The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that he would continue working towards the resumption of talks until the very last day of his term, President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides has said. Speaking on Friday at an event in New York, organised by the diaspora, President Christodoulides referred to his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, where – as he stated – he presented new ideas regarding the substance, methodology, and confidence-building measures that could pave the way for the resumption of negotiations. However, he noted that ‘the Turkish side responded negatively.’
He also said that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council provided assurances that the negotiating acquis and the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem would not change.
‘We arrived in New York and held an excellent meeting with the UN Secretary-General, during which we presented new ideas regarding the substance, methodology, and Confidence-Building Measures, ideas that once again demonstrated our political will in practice and were well-received by the Secretary-General, and could pave the way for the resumption of negotiations’ President Christodoulides noted.
Unfortunately, he continued, ‘the Turkish side responded negatively’ noting that ‘it finds itself in a weak position, as this is the inevitable result when one refuses even a simple meeting to explore prospects based on new ideas that the UN Secretary-General has viewed positively.’
President Christodoulides further noted two ‘very important points’ saying that the Secretary-General ‘told us he would continue working until the very last day of his term towards tangible progress in resuming talks, and we have faith in him.’ He reiterated moreover that the Greek Cypriot side responds positively to the Secretary-General’s efforts.
He added that the second point concerns the meeting he held with the Permanent Representatives of the five permanent members of the Security Council, the main conclusion of which was that, even with the change of the UN Secretary-General, neither the basis of the Cyprus problem nor the negotiating acquis would be lost.
‘My message to those who adopt a negative approach, hoping for a departure from these matters upon the conclusion of the Secretary-General’s term, is that this will absolutely not happen. And this is the position clearly expressed by the five Permanent Members’ he underlined.
Addressing the event in New York with representatives from the diaspora in the United States, the President of Cyprus noted, among other things, their love and concern for the homeland, and their contribution towards building bridges with the political system and society in the US while keeping Cypriot identity alive.
He noted that, 52 years after the Turkish invasion, the occupation, division, uprooting, and violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms persist in European Cyprus, while reiterating to the diaspora that ‘no matter how many years pass, we do not, and never will, accept the occupation’ of the northern part of Cyprus.
Our key priority, he continued, remains the reunification of Cyprus on the basis of the agreed framework, the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, international law, and, of course, the principles, values, and law of the European Union.
During the event, John Josephakis, Stavros Kamilaris, and Despina Axiotakis were honored, with President Christodoulides describing them as worthy ambassadors of Cyprus. ‘I warmly congratulate and thank you-on behalf of the Cypriot state and the Cypriot people-for your contributions and, above all, because wherever life has taken you, Cyprus has always remained in your hearts’ he said.
In his address, President Christodoulides underlined that Cyprus maintains a ‘clear Western orientation’ in its foreign policy, while highlighting Cyprus’ successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Referring to Cyprus-US relations, the President stated that the scope for cooperation between the two countries is limitless. He further underscored the strategic partnership between the two nations across a wide range of sectors, noting that this relationship is constantly deepening, and highlighted the contribution of the diaspora to this end.
He also referred to the shared desire to abolish visa requirements and establish direct connectivity between the two countries, noting that their relations are currently ‘at their best level ever.’
The President also said that he would return to the US before the end of the year to showcase the opportunities Cyprus offers as a business and investment destination.
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 Antoni 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.