President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides expressed hope that the document recording convergences on the Cyprus problem will be ready by the time UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin visits Cyprus on September 10, adding that the Greek Cypriot side considers the document a basis for the resumption of talks.
Referring to his meetings with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, President Christodoulides said he believes there is a significant degree of common understanding on both substantive issues and methodology.
Speaking after the inauguration ceremony for the redevelopment of the Meniko community center, the President said the document should be given to the two sides and the guarantor powers so that ‘as soon as possible’ the process can move forward.
‘We hope that this document will be ready,’ President Christodoulides said, adding that the Republic of Cyprus considers it ‘a very good way to resume the talks.’
He said that, on the basis of the document and once an agreement is reached, the negotiating acquis should be safeguarded and an expanded conference should be held, during which the resumption of negotiations on the basis of the convergences would be announced.
‘Once we agree on the convergences – we know very well where there are no convergences, where the differences lie – the negotiations should resume from the differences,’ he said.
Asked whether there would be progress by then, the President replied: ‘We hope so. We have a meeting this week with the Turkish Cypriot leader. I believe there is a significant degree of common understanding on substantive issues and on methodology. We also discussed confidence-building measures and I believe we are fully ready, also ahead of the General Assembly.’
Ahead of the UN General Assembly, the President also said he had been informed of the date and time of his bilateral meeting with the UN Secretary-General, who will also meet with the Turkish Cypriot leader.
‘As we will all be there… after the official week of the General Assembly, we should move forward,’ he said.
‘We are ready on our side and I hope there will be the same political will, the same positive response from all the parties involved,’ the President concluded.
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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.