Financial Times: “Anastasiades will have his work cut out to reach a peace deal by December 31”

Financial Times published an article about Cyprus on 26th May. According to the article by Tony Barber “Mr Anastasiades will have his work cut out to reach a peace deal by December 31. In his favour is the fact that he has a good working relationship with Mr Akinci. Working against him is the fact that the political winds in South Cyprus may now be blowing in the opposite direction to a deal.”

Financial Times continued “The abrupt cancellation of the latest round of negotiations aimed at ending the Cyprus dispute is the latest indication that the prospects for a comprehensive peace settlement, seemingly bright at the start of the year, may be dimming again. Who now would be brave enough to put money on a Cyprus deal by the end of 2016, the target date everyone was talking about in January?”

The writer of the article continues: “I wonder whether his rebuke to the Turkish Cypriot leader had something to do with the outcome of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in South Cyprus. The ruling conservative party of Mr Anastasiades came out on top, but overall the results favoured small, anti-establishment parties that take a hard line against the indubitably sincere efforts of Mr Anastasiades to reach a peace deal.”

The article indicates that in the light of the elections Mr. Anastasiades “May have calculated that it would do him no harm back home if he took a strong stand against eating a five-course meal in Istanbul in Mr Akinci’s company. It would show his compatriots that he is no patsy when it comes to handling the Turkish Cypriots.”