T/C NEGOTIATOR RASIT PERTEV RESIGNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 000888

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEP FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU CY
SUBJECT: T/C NEGOTIATOR RASIT PERTEV RESIGNS

REF: NICOSIA 887

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald L. Schlicher for reasons 1.4 (a) and 1
.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary: T/C lead negotiator Rasit Pertev resigned
from his post as "Undersecretary" on November 5 and announced
plans to form an as-yet-unnamed political party. He cited
worsening conditions in which the T/C community lives as
reason for his departure. Pertev led the "TRNC" negotiating
team since 2005 and enjoyed good relations with the G/Cs and
the UN, both of which viewed his departure as slowing an
already-wobbly negotiating process. Reportedly, the former
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) mayor of Nicosia, Kutlay Erk,
is being considered as a replacement. End Summary


2. (C) The head T/C negotiator, Rasit Pertev, announced his
resignation on November 5 after denying press reports to that
effect on October 31. In a televised press conference, he
criticized both the government and the opposition for failing
to introduce the necessary reforms and changes in the
"country." He added, however, that there was no enmity
between him and "President" Talat. He also announced (Reftel)
his intention to form a new political party. Initial reports
indicate the party will be center-right, free market, and
pro-solution.


3. (C) UNSRSG Moller told the Ambassador that Pertev had
clearly alluded to him his desire to "move on". He added that
Talat had blessed Pertev,s plans to set up a pro-solution,
reunification party. Senior UNFICYP advisor Wlodek Cibor told
us that his first "impression" of Pertev's departure was
negative, given the need to bring any replacement up to speed
on negotiations. He also noted that Pertev was the focal
point on two initiatives, including opening Ledra Street and
formalizing a 1989 aide memoire codifying UNFICYP
responsibilities in the buffer zone. (Comment: On October 19,
Pertev told Poloff that Ledra "would not happen" and was
generally negative regarding negotiations with the G/Cs. End
Comment).


4. (C) Andrea Petrany, from the Diplomatic Office of the
President and also notetaker during Pertev-Tzionis meetings,
told Polchief that Pertev,s resignation was "another set
back" to the July 8th process, especially given the excellent
relations he enjoyed with the G/C negotiator Tasos Tzionis.
She noted, however, that Pertev was a bit nave in his
assertions that the T/Cs could move quickly to full-scale
negotiations without first identifying experts needed to
conduct them.


5. (SBU) The rumored replacement for Pertev is the former CTP
mayor of Nicosia, Kutlay Erk. Erk enjoys a reputation as an
honest, successful businessman. He lost the mayorship to UBP
in 2006 by a razor thin margin. Erk participates in the
bicommunal political-party meetings sponsored by the Slovak
Embassy, but has otherwise kept a low profile since losing
the 2006 election. His father went missing from a hospital
during the intercommunal violence of 1963 and has not been
found. He is the husband of Emine Erk, a well-known lawyer
and human rights activist.


6. (C) Comment: Given Pertev,s excellent personal relations
with Tzionis and his two-year tenure, any replacement will
not only have to win the confidence of his interlocutors, but
also get up to speed on the issues. Nevertheless,
negotiations seem to be on hold until February elections,
giving Pertev's replacement ample time to at least complete
the latter task. Erk, if rumors hold true, is a good choice.
He enjoys excellent "bicommunal" credentials and is the top
CTP man on foreign affairs. End Comment.


7. (SBU) PERTEV BIOGRAPHY: Rasit Pertev was born in Larnaca
in 1958. He studied at Cambridge, where he received a BA and
a Master,s degree. From 1985-1987, he administered
agricultural development projects in Zambia. From 1987-2000,
Pertev was the Paris-based U/SYG of the International
Federation of Agricultural Producers (an association of
national farmers, organizations and unions). In this
capacity, he managed a variety of development initiatives in
over 20 countries. Pertev moved to Turkey in 2000, where he
worked for the World Bank on agricultural restructuring
projects and in support of privatization of agricultural
cooperatives. He returned to the "TRNC" and was DP
"minister" of agriculture from 2004 to 2005. In April 2005,
he became Under Secretary in the office of "President" Talat.
Pertev is married with three children. His wife, Resiye, a
Turkish citizen, works on agricultural issues for the Turkish

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equivalent of USAID (the Turkish Assistance Administration).


8. (C) Additional biographies of Erk and Pertev are available
on Embassy Nicosia's SIPRNET web-site.



SCHLICHER