President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides expressed the hope that the UN-sponsored informal talks with the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar could lead to the resumption of negotiations for a settlement in the divided island.
Christodoulides spoke after the meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Tatar in New York. The Cyprus leader acknowledged that nothing new had been heard from Tatar apart from the fact that he had agreed to discuss further confidence-building measures, including the opening of additional crossing points.
He said that “an open discussion took place, in some respects constructive” and but they did not hear anything new from Tatar.
“There was an open discussion, at some points constructive. We have not heard anything new from Mr. Tatar, to be honest, but I am glad that the Secretary-General has decided to continue these informal meetings in an expanded form, as has been done in the past and at the same time in several proposals that we have made for Confidence Building Measures”, he pointed out.
Talks show mobility in the Cyprus issue
“We continue the effort [for a settlement] Christodoulides added. “For a long time, there was no mobility in the Cypriot region. I repeat that I am happy for the initiative of the Secretary General. We are here. We know where we are aiming and let’s hope that there will be positive developments towards the resumption of talks.
“We are not there yet, I want to clarify that. The discussions that are taking place tonight and those that will follow are informal and I hope they will lead to the resumption of talks”, he pointed out.
UNSG Guterres expressed his regret for the fact that despite the efforts of his Personal Envoy, no common ground was found between the leaders for the way forward in the Cyprus issue, encouraging them, during the informal dinner they had with him in UN headquarters in New York to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and restore trust to allow for mobility leading to a settlement.
Turkish Cypriot leader maintains hard stance
Tatar agreed to an upcoming informal meeting in the near future with guarantor powers, on a date to be set by the UN. He said “many things were discussed” and that the next step will be a wider meeting with Turkey and Greece as guarantor powers.
Before the informal meeting in New York, Tatar re-iterated the Turkish-Cypriot position, unacceptable to the Republic of Cyprus, that the “sovereignty” of Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus should be recognized for any negotiations to proceed.
“Our terms for talks with Greek Cypriots are clear. The ‘TRNC’s (Turkish Republic of North Cyprus)’ sovereignty and equal status must be registered,” said Tatar, according to Daily Sabah, adding that direct flights and trade to Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus should be established.
“This dinner is an opportunity for us to explain our thesis,” Tatar said, insisting that the the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus would not budge on its “national sovereignty policy” and “equal international status.”
“An agreement for Cyprus is impossible where the Turkish Cypriot state is not included,” he added. “It has to be in the form of cooperation between the two states.”
Related: Cyprus Leader Christodoulides Pushes Erdogan for UN Dialogue
