Hopes build for an early move on Cyprus

Optimism is building for a quick resumption of the stalled Cyprus negotiations. With both sides of the island and Turkey starting to implement an undeclared moratorium on hydrocarbons issue, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for Cyprus Espen Barth Eide, as well as the Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Özdil Nami both mentioned resuming talks "within weeks." Incumbent Turkish Cypriot leader Dervi? Ero?lu, in a rough contest to stay in office, declared his readiness to continue talks "where they were left off" once the April 19 presidential vote is over. Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades, who refused to talk as long as a Turkish seismological research vessel was in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, is also reported to have given his "yes" for the resumption of talks.

Before his trip to Cyprus, Eide met with Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlio?lu in Istanbul. Clearly, the optimism Eide has been encouraging for the past few days must have Turkey's support as well. The hydrocarbons moratorium would not have been achieved without Turkey's withdrawal of its Barbaros seismological research ship from Cyprus waters and its agreement not to renew its expired Navtex. For Turkish Cyprus and Turkey, the decision to stop next year's drilling and any possible future drilling, rather than the failure of the Eni-Kogas vessel in its repeated drillings to find anything but thin air, was meaningful enough to walk the compromise road.

Obviously, the optimism for the quick resumption of the Cyprus talks also encouraged the hope for a quick resolution. With the undeclared hydrocarbons moratorium - which the Greek Cypriots refuse to even acknowledge - and increased prospects of talks resuming in early May, there are expectations...