‘No disagreement’ at National Council over UN envoy

There is “no disagreement” between President Nikos Christodoulides and political party leaders on the Cyprus problem, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday.

Speaking after a National Council meeting held subsequent to the appointment of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, Letymbiotis emphasised that the political leaders were on the same page on the matter.

“What we can mention is … the common belief we all share that the conditions should be created for a permanent, sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem,” he said.

He said the meeting’s attendees had discussed the Republic’s next steps following Cuellar’s arrival, “as well as for our own even more constructive attitude in terms of creating conditions for the resumption of negotiations”.

“The president presented both the facts and his own thoughts, and all the members of the National Council presented their own opinions and concerns which are obviously taken very seriously,” he said.

He said that Cuellar’s contacts in Cyprus would be intensive and constructive in terms of cultivating an even more positive climate and added that conditions for the resumption of negotiations would be created as soon as possible.

Asked about the planned package of measures to be rolled out for Turkish Cypriots, he said the measures “have been prepared” and “are very specific”.

He said the final list of measures was discussed at Monday’s meeting, and that Christodoulides will announce them “at the appropriate time when he himself will judge that it is the most useful and most constructive to do so”.

Meanwhile, political party leaders expressed their satisfaction with Cuellar’s appointment.

“What we want to emphasise is that it needs seriousness and careful handling. We must not let any opportunity go to waste. We must make the most of every new perspective in regard to Cuellar’s appointment,” said House president and Disy leader Annita Demetriou.

“The Republic will through persistent and continuous efforts, seek to move the UN and the international community to abandon their attitude of equal distances [towards the two communities].”

Additionally, she said the issue of alleged infringements into the buffer zone had also been discussed, adding that the reversal of the new faits accomplis which Turkey is attempting to achieve could only be done through the resumption of meaningful dialogue.

She also reiterated her desire for the National Council to meet on a more regular basis, “especially in view of all these complex political developments”.

Diko leader Nikolas Papadopoulos was very pleased with meeting, declaring “after a long period of stagnation, we are now making moves in the right direction.”

He said he “does not underestimate” the difficulties Cuellar will face in her role, in view of “looming Turkish intransigence”.

“It is clear that the Turkish side seeks in every way to change the basis of negotiations. Under no circumstances should we accept anything like this. Our side must remain committed to the UN resolutions, the agreed framework, the high-level agreements,” he said.

He added that he hopes Cuellar’s appointment would give an impetus to the efforts to restart negotiations.

Less positive was Akel leader Stefanos Stefanou.

“The Cyprus problem finds itself in the longest deadlock it has ever seen, from 2017 until today,” he said, adding that the more time that passes without a solution, the more it “favours Turkey’s plans”.

“Turkey is taking advantage of this period of impasse to create new divisive faits accomplis on the ground, while expectations are very low. This is why we, regardless of the low expectations, must work to create the conditions and dynamics to break that deadlock,” he said.

He added that his party had submitted its own proposals on the matter of the Cyprus problem over a series of four points.

The first, he said, is that “our side, at every opportunity, must clearly continue to defend the bizonal, bicommunal federal solution with political equality” in view of the Turkish Cypriot side’s retreat from such a framework.

Secondly, he said, “the Greek Cypriot side, without ambiguities, without asterisks, and without parentheses, must formulate its position for the continuation of negotiations from the point at which they were interrupted in 2017, preserving the convergences and to express our readiness for negotiation on the basis of the Guterres framework.”

His third point was that the Republic of Cyprus must announce a specific positive agenda in the direction of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot community.

To this end, ongoing discussions between the European Union and Turkey provided grounds for the development of a positive agenda, but that that alone was not enough to create the requisite momentum to get back to the negotiation table.

His fourth and final point is that the Republic “must unilaterally announce support measures for the Turkish Cypriot community”.

“It is very important to strengthen or to create a climate of trust. Turkish Cypriots are our natural allies in the effort to resolve the Cyprus problem, to end the Turkish occupation, and to reunite the country and its people,” he said.

He said he would submit a complete written document outlining the four points within the next few days.

Edek leader Marinos Sizopoulos said he hopes Cuellar “will live up to her responsibilities and duties on the basis of the UN charter and international law”.

“She will be judged by the result of her actions,” he said.

“The most important thing of all is that our movements must be particularly careful so that through this process, the Turkish side will not be able to secure additional gains.”