ReUnification), seems to be absolutely differend :

- In fact, the only way to find a logical Explanation of Ankara's, otherwise strange, behavior, is to observe that, apparently, Turkey tries to ..exploit, to the detriment of the EU, a controversial concession reportedly made to the Turkish side by the current President of Cyprus, Christofias, (a former "Communist", reconverted in a kind of Socialist Left), who has accepted, without even warning his voters before his 2008 Election, a "Rotating" Presidency in a Future United Cyprus, between Representatives of the initially 18% Minority of Turkish Cypriots, and of the initially 78% Majority of Greek Cypriots (as things stood until the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of the Northern Part of the Island), i.e. something which is not only contrary to the Democratic principle, but, moreover, doesn't exist in any other "Federal" State in the World, (with the only Exception, eventually, of Switzerland, which is obviously an extremely rare, if not unique case); but only in mere Con-federal links between Separate, independent States, (f.ex. in the Pre-Civil War USA confederal, loose links, etc.).

+ Moreover, in the case of Cyprus, this could naturally provoque a Paradoxical situation, which would impose to EU Countries a ... Turkish President, (f.ex. a person of Turkish ethnic origin, language, culture and links), as early as since July 2012, without even having consulted neither EU Citizens, not even EU Heads of State/Government, neither anyone else inside the EU, ...

This would obviously have a Devastating Mediatic and political Impact against all those EU Leaders who refuse Turkey's controversial and Unpopular EU bid. In other words, Ankara, in fact, attempts to Exploit Cyprus' EU rotating Chair, scheduled for July 2012, in order to push its own Aim to enter inside the EU, even if EU Citizens notoriously don't want Turkey to be disguissed as if it was already a full EU Member, by hidding itself behind an Ankara-supported illegal Occupation regime's  politician, "leader No 2 of Cyprus", who would speak Turkish, be of Turkish Culture and Ethnic origin, be suported by Ankara's Military and Funds, and, therefore, serve Turkey's own Interests...

I.e., it's not true that Turkey might be "afraid" of Cyprus' rotating EU chair. On the contrary, the truth is that Ankara  attempts to exploit Cyprus' rotating EU chair, in order to push its own, selfish interests, and controversial, unpopular EU bid, even to the detriment of a really Peaceful and Sustainable Solution of Cyprus' ReUnification, and even to the detriment of EU itself...

=> So, if there is to be any Time-related Mark imposed on UNO Cyprus' Talks, for the sake of both attaigning a Really Sustainable Peaceful Solution of Cyprus' ReUnification issue, and of EU interests itself, this should better be the Opposite : Not before (as Ankara asks), but only AFTER the July-December 2012 Cyprus' EU Chairmanship, (i.e. in 2013-2014) !
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On the UN-sponsored Cyprus' Process itself,

Greek Cypriot sources, speaking to "EuroFora", noted as more important point of this July 2011 Geneva UNO meeting on Cyprus, the fact that the Peace Talks' process remains of "Cypriot ownership" and "without imposed Arbitration nor Time Deadlines", as well as "based on UN Security Council Resolutions", despite an "Enhanced UN Involvement", proposed by Ban Ki Moon and accepted by both communities' leaders, which might include also the presentation of concrete suggestions or proposals by UNO's Officials, even if final decisions still depend on the agreement of both parties directly concerned.

However, Opposition Critics, from various political directions in Cyprus, immediately started to denounce a perceived risk for some inside UNO's Secretariat to unilaterally take again the heavy responsibility to impose, in one way or another, what they might think as a preferable solution on Cyprus, passing over the concerned people's heads, if not also over UN and/or EU/CoE principles at least partly, and that, inside more or less Tight, Rigid Time Deadlines, as Ankara asks, suddenly anxious in particular to prevent Cyprus July-December 2012 rotating EU Presidency, in contradiction, however, with the facty that several Turkish Governments have, meanwhile, persistently obstructed any solution and refused UNO, CoE and EU Resolutions' calls to withdraw Turkey's Occupation Troops from Cyprus for more than 35 Years (1974-2011)..

