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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat at the 'presidential palace' in the north

POLITICAL parties expressed outrage yesterday at UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat at the ‘presidential office’ of the breakaway regime.

In a sign of protest at the UN chief’s “faux pas”, four parties - DIKO, EDEK, the European Party and the Greens - boycotted a reception held last night with Ban as the guest of honour. The reception, at the Ledra Palace Hotel in the buffer zone, was attended by representatives of civil society Non-governmental organisations and the diplomatic community.

The reaction was lightning-fast, the offended parties calling news conferences within an hour or so of Ban’s meeting with Talat.

“Mr. Ban has committed a gaffe of monumental proportions. He is unacceptable, out of order and has lost all credibility to monitor the peace talks,” declared European Party MP Rikos Erotokritou later in the day.

According to the understanding of the Greek Cypriot side, Ban was due to meet Talat at his private residence. Instead, the UN chief was received by Talat at the latter’s ‘presidential office’ in northern Nicosia, and the two later had lunch at Talat’s residence nearby. Greek Cypriot media were quick to point out that a red carpet was rolled out for Ban at the ‘presidential office’.

The official itinerary of the UN chief did not specify the venue, noting only: “Meeting with Mehmet Ali Talat, Turkish Cypriot leader”. But both the government via its spokesman and political parties insisted that an agreement had been made with the UN Secretariat that Ban’s meeting in the north would not be held at a place that in any way “evoked statehood” for the breakaway regime.

In no time the hunt was on for who or what was at fault for the change of plan.  By early afternoon, the consensus seemed to be that the Turkish Cypriot leadership had switched venues at the last moment, presenting Ban and his entourage of UN officials with a fait accompli. Politicians condemned the development as a Turkish Cypriot ploy to enhance the status of the breakaway regime, but were equally upset with the UN Secretary-General for going along with the arrangement.

Alexander Downer, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, sought to downplay the incident:

“It is well known that the United Nations recognises the Republic of Cyprus. The Secretary-General has met with Mr. Talat in his capacity as the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community…the venue of the meeting has no political significance,” Downer told newsmen at the Presidential Palace later.

Citing its sources, the Cyprus News Agency said President Demetris Christofias conveyed the government’s frustration to Ban during a private half-hour tete-a-tete at the Presidential Palace.

DIKO leader Marios Garoyian called the visit to Talat’s ‘presidential palace’ a major slip-up on Ban’s part.

“It is a blow to the impartiality and dependability of the United Nations. Mr. Ban is in breach of the UN’s principles and remit.

“We urge him to give explanations and make amends, and to reiterate his support for UN Security Council resolutions which condemn the establishment of the breakaway regime.”

In a similar vein, EDEK’s Antonis Koutaliano spoke of an “unacceptable” and “unprecedented” action that was in breach of UN Security Council resolutions 541 and 550.

DIKO and EDEK’s reaction appeared to have been somewhat hasty, coming before Downer’s clarifications early in the afternoon.

The European Party, which waited a little longer, said that Downer’s comments failed to convince them. “At any rate, Mr. Downer’s explanation does not justify this unacceptable action,” said Rikos Erotokritou.

Ruling AKEL and opposition DISY were the last to release statements. Both parties expressed chagrin and concern at the incident, but adopted a far more restrained tone.

AKEL head Andros Kyprianou welcomed Downer’s clarifications, but said the incident still left a lot of unanswered questions, such as which side broke the agreed arrangements.

“I shall go to the reception tonight, but rest assured I shall say what I have to say to the right people,” he remarked.

DISY deputy Christos Stylianides meanwhile cautioned against going overboard. “We should be careful not to overreact and shoot ourselves in the foot by giving too much attention to this slip-up,” he warned.

And in a statement released later in the day, DISY said it was “compelled to condemn and voice our disappointment over the deliberate but misguided manipulations of the Turkish Cypriot side.” The statement noted that the move had backfired on the Turkish Cypriots, given the UN’s unequivocal statement on recognising only the Republic of Cyprus.

Diplomatic sources told the Cyprus Mail last night that the diplomatic community “is absolutely disgusted” with the reaction of the majority of the Cypriot parties.

“The man is here to help find a solution, and this is how he is treated. These people want the kind of solution that is non-negotiable.”

As far as is known, the government’s policy on who can meet Talat at his ‘presidential office’ does not extend to EU or UN officials that are working on the Cyprus issue. The current policy has been in place since May 2005, after Jack Straw, then British Foreign Secretary was received by Talat at the ‘presidential office’ in the north. Then-President Tassos Papadopoulos then refused to receive Straw at the Presidential Palace.