‘We have chosen the path of the solution and we are determined to see it through to the very end’, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday following a meeting of the National Council, expressing hope that ‘a corresponding genuine political will’ would also be shown by the other side.
He added that the time had come for everyone to rise to the occasion and provide tangible support to the United Nations Secretary-General and to the mandate entrusted to him.
In statements after the National Council meeting, which lasted approximately two and a half hours, the Government Spokesperson said that President Nikos Christodoulides had briefed members on the latest developments regarding the Cyprus issue and the ongoing diplomatic consultations. He added that there had been an ‘extensive’ exchange of views ahead of the forthcoming visit of the United Nations Secretary-General, ‘the first visit by a UN Secretary-General in 16 years’.
‘This is a visit of great significance and strong symbolic importance, both because of the value of the contacts to be held and the initiatives the Secretary-General is pursuing in order to achieve the objective he has set himself: convening an expanded meeting that will pave the way for the resumption of substantive negotiations from the point at which they were suspended in Crans-Montana in 2017’, he added.
He noted that the National Council ‘recognized’ that the UN Secretary-General was ‘personally investing both his time and the institutional authority that comes with his office’. This, he said, is tangible proof that he himself believes there is genuine prospect in the initiative he has been pursuing since last March, which he discussed and presented to the President of the Republic during their meeting in Brussels.
He added that this effort and renewed momentum were ‘to a great extent the result of the initiatives we have undertaken, particularly through the more active leading involvement of the European Union, most recently reflected in the very important development of Mr Fitto’s appointment (as the Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus)’.
The Government Spokesperson stressed that they were under no illusion about the challenges ahead.
‘We recognise that the intransigence shown by occupying Turkey over many years remains a major challenge. Nevertheless, we are approaching these meetings – the series of meetings the UN Secretary-General will hold upon his arrival in Cyprus – with clear positions, well-substantiated views, consistent initiatives, and the genuine political will that has already contributed, and will continue to contribute, to the Secretary-General’s efforts’, he said.
‘We therefore look forward with great interest to hearing the Secretary-General’s views following both his own contacts and those of his Personal Envoy, who, according to the information available to us, is today in Ankara for a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister – a meeting that will undoubtedly contribute to determining the next steps’, he added.
The Government Spokesperson said that the objective ‘remains unchanged’. ‘Our aim is the resumption of substantive negotiations from the point at which they were suspended, with a view to achieving a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue on the basis of the agreed framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, providing for a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international legal personality, fully compatible with the principles, values and acquis of the European Union’.
‘Now is the time for all of us to rise to the occasion and provide tangible support to the UN Secretary-General himself, as well as to the terms of his mandate, which derive from the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council’, he stressed.
‘Our political will has been clearly demonstrated and proven. Now it is time for the other side to abandon its intransigent position and its unacceptable preconditions that perpetuate the deadlock, and to join the efforts of the Secretary-General and the international community within the framework of international law’, he said.
‘We have chosen the path of a solution, and we are determined to see it through to the very end. What we hope is that there will be a corresponding genuine political will on the other side as well, he also said.
Referring to Holguín’s contacts, the Government Spokesperson said that she would travel to Cyprus in the coming days, ahead of the UN Secretary-General’s visit, and that a meeting with the President of the Republic would be arranged before the Secretary-General’s arrival. ‘They will have the opportunity to discuss the outcome of today’s highly important meeting involving Ms Holguín, as well as the results of her previous contacts’, he said, recalling that Holguín had also visited Brussels.
Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot leader had put forward any new proposals, the Spokesperson said he was not aware of any such developments. However, he added, ‘our positions have been conveyed clearly to the UN Secretary-General and are fully in line with the UN resolutions and the European Union’s position’. He further stressed that if any proposals from any party fall outside the framework of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, ‘the response is unequivocal and negative, and that is also the response of the international community’.
Asked about the President of the Republic’s meeting with the Greek Prime Minister on Saturday, the Spokesperson said that the ‘necessary coordination’ would take place, noting that ‘we are moving in lockstep’, but that coordination was essential ‘ahead of this very important visit by the UN Secretary-General’.
