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- Ελληνικά
"We assure the Cypriot people that there is no greater concern than the resolution of the Cyprus problem, the supreme national issue, and that we will continue to make every possible effort so that there can be developments," Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letibiotis said today.
Speaking to reporters after the memorial service for the fallen of the Kontenou community in Nicosia, and asked if there was any update on when the United Nations (UN) Secretary General's (UN) Personal Envoy for the Cyprus problem, María Ángela Holguín, would meet with the UN Secretary General, the Spokesman said: "The information we have is that Ms. Holguín will go to UN Headquarters for a private meeting with the Secretary-General to discuss the facts and exchange views as to the effort to resume the talks. We look forward to an update from Ms Holguín."
Asked what will be discussed between the UN Secretary General and Ms Holguín, the Spokesperson said: "What we have over time wanted is an objective presentation of facts and facts. For our part, the initiatives taken by the President himself personally, our sincere commitment to the resumption of talks and full alignment with the agreed framework and resolutions are self-evident.
We know that things have not been and are not easy, but we have no choice. We will consistently and continuously make every effort to resume the talks from the point where they have been interrupted, with a view to a final resolution of the problem, on the basis of a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality."
Asked about a timetable for Ms. Holguín's efforts, the Spokesman said: "The terms of her mandate are decided by the UN Secretary-General himself. It is up to him to decide for how long Ms. Holguín will continue her efforts. We expect Ms Holguín to continue. She has indicated that she and the Secretary-General remain firmly committed with undiminished interest in the resumption efforts. Her contract was until July, which the SG can renew."
Asked if in the event that the UNSG believes there is a stalemate, the Spokesperson said: "Under no circumstances is a 'headstone' being put on the Cyprus problem and we will never allow it to be put. It is, after all, our supreme national obligation neither to put a "headstone" nor to deviate one millimeter from the agreed framework and the Security Council resolutions that shield our country.
Let us wait for the meeting and not make assumptions.
What we must keep is the UN Secretary General's self-evident commitment to the effort to resume negotiations.
What we must keep is the UN Secretary General's self-evident commitment to the effort to resume negotiations. We have an important milestone ahead of us, that of linking Euro-Turkish progress to progress on Cyprus. It was the culmination of the President's efforts over the past year to get the EU more actively involved. What we assure the Cypriot people is that there is no greater concern than the resolution of the Cyprus problem, the supreme national issue, and we will continue to make every possible effort to enable developments to take place."
Asked if the issue of appointing a European envoy for the Cyprus problem has been put on ice, Letybiotis said: "It has not been put on ice. Obviously, what our European partners also recognise in the latest Conclusions and clearly document is the role that the EU can play. What preceded this was the appointment of an envoy on the part of the UN, which is leading and will have the overall coordination of efforts. It is here that we believe that the EU can play a catalytic role, it is here that we believe that these Conclusions are important in terms of the efforts we are making.
Efforts on the envoy (from the EU) have certainly started and are ongoing, diplomatic contacts are being made and we will continue to make every possible effort that can be useful."
(PM/AF/MS)
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