On Cyprus envoy, Anastasiades says mandate, not title matters

It is not the title that’s important but the mandate, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Thursday commenting on the expected appointment by the UN of a Cyprus envoy.

The president, who attended the church service at the Apostolos Varnavas Cathedral at the Archbishopric to mark the anniversary of ‘Ochi Day’ was asked to comment on Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s latest statements on the Cyprus problem. “First and foremost today we honour the virtues of the Greeks,” he said adding that the liberation of either Greece or from the colonial yoke was achieved due to the virtues possessed by the Greeks.

“At this time, we need this virtue. To join forces to intensify our struggles through diplomacy, international law, the European Union, to give the due response to either Mr Tatar or his instructor, Mr Erdogan,” Anastasiades said.

Asked if there is any information regarding the appointment of a special envoy by the UN secretary-general on the Cyprus issue, Anastasiades said that “various things are being said.”

“I hope we will have concrete results soon,” he added.

On reports about an initiative by Britain on just giving the title of ‘envoy’  to whomever is appointed for the job to help end the impasse, the president said the title was not important.

“What matters is not the nomenclature, but the mandate,” the president said.

The Greek Cypriot side is waiting for the appointment of a new envoy by the UN so that the process on the Cyprus problem can resume.

The Turkish Cypriot side, however, which insists on a two-state solution, said they would not agree to a special envoy whose mandate would be to move within the UN resolutions, meaning a federal solution to the Cyprus problem. They want the UNSG to appoint instead a ‘personal’ envoy to help the sides find common ground.