He also said that the European Union’s representative for the Cyprus issue Raffaele Fitto, is expected to visit Cyprus soon, possibly after the UN Secretary-General’s departure from the island, and will meet with President Christodoulides.
Asked about the expectations of the Greek Cypriot side from the Secretary-General’s forthcoming meetings, the Spokesperson said: ‘This is not a question of expectations. As I have said, we are fully aware of the challenges and the difficulties we face’.
‘The gravity of the moment requires us all – and this is where history will judge each and every one of us – to rise to the occasion. We have a duty, and if we genuinely respect the UN Secretary-General and the office he holds, we ought to demonstrate that not through rhetoric but by respecting the terms of his mandate, which derive from the United Nations Security Council resolutions that define the agreed framework for a settlement’, he stressed. He added that the initiative undertaken by the UN Secretary-General is well known.
‘I believe that everyone can appreciate both the time and the political capital that Mr Guterres himself is investing’, he said.
Responding to a journalist’s observation that the Secretary-General’s decision to visit Cyprus suggests he must have something in hand that would allow him to move the process forward, the Spokesperson said, ‘clearly, you are right that the purpose of the visit cannot simply be to hold meetings’. ‘We are approaching these meetings with the aim of ensuring that, to the greatest extent possible and taking into account the format of the discussions, they contribute to the resumption of negotiations’, he said.
He added that this was precisely why Holguín’s meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier that day was so important.
The Spokesperson also referred to the European Union’s more active involvement, noting that both the EU’s support and its important role in the Secretary-General’s efforts ‘must be recognised as contributing to the momentum that has been generated’.
‘Ultimately, it is also up to Turkey to demonstrate whether it genuinely and sincerely wishes to see progress in EU-Turkey relations, which, as reflected in the conclusions of the European Council and the positions consistently expressed by the EU institutions, are clearly linked to progress on the Cyprus issue’, he concluded.
Political leaders express dissatisfaction over exclusion of parties from UNGS’s civil society meetings
‘We have chosen the path of the solution and we are determined to see it through to the very end’, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Friday following a meeting of the National Council, expressing hope that ‘a corresponding genuine political will’ would also be shown by the other side.
He added that the time had come for everyone to rise to the occasion and provide tangible support to the United Nations Secretary-General and to the mandate entrusted to him.
In statements after the National Council meeting, which lasted approximately two and a half hours, the Government Spokesperson said that President Nikos Christodoulides had briefed members on the latest developments regarding the Cyprus issue and the ongoing diplomatic consultations. He added that there had been an ‘extensive’ exchange of views ahead of the forthcoming visit of the United Nations Secretary-General, ‘the first visit by a UN Secretary-General in 16 years’.
‘This is a visit of great significance and strong symbolic importance, both because of the value of the contacts to be held and the initiatives the Secretary-General is pursuing in order to achieve the objective he has set himself: convening an expanded meeting that will pave the way for the resumption of substantive negotiations from the point at which they were suspended in Crans-Montana in 2017’, he added.
He noted that the National Council ‘recognized’ that the UN Secretary-General was ‘personally investing both his time and the institutional authority that comes with his office’. This, he said, is tangible proof that he himself believes there is genuine prospect in the initiative he has been pursuing since last March, which he discussed and presented to the President of the Republic during their meeting in Brussels.
He added that this effort and renewed momentum were ‘to a great extent the result of the initiatives we have undertaken, particularly through the more active leading involvement of the European Union, most recently reflected in the very important development of Mr Fitto’s appointment (as the Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus)’.
The Government Spokesperson stressed that they were under no illusion about the challenges ahead.
‘We recognise that the intransigence shown by occupying Turkey over many years remains a major challenge. Nevertheless, we are approaching these meetings – the series of meetings the UN Secretary-General will hold upon his arrival in Cyprus – with clear positions, well-substantiated views, consistent initiatives, and the genuine political will that has already contributed, and will continue to contribute, to the Secretary-General’s efforts’, he said.
