UN envoy has already begun Cyprus contacts

The UN secretary general’s personal envoy to Cyprus will be on the island after January 27, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Saturday.

Colombian diplomat Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar has already begun her contacts, including a meeting she had with Cyprus’ permanent representative in New York, he said, noting that it was a “very good meeting”.

Based on what has been discussed, “she is ready to get to work and I think she will help us in our effort for the resumption of talks.”

Christodoulides said Cuellar will visit Cyprus after January 27, and will then visit the guarantor power countries: Greece, Turkey and the UK, followed then by Brussels and other capitals.

He added that she also spoke with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and that Brussels has informed Nicosia that they conveyed the EU’s readiness to contribute substantially to all stages of the negotiation process.

“We are ready to welcome her to Cyprus and we will do what is possible, not with words but with actions, to create conditions for the resumption of talks with one and only goal, a solution based on the agreed framework,” he added.

In response to another question, President Christodoulides, said that a set of 14 unilateral actions concerning Turkish Cypriots prepared by the government would be announced before Cuellar’s arrival to Cyprus.

He also refuted statements by Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar that the arrest of Turkish Cypriot lawyer Akan Kursat in Italy is a move on the part of the Greek Cypriot side to disrupt the UN envoy’s work. He was detained over a long-standing arrest warrant by the Cyprus government for his role in the sale of Greek Cypriot properties in the north.

Christodoulides underlined there was no expediency behind the arrest.  “It was an illegal action for which an arrest warrant has been issued, which will be implemented” and which has absolutely nothing to do with the talks.