President Nicos Anastasiades has proposed the formation an international military police force for the federal state, which will be established after a Cyprus settlement, Turkish daily Milliyet reports.
This force will intervene if police at local level fail to resolve a problem.
Milliyet’s TRNC correspondent Sefa Karahasan, writes that the ongoing Cyprus talks have entered a critical stage, adding that during the seven meetings in August and September the two leaders will also discuss one of the most critical chapters, the guarantees. Karahasan argues that both leaders are planning to conclude the guarantees issue at an international conference by the end of September or in the first week of October, with the participation of the three guarantor countries – Turkey, Greece and Britain.
Milliyet managed obtain the proposal that both the Greek Cypriots and the USA brought to the negotiating table.
Victoria Nuland, US Assistant Secretary of State, presented her thoughts on the guarantee issue to President Mustafa Akinci during her visit to Cyprus. Nuland explained to Akinci that the “Guarantees proposal has been improved after a series of contacts she carried out in Turkey and Greece”. According to Nuland’s proposal, domestic security of the Constituent/founding States will be safeguarded by the federal police. Meanwhile, an international force including Turkish and Greek soldiers, will be deployed on the island for a period of time.
According to the paper, President Anastasiades, told President Akinci, who was explaining Nuland’s proposal at the negotiating table that he does not agree with Nuland’s proposal. Anastasiades said that in consultation with Greece, they have formed their own proposal. Noting that both sides have some concerns on the security issue in Cyprus, Anastasiades said that “the fact is undeniable that there is reciprocal insecurity”. Adding that the Turkish Cypriots do not believe that accession to the EU provides adequate security, Anastasiades said that “they are open to a friendly alliance between Turkey and Greece” and that 2,500 military police personnel could be deployed in Cyprus.
Later, Anastasiades presented the following proposal to Akinci:
- The Constituent State police will deal with problems at local level.
- If the police of the Constituent state cannot resolve an issue, and if the President of the Constituent State agrees, the Federal police will step in.
- In case the Federal Police is also unable to solve the problem, then within the scope of Greek and Turkish soldiers, the international military police force which will be consist of personnel from European countries and will be deployed within an agreed territory on the island, will intervene.
- If there is a deadlock, then the President of the Federal State, the Deputy President of the Federal State, the Presidents of the Constituent States with the Federal and Constituent police forces will come together and will advise on how to deal with the issue.
- At the end of the consultation, the decisions will be communicated to the Commander of the international Force.
- The Commander of the Military Force will be from a foreign country except Turkey, Greece and Britain.
It is reported that Akinci raised concerns about Anastasiades’ proposal. Akinci noted: “You have only mentioned the dimension of the domestic security. The 1960 Treaty of Guarantees also guaranteed the Constitutional order”. In response Anastasiades said that “the Constitutional order will be guaranteed by its own constitution and the guarantees that the EU law gives under the auspice of Cyprus’ EU membership”.
Akinci reportedly said that he takes a positive view on a guarantee system that will emerge without being threatened by the Greek Cypriot community or the constituent state and added: “The Turkish Cypriot people will not rely on guarantees that will come from any other country except Turkey. These issues should be discussed in a meeting with the participation of the guarantor countries,” he said.
Milliyet
