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| UN clears path to peace in Cyprus | UN clears path to peace in Cyprus |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Paul Henley BBC News The mines were laid by the Turkish military in 1974 | By Paul Henley BBC News The mines were laid by the Turkish military in 1974 |
| Minutes before you enter a minefield, you find yourself paying very close attention to the safety briefing telling you exactly where you can and cannot place your feet. | Minutes before you enter a minefield, you find yourself paying very close attention to the safety briefing telling you exactly where you can and cannot place your feet. |
| A sea of multi-coloured wooden pickets on rolling grassland inside the so-called buffer zone between Cyprus and its Turkish-controlled north, is proof of months of painstaking work carried out by UN experts. | |
| In full protective equipment and with one arm behind their back - so that they might at least keep that limb if a device goes off - they scan the ground, kneeling, with a metal detector. | In full protective equipment and with one arm behind their back - so that they might at least keep that limb if a device goes off - they scan the ground, kneeling, with a metal detector. |
| They then pick with a metal prong and a trowel, centimetre by centimetre, at the clumps of earth and stones, before gingerly extracting anti-personnel and anti-tank mines which could go off with minimal pressure. | They then pick with a metal prong and a trowel, centimetre by centimetre, at the clumps of earth and stones, before gingerly extracting anti-personnel and anti-tank mines which could go off with minimal pressure. |
| Their work, and the three serious injuries that have occurred in these minefields in the past two months alone, are testimony to the dangerous legacy of a 35-year-old conflict on Cyprus. | Their work, and the three serious injuries that have occurred in these minefields in the past two months alone, are testimony to the dangerous legacy of a 35-year-old conflict on Cyprus. |
| Opposing views | Opposing views |
| There is plenty of other proof of that legacy. | There is plenty of other proof of that legacy. |
| Greek Cypriot's bittersweet hopes | Greek Cypriot's bittersweet hopes |
| The Turkish army laid these mines in 1974 shortly after they arrived in force. | The Turkish army laid these mines in 1974 shortly after they arrived in force. |
| They say it was to provide protection to their citizens in the wake of an Athens-sponsored coup attempt. The Greeks say they came as invaders. | |
| The troops are still on Cyprus - at least 25,000 of them. | The troops are still on Cyprus - at least 25,000 of them. |
| Although they now provide the maps and some of the dwindling finance to remove the mines, few would argue that the attitudes which led to those mines being laid are a thing of the past. | Although they now provide the maps and some of the dwindling finance to remove the mines, few would argue that the attitudes which led to those mines being laid are a thing of the past. |
| The island is still divided into two bitter political and ethnic entities. | The island is still divided into two bitter political and ethnic entities. |
| This is the massive problem facing the UN today, as it organises and hosts the latest talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, billed - and over the years there have been many such billings - as the best chance for reconciliation in a generation. | This is the massive problem facing the UN today, as it organises and hosts the latest talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, billed - and over the years there have been many such billings - as the best chance for reconciliation in a generation. |
| The latest round of negotiations took place in Nicosia last week. They will resume at the end of this month. | The latest round of negotiations took place in Nicosia last week. They will resume at the end of this month. |
| 'Big task' | 'Big task' |
| The UN special envoy to Cyprus, Alexander Downer, describes himself as a neutral facilitator at the talks. | The UN special envoy to Cyprus, Alexander Downer, describes himself as a neutral facilitator at the talks. |
| There isn't an easy consensus on this island about how they should live together Alexander DownerUN special envoy to Cyprus | There isn't an easy consensus on this island about how they should live together Alexander DownerUN special envoy to Cyprus |
| But he is keen to emphasise there is a chance of success. | But he is keen to emphasise there is a chance of success. |
| "There isn't an easy consensus on this island about how they should live together," he admits. | "There isn't an easy consensus on this island about how they should live together," he admits. |
| "Reaching such a consensus is a big task. No-one pretends otherwise. But where we can be optimistic is that the two leaders have the political will to achieve it. | "Reaching such a consensus is a big task. No-one pretends otherwise. But where we can be optimistic is that the two leaders have the political will to achieve it. |
| "And if they have that will and enough drive and enough statesmanship, then they will achieve it." | "And if they have that will and enough drive and enough statesmanship, then they will achieve it." |
| The optimists focus on the personalities and compatibility of those at the top. | The optimists focus on the personalities and compatibility of those at the top. |
| George Iacovou, chief negotiator for the official government in the south, admits progress has slowed since the initial bursts of enthusiasm that followed each of their elections. | |
| Greek negotiator George Iacovou admits progress has slowed | Greek negotiator George Iacovou admits progress has slowed |
