Both sides chide Britain over Cyprus problem comment (Updated)

By Jonathan Shkurko and Tom Cleaver

Deputy government spokesperson Yiannis Antoniou on Monday described as “unacceptable” the position of the British High Commissioner in Cyprus, who said that Turkish Cypriots require incentives to return to negotiations.

He underlined the sensitivity of the situation in Cyprus, especially in light of the new efforts with Maria Angela Holguin’s appointment as a UN envoy for Cyprus.

“There needs to be caution in statements, particularly if made by the UK,” he said.

“The UK High Commissioner [Irfan Siddiq] should avoid remarks touching on sensitive issues, and the government will privately address this matter with the UK envoy.”

Meanwhile, the north’s ‘foreign minister’ Tahsin Ertugruloglu was also dissatisfied with Siddiq’s statements, saying he has “made a habit of putting forth an excessive number of views on the Cyprus problem”.

“By claiming there is will on the Greek Cypriot side to return to the negotiating table, he shows how error-laden his knowledge, intention and vision on the Cyprus problem are, and proves he is not someone we can deal with.”

He accused Siddiq of stating there was ‘flexibility’ in the will of the Turkish Cypriot side and “thus knew our country’s positions and policies better than us”.

“It is utterly absurd to make such a claim,” he said.

“Siddiq’s approach, aiming to impose his views on Cyprus, is an evocation of the old British colonial mentality, and is unacceptable. The TRNC is and will remain the sovereign state of the Turkish Cypriot people.

“He should keep this in mind, and he should keep his advice and opinions to himself. We do not need them.”

Elsewhere, Yiannis Antoniou confirmed that during the recent extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers, Cyprus opposed the suggestions from European counterparts for the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to attend the session.

He mentioned that Turkey’s path to EU accession faces numerous obstacles, and Cyprus maintains that this journey is directly linked to the progress on the Cyprus problem.

Antoniou also said that Cyprus “is striving to persuade Turkey to take actions demonstrating a genuine desire for improved relations with the European Union”.

Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou said that in order to restart meaningful negotiations on the Cyprus problem, there must be tangible signs of political will from the Turkish side, indicating readiness to discuss within the agreed framework of a solution.

Menelaou told CyBC that the Turkish side’s ongoing stance does not align with the agreed-upon framework, highlighting that underlying issues have not been overcome.

However, he pointed out that despite any obstacles, the only way forward is to continue efforts.

“For this reason, the UN secretary-general appointed a personal envoy for Cyprus,” said Menelaou, referring to Holguin as well.

He stressed that negotiations should resume from the point where they were interrupted in Crans-Montana, underlining the vital importance of the acquired assets, including the basis for a solution, convergences and the framework set by the UN secretary-general.