President Nikos Christodoulides, on Saturday, confirmed the government’s readiness to engage in meaningful discussions on trust-building measures with the Turkish Cypriot leadership. He emphasised that the first meeting should take place at the level of community leaders and that proposals for the meeting will be conveyed to the United Nations (UN).
Christodoulides announced while attending the political and statutory congress of Diko in Nicosia. He revealed that initial agreements on certain categories of measures had already been made.
“We will present two, three, or four options through the UN for next week so that a meeting can take place and substantive discussions can begin,” he said.
The president also highlighted that many of the UN secretary-general’s recently announced initiatives on trust-building measures were initially proposed by the Greek Cypriot side.
“We believe these measures will be supportive in restarting negotiations within the agreed framework,” he stated.
On the appointment of a UN personal envoy, Christodoulides reminded that Cyprus had pushed for this decision during meetings in Geneva. The envoy’s role, he said, would be to facilitate the next steps towards resuming negotiations. Discussions with the UN regarding the envoy’s mandate and timeline are ongoing, with another phone call expected later in the day.
“Any announcements will come from the secretary-general, out of respect for his office,” Christodoulides noted.
Reflecting on his recent discussions with UN secretary-general António Guterres in Brussels, he stressed the importance of UN-EU cooperation on the Cyprus issue.
“The Cyprus problem remains a significant international concern in an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment. I welcome the willingness of both UN and EU leaders to work together,” he said.
When asked whether the UN envoy’s mandate was clear and whether their presence in Cyprus would be permanent, Christodoulides confirmed that these matters were addressed during Friday’s discussions. He also noted that the Turkish Cypriot leader, initially opposed to the envoy’s appointment, later insisted that the role be limited to trust-building measures, something that was ultimately not accepted.
“The envoy’s task is to prepare the ground for results by July, ensuring the talks can resume,” he explained, adding that the envoy’s mission will extend beyond Cyprus to include visits to Turkey, Greece and the United Kingdom.
On the format of upcoming meetings, the president believes the first session should involve the two leaders directly to give the process momentum.
“We, as leaders, have made commitments to the UN secretary-general, and it is our responsibility to fulfil them,” he asserted.
Finally, Christodoulides emphasised that the trust-building measures put forward by the UN were agreed upon by all parties in Geneva.
“We now must deliver results. From our side, we are fully prepared,” he concluded.
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