‘We therefore look forward with great interest to hearing the Secretary-General’s views following both his own contacts and those of his Personal Envoy, who, according to the information available to us, is today in Ankara for a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister – a meeting that will undoubtedly contribute to determining the next steps’, he added.
The Government Spokesperson said that the objective ‘remains unchanged’. ‘Our aim is the resumption of substantive negotiations from the point at which they were suspended, with a view to achieving a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue on the basis of the agreed framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, providing for a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international legal personality, fully compatible with the principles, values and acquis of the European Union’.
‘Now is the time for all of us to rise to the occasion and provide tangible support to the UN Secretary-General himself, as well as to the terms of his mandate, which derive from the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council’, he stressed.
‘Our political will has been clearly demonstrated and proven. Now it is time for the other side to abandon its intransigent position and its unacceptable preconditions that perpetuate the deadlock, and to join the efforts of the Secretary-General and the international community within the framework of international law’, he said.
‘We have chosen the path of a solution, and we are determined to see it through to the very end. What we hope is that there will be a corresponding genuine political will on the other side as well, he also said.
Referring to Holguín’s contacts, the Government Spokesperson said that she would travel to Cyprus in the coming days, ahead of the UN Secretary-General’s visit, and that a meeting with the President of the Republic would be arranged before the Secretary-General’s arrival. ‘They will have the opportunity to discuss the outcome of today’s highly important meeting involving Ms Holguín, as well as the results of her previous contacts’, he said, recalling that Holguín had also visited Brussels.
Asked whether the Turkish Cypriot leader had put forward any new proposals, the Spokesperson said he was not aware of any such developments. However, he added, ‘our positions have been conveyed clearly to the UN Secretary-General and are fully in line with the UN resolutions and the European Union’s position’. He further stressed that if any proposals from any party fall outside the framework of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, ‘the response is unequivocal and negative, and that is also the response of the international community’.
Asked about the President of the Republic’s meeting with the Greek Prime Minister on Saturday, the Spokesperson said that the ‘necessary coordination’ would take place, noting that ‘we are moving in lockstep’, but that coordination was essential ‘ahead of this very important visit by the UN Secretary-General’.
He also said that the European Union’s representative for the Cyprus issue Raffaele Fitto, is expected to visit Cyprus soon, possibly after the UN Secretary-General’s departure from the island, and will meet with President Christodoulides.
Asked about the expectations of the Greek Cypriot side from the Secretary-General’s forthcoming meetings, the Spokesperson said: ‘This is not a question of expectations. As I have said, we are fully aware of the challenges and the difficulties we face’.
‘The gravity of the moment requires us all – and this is where history will judge each and every one of us – to rise to the occasion. We have a duty, and if we genuinely respect the UN Secretary-General and the office he holds, we ought to demonstrate that not through rhetoric but by respecting the terms of his mandate, which derive from the United Nations Security Council resolutions that define the agreed framework for a settlement’, he stressed. He added that the initiative undertaken by the UN Secretary-General is well known.
‘I believe that everyone can appreciate both the time and the political capital that Mr Guterres himself is investing’, he said.
Responding to a journalist’s observation that the Secretary-General’s decision to visit Cyprus suggests he must have something in hand that would allow him to move the process forward, the Spokesperson said, ‘clearly, you are right that the purpose of the visit cannot simply be to hold meetings’. ‘We are approaching these meetings with the aim of ensuring that, to the greatest extent possible and taking into account the format of the discussions, they contribute to the resumption of negotiations’, he said.
He added that this was precisely why Holguín’s meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier that day was so important.
The Spokesperson also referred to the European Union’s more active involvement, noting that both the EU’s support and its important role in the Secretary-General’s efforts ‘must be recognised as contributing to the momentum that has been generated’.
‘Ultimately, it is also up to Turkey to demonstrate whether it genuinely and sincerely wishes to see progress in EU-Turkey relations, which, as reflected in the conclusions of the European Council and the positions consistently expressed by the EU institutions, are clearly linked to progress on the Cyprus issue’, he concluded.
Political leaders express dissatisfaction over exclusion of parties from UNGS’s civil society meetings