'Tri-zonal federation' model may be on agenda: Cyprus peace talks

Everyone seems to agree that there is a positive atmosphere in Cyprus regarding a possible settlement since the resumption of the talks last week, and as the hopes increase everyday new scenarios for the future continue to emerge.

While the foreseen model for Cyprus during the negotiations is bi-zonal federation Politis (Cypriot daily, published in Greek) wrote that “tri-zonal” federation may be negotiated in order to “eliminate the unbalanced situation” caused by the fact that in a possible solution north would have 63 percent of the coastline of Cyprus.

According to Politis in the negotiations constitutional issues, economy and EU are among the heading that the two sides reached to convergence while property, land and guarantees remain as the challenging ones. The newspaper claims that a formula which would help the two sides come closer on the difficult issues might be on the agenda.

This formula, writes Politis, may foresee a “tri-zonal” federation where Karpas Peninsulaon the east and Erenköy on the west of the island would become two cantons forming the third zone of the federation. If this will become a reality the two constituent states would have equal rights on the two cantons.

According to the same report which the newspaper based on the information from a “source close to government” 95 percent of the Talat –Christofias convergences have been agreed upon so far including central bank, supreme court, parliament and monetary policies.

Credit: KP Daily News