| "I think it is different from previous attempts to find a negotiated settlement, in spite of the difficulties, because President [Demetris] Christofias (of the Republic of Cyprus) knows Mr [Mehmet Ali] Talat (the leader of northern Cyprus) very well - for 25 years. So I still do put a lot of hope in the personal relationship that exists," he says. | "I think it is different from previous attempts to find a negotiated settlement, in spite of the difficulties, because President [Demetris] Christofias (of the Republic of Cyprus) knows Mr [Mehmet Ali] Talat (the leader of northern Cyprus) very well - for 25 years. So I still do put a lot of hope in the personal relationship that exists," he says. |
| Demetris Christofias is the European Union's first nominally communist leader. | Demetris Christofias is the European Union's first nominally communist leader. |
| He was voted leader by Greek Cypriots after arguing that his predecessor's uncompromising stance was entrenching the island's division. | |
| He specifically promised to resuscitate the peace process, as did the leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Mehmet Ali Talat. | He specifically promised to resuscitate the peace process, as did the leader of the Turkish Cypriots, Mehmet Ali Talat. |
| Conciliatory leaders | Conciliatory leaders |
| For the first time in many decades, there is a conciliatory leader on both sides of the divide. | For the first time in many decades, there is a conciliatory leader on both sides of the divide. |
| Both present themselves as from a new generation. | Both present themselves as from a new generation. |
| Mr Talat stresses the fact that Turkish Cypriots were happy to accept the last plan for reunification, rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum in 2004. | Mr Talat stresses the fact that Turkish Cypriots were happy to accept the last plan for reunification, rejected by Greek Cypriots in a referendum in 2004. |
| Mehmet Ali Talat has spoken of forgiveness and compromise | Mehmet Ali Talat has spoken of forgiveness and compromise |
| But he concedes that ordinary citizens are not yet prepared to give the kind of concessions which would truly put history behind them. | But he concedes that ordinary citizens are not yet prepared to give the kind of concessions which would truly put history behind them. |
| "Decisively, we have to go forward and prepare society for forgiveness, for compromise, for concession," he says. | "Decisively, we have to go forward and prepare society for forgiveness, for compromise, for concession," he says. |
| "And unfortunately there will have to be some sense of disappointment. We have to inform society that the solution will not be the solution that they are imagining." | "And unfortunately there will have to be some sense of disappointment. We have to inform society that the solution will not be the solution that they are imagining." |
| Now that the central check-point in the capital, Nicosia, is open to anyone presenting a passport, Turkish and Greek Cypriots are at least peacefully united in their hunt for a bargain in the January sales. | Now that the central check-point in the capital, Nicosia, is open to anyone presenting a passport, Turkish and Greek Cypriots are at least peacefully united in their hunt for a bargain in the January sales. |
| But no-one I spoke to in the city's shopping streets seemed to expect any real advance towards reunification this year. | But no-one I spoke to in the city's shopping streets seemed to expect any real advance towards reunification this year. |
| I listened to much mutual blame-laying. | I listened to much mutual blame-laying. |
| One 21 year-old, with no actual memory of the bloodshed that still shapes the island, even said she expected another war and talked about her grandparents' lingering resentment fuelling her own. | One 21 year-old, with no actual memory of the bloodshed that still shapes the island, even said she expected another war and talked about her grandparents' lingering resentment fuelling her own. |
| Money and mines | Money and mines |
| While the peace process struggles, so too does the effort to rid Cyprus of its mines. | While the peace process struggles, so too does the effort to rid Cyprus of its mines. |
| Turkish Cypriot's hopes for talks | Turkish Cypriot's hopes for talks |
| The problem is money or, more specifically, a lack of will to allocate new funds to it. | The problem is money or, more specifically, a lack of will to allocate new funds to it. |
| Michael Raine, programme manager for the UN mine-clearing operation, faces the prospect of having to pack up and leave by the end of this month if no more cash is forthcoming. | Michael Raine, programme manager for the UN mine-clearing operation, faces the prospect of having to pack up and leave by the end of this month if no more cash is forthcoming. |
| "We've got about 80% of the task complete since we began working on it in October 2004," he says. | "We've got about 80% of the task complete since we began working on it in October 2004," he says. |
| "But there are up to 10,000 mines left to clear. Eventually we hope this area known as the buffer zone will cease to exist and will be made open to the public. | "But there are up to 10,000 mines left to clear. Eventually we hope this area known as the buffer zone will cease to exist and will be made open to the public. |
| "The mines will remain here. People who haven't had access to these areas for more than 30 years will come here out of curiosity and there will be a very real risk of them being killed or injured." | "The mines will remain here. People who haven't had access to these areas for more than 30 years will come here out of curiosity and there will be a very real risk of them being killed or injured." |