Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, has expressed hope that dialogue on the opening of new crossing points in Cyprus will yield results.
Speaking after Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, and asked by a journalist about statements by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, regarding the crossing points and whether the government intends to hold any discussions ahead of the informal meeting on the Cyprus issue, Kombos said that issues on the opening of crossing points arise from discussions held at meetings in a broader format. He noted that these issues are discussed there and subsequently in Nicosia.
‘It is a dynamic dialogue and we hope it will produce some results,’ he said. ‘We have our positions’, he said, adding that ‘they are the subject of discussion and dialogue. ‘Hopefully there will be a positive outcome,’ he added, noting that this is precisely the outline of the approach on the matter.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
Building on previous discussions with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and proposals by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, parties who met in Geneva last March agreed on the opening of four new crossing points in Cyprus. Discussions were ongoing when parties met in New York, on July 16-17 in broader format, with UN the Secretary General speaking of important progress in this regard. President Christodoulides said decisions were not final, as a route proposed from the Greek Cypriot side, from Athienou village to Aglantzia, and another crossing point at Kokkina exclave, required the consent of the Turkish army, which was pending.