Cyprus must not be condemned, in practice, to a kind of blackmail threatening to impose either a Partition or Turkey's desiderata, mainly through a previous Anglosaxon axis, perceived as traditionally closer to the Turkish positions, instead of those of Cyprus, often supported by the EU, Russia, China, etc, nor to Hasty moves to impose any kind of Deal just in order to "finish with it", without seriously considering the real issues, and/or by totally or partially disregarding Human Rights and UN SC's basic Principles for Cyprus' real ReUnification in a lasting and sustainable Peace, most critics say, anxious that external interferences and pressure might influence the way that UNO Secretariat's role might evolve during the next few Months.
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Concerning the Susbtantial issues,

An initially "Tabou" issue, that of a Trade-off between Greek Cypriot Refugees' and Displaced Persons' Human Rights to their Family Homes, private Properties and to return to their Ancestral Land, from one side, and Territory-sharing between the two future federated entities, under predominantly Turkish Cypriot or Greek Cypriot governance, apparently took a special importance at this, July 2011, UNOG meeting on Cyprus.

+ Turkish sources, speaking to "EuroFora", claimed that Eroglou would have reduced his previous refusal of Christofias proposal for a compromise between Greek Cypriot Refugees' Human Rights and Turkish- Occupied Territory, by accepting to consider it, but without agreeing to go as far as to start discussing in this regard also the Geographic Tracing of "Borders" between the two future federated entities due to compose the planned Cyprus' Federal State, (since they reportedly still refuse to negotiate on a Map).  

However, Greek Cypriot sources downplayed the issue claiming that this wasn't really new, but already evoked in the Past, with the previous Turkish Cypriot leader Talat.
At any case, Greek Cypriot sources point, in this regard, with careful hopes to Ban Ki Moon's statement asking to "find a Way through the Difficult Core Issues", "expecting" from them to "reach .. Convergence on All Core Issues", i.e. apparently also by making eventual Combinations between them (f.ex. Refugees and Territory, etc. See supra).
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In fact, Turkey, the Occupying Foreign Power, is the Last actor in the world which might accuse Cyprus, an EU Member Country still irregularly semi-occupied by Ankara's Military, to eventually refuse UN rules, considering the Fact that, already back on 2001, both the then Turkish Cypriot Leader (Rauf Denktash) and Ankara's Government, had openly and officially Refused even to accept a UNO Secretary General's invitation to start Peace and ReUnification Talks in New York on September 12, 2001.  

It was only the sudden appearance of the ill-elucidated Mass Terrorist Massacre of some 3.000 innocent People at New York's World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, etc., just one Day before the UNO's Rendez-vous on Cyprus : on September 11, 2001, which practivally saved Turkey, at the last minute, (hindering the then Cyprus' President Glafcos Clerides' Airplane, which had arrived already in North America, from coming to New York), from an otherwise inevitable UNO and EU Sanction against such a totally Negative stance, motivated by Ankara's refusal to accept an explicit UN reference to UNO Security Council's Resolutions as being the Basis for the Solution to Cyprus' issue, (as Turkish diplomats had been repeatedly Threatening, since 2000, to Stop any Cyprus' Talks if UNO based them on UN SC's Resolutions : Blackmail denounced also by a "Secret" Letter from Clerides to EU Parliament's President since 2.000).

"EuroFora"s co-founders' persistent Questions, between 2000 and 2001, both on EU rotating Presidencies (f.ex. Sweden, when even the earlier sympathetic former Foreign Minister Anna Lindt appeared astonishingly nervous and totally Unable to reply to our simple and crystal-clear question if "EU supported UN SC Resolutions as Basis for Cyprus Talks, or not", telling us only that "I can't reveal in Public what is going on in Talks which are supposed to be Confidential", and, therefore, Secret), and, mainly, to the then UNO's Secretary General Kofi Annan, (who, despite kindly giving us a long and interesting Reply on other points, nevertheless, suprisingly, totally abstained from any Answer to the specific point of our Question on UN SC Resolutions), revealing at least an "obscur" stance on that Crucial Political and Human Rights point, had incited, (after several Reactions by various Top Political Personalities in Cyprus, Greece and elsewhere, including in the UN, which found its Top Decision-making body Dangerously Humiliated by the Turkish Refusal of its New York decisions), the UN to make their stance crystal-clear on August 2001 :

- Former UNO's Secretary General Koffi Annan's official Letter inviting Cyprus' leaders to the September 12, 2001 New York Peace Talks, indeed, explicitly asked them to come for Talks based on UN SC Resolutions, triggering the Turkish side's blatant Refusal, which was only covered-up, at the last minute, by 9/11 Massacre, reportedly master-minded by a Pakistani immigrant in Hamourg, Germany, Attas, known for being close to the Secret Services of Pakistan's Military, which notoriously keep close links to the Turkish Military.

