[PIO] Statements by the President of the Republic on the Cyprus problem

If there is a refusal from the Turkish side to the invitation of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General (UNSG) for a trilateral meeting, this is a denigration of the Turkish Cypriot leader towards the UNSG and our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, the President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Christodoulides.

In his statements to journalists after the annual memorial service of the National Archbishop Makarios III at the Holy Monastery of Kykkos, the President of the Republic, asked to comment on statements by Mr Tatar that there is no ground for a trilateral meeting and that he will not go to New York, said. As you conveyed them to me, if these statements are true, it is a sign of disrespect first of all to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, but at the same time to the international community, to the UN Secretary General himself, but also to the European Union (EU).

The Secretary General, the UN, asked for this meeting to take place. The one who seems to be weak with his positions, the positions he is putting forward, is Mr. Tatar, who seems, on the basis of what you have conveyed to me, to be afraid even to discuss. But in any case, we will see."

Asked if there is ground for a trilateral, the President said: "The Secretary General has precisely judged that this meeting, which was aimed at opening the way for the resumption of negotiations, should take place. We