Now is the best opportunity since 2017 to have positive momentum on issues that concern members of the public such as opening new crossing points, UN Special Representative and Unficyp head Colin Stewart said on Tuesday.
In statements after a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, the UN official the two discussed how things can move forward, regarding the opening of new crossing points.
He said that Tatar “reiterated that for them it is very important to address the Pyla road situation.”
Stewart responded that it was important for him too.
He added that in January he be traveling to New York to brief the Security Council for the mandate renewal of the peacekeeping mission. He described his meeting with Tatar as very constructive.
“We discussed all sorts of things. We discussed in particular the outcome of the meeting in October with the Secretary-General and the follow up that we all know about, the discussions we have been having on crossing points and we discussed how we can move that forward. Of course, he reiterated that for them it is very important to address the Pyla road situation. I told him it was important for me too.”
Stewart added they talked about the possibility of some more meetings to move things forward. So I think that all in all it was a constructive conversation.”
He went on to say he was feeling a little bit positive “because I think this is the best opportunity we’ve had since 2017 to actually get some positive movement on issues that people care about, whether it’s crossing points or the Pyla road and prepare for the next meeting which has been agreed between the Secretary-General and the two leaders with the guarantor powers.”
“No date has been set yet for that. But we want to do this advance work so that we can create better conditions for that meeting. I think everybody agrees that this is important, and l am feeling good about the work that we have in front of us.”
The UN official had met earlier in the morning with President Nikos Christodoulides, who told Stewart he is ready to discuss the opening of new crossing points with Tatar.
Click here to change your cookie preferences