But, the very Same Day of September 11, 2001, while WTC Towers were burning at New York, in a Phone Call we made to the experienced CoE's then Rapporteur on Cyprus' issue, long-time powerful President of CoE Assembly's Political Committee, Hungarian f. Minister Andras Barsony, (Socialist party), we were surprised to suddenly hear from such a Key personality on the PanEuropean and International ramifications of Cyprus' issue and EU/CoE-Turkey relations then, that, "after what happened today (9/11) the Cyprus issue will be "Freezed" for some time, and, afterwards, it will start again, but on an entirely New Basis" !...

These Barsony's progostics, apparently, proved Prophetic : Indeed, Turkey astonishingly escaped (thanks to the 9/11 Massacre, which covered up other Topical issues) from any UNO and/or EU Sanction for its blatant  Refusal even to accept a UNO Secretary General's official Invitation to start Peace/ReUnification Talks on Cyprus on September 12, 2001 (See supra), and, later-on, between 2002-2004, for the first time, differend, controversial Versions of a UN Secretariat's Draft Plan, emerged, (mainly led by a Brittish Diplomat earlier Ambassador to Turkey, and speaking Turkish, but not Greek, who seemed also at least indirectly related with some networks, including even .. homonymes, perhaps relatives, involved with Oil/Gas issues such as Discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico, of similar Geologic Structure as that of Cyprus' South-Eastern Mediterranean Surroundings : He was dismissed and replaced, after his Plan failed, by former UN SG Koffi Annan himself, who replaced him with Ismael Gabari, an obviously more Objective UN Officer, who had already succesfully overseen South Africa's Historic End of Appartheid)..
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    But, as some Experienced Danish a.o. sources, familiar to Turkey's "Deep State", had aleady warned "EuroFora" a long time ago, after controversial, doubtful, too long, too Risky and too expensive Pipelines "Baku - Ceyhan", perhaps due to be followed also by Nabucco (if the current Lack of gas providers, as well as a growing Competition from Other, Alternative Projects might, eventually, be overcome in the Future), Ankara's Military would "never accept a real ReUnification of Cyprus, because it will always want to keep an absolute Control on the Security of Oil and/or Gas Ship Transports"..                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
    This proved .. prophetical, since, indeed, Turkey's "Partitionist" stance, became even more serious and stuborn, particularly during and mainly after the construction of the controversial, and too expensive Baku-Ceyhun Oil Pipeline, which ends in front of the currently Occupied by Ankara's Invasion Army, Cyprus' Pentadactylos' long range ..

Prepared since 2002 but inaugurated only on 2006, and by a timely "coincidence", precisely, only when an unclear provocation pushed to the most recent Israel-Lebanon War, pushing Oil Prices in Stock Markets up to the Highest levels, never seen before, the controversial Baku-Ceyhun Oil Pipeline, (which, in fact, suddenly became Economically "viable" only when even innocent People, including small Children, were killed during the 2006 Lebanon - Israel Border Conflict),  is logically suspected to have seriously diminished, if not totally evaporated, any eventual Turkey's readiness to accept a Peace Agreement on Cyprus which would really ReUnify the island. On the contrary, Ankara's insistance to impose the traditional Turkish Partitionist aims, in one way or another, became even more heavy ...

    So, it's easy to guess the real reasons for which Turkey, (backed by a Lobby linked, precisely, to the Baku-Ceyhun and/or Nabucco Oil/Gas Pipeline projects), has recently become obviously Indifferend about whether Cyprus' Talks might end up into succeeding to find a Solution for the ReUnification of the island, or, on the contrary, end up in a Deadlock, or even break down : That would obviously serve Ankara's interests related to its wish to keep a Total Military Control over Strategic Oil/Gaz Transport Routes, even by Sea, i.e. close to the Northern Territories of Cyprus, which, precisely, continue to be under Turkish Military Occupation...
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    However, another recent Development, in the overall context of Cyprus' issue, obviously is also EU's role, which cannot remain still so reduced as Turkey had imposed in the Past :

    Indeed, after 2004, Cyprus is now a full EU Member, and Turkey, despite controversies on its notoriously controversial and unpopular EU bid, at least has started, since 2005, and continues even today, Open-ended but Lucrative EU Negotiations, costing more than 800 Millions € from EU Taxpayers' Money in full Grants each Year...

    Moreover, after the December 2009 entry into force of EU's New Lisbon Treaty, Human Rights (as those of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced persons, as well as "Missing" Persons' and their Families, etc) have started to be applicable on all EU acts, thanks to EU's Charter of Fundamental Freedoms, while, also , EU is currently starting to develop a New European Diplomacy, after the appointment of Cathy Ashton as EU Commission's vice-President in charge of Foreign Policy, placed at the Head of a 6.000 member strong, brand new, EU "'External Action Service", which cannot remain Idle on Cyprus for too long...

    F.ex. it would be a blatant Paradox if EU remained today, after all the above mentioned recent developments, without any Direct implication in the UN sponsored Cyprus' Talks, while, on the contrary, even back on 1997, when neither Cyprus, nor Turkey hadn't even started Negotiations with the EU, nevertheless, EU Council had sent a Permanent Envoy, (in the form of an experienced Ambassador from Ireland), to directly follow the Cyprus' Talks under UNO auspices f.ex. at Montreux/Glyon, (See, f.ex., Exclusive Statements that the EU Envoy had given then to "EuroFora"s co-Founder, which were published in 2 Media, including a Press Agency).

    Therefore, this clearly seems to be the wrong time for Turkey to eventually persist in claiming that EU should not be involved in at least those aspects of Cyprus' issue which directly affect Vital EU Interests, Values and Principles, particularly those who count most in EU Citizens' eyes..

    This naturally includes Christofias' controversial move to accept a kind of "Rotating Presidency" between the 78% Greek Cypriot Majority and the 18% Turkish Cypriot Minority population, (as it was initially, before the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation, followed by illegal Settlers' influx frm Turkey's mainland, while Greek Cypriot Refugees are still hindered to return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land, contrary to UN SC, EU and CoE Resolutions, as well as to ECHR's Judgements), particularly if it might result into an attempt to impose a Turkish ethnic origin, culture, language and political affiliation "President" even to the EU itself, without even previously consulting it... (Comp. supra).
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    Moreover, EU could be particularly useful, if adequately used by the UNO, in order to help create a realistic but solid base of Socio-Economic Commong Interests, able to bring closer together Greek and Turkish Cypriots, so that a Political Solution might become easier.

    Such a possible move might take f.ex. the forme of Grants, Low Interest Loans, Guarantees, Technical advise, etc, in order to help Common Projects able to develop a real "Economif Integration" of the 2 parts of the island", precisely as a former EU Chairman in office, Dutch Foreign Minister, had earlier told "EuroFora"s co-founder, in reply to our Question, (published in "TCWeekly"), precisely when the "Green Line" Trade Regulation, a.o. were initially adopted...
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    Meanwhile, as far as UNO itself is concerned, it's obviously  important, both for its Credibility and Efficiency, as well as for its own Independence vis a vis any eventual pressures from outside, to help keep Freedom of Press and Speech intact, at least on Cyprus' issue. This will also be a "Test" of the Credibility and Objectivity of UNO's "Enhanced Role" (See supra).

    It's obviously not with brutal Censorship or other eventually undemocratic ways that "Hope and Enthousiasm for a Solution" might be "renewed", and the "Public" stop being "weary", as UNO's SG Ban Ki Moon rightfully asked today.

    On the contrary, in order to really "prepare their respective communities for the Compromises required for a Settlement and (what is most important) the Prospect of Living Together in a United Cyprus", as he went on to conclude his Geneva Statements, People must TRUST those in charge of leading the UN process as Objective and Well intentioned People, sincerely committed to work correctly, and in  a Democratic way, Able and Intelligent enough to have Replies to give to any Legitimate Concerns or Questions raised by People involved, and to convince them that that's the Best way to advance forward for all those who sincerely wish a stable, and not shaky, Solution for a Real Cyprus' ReUnification, respectful of its People's main Rights, and able to stimulate those indispensable Common Interests which can successfully keep the pieces together in an harmonious whole whithout any more Tragic Conflicts, but towards a United and Peaceful Future.
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    Last but not least, (Unfortunately in "EuroFora"s s just personal view), Christofias apparently reiterated his entourage's refusal of UN SG Ban Ki Moon's reported suggestion to hold at least some Cyprus Talks Meetings abroad, (f.ex. in Switzerland), so that they wouldn't be so much influenced by local Media and Lobbies.

Something which went contrary to Christofias' view on the "Cypriot ownership" of UN sponsored Talks, but also excluded a nice and practical possibility to hold Cyprus' talks in a so beautiful Natural Environment as that of UNOG, be it inside Geneva itself, or any where else around Switzerland''s spledid landscapes, full of Mountains and crystal Lakes inciting to look High at a Big Horizon...

(NDLR : Draft, Incomplete News, as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A complete, more accurate, Final Version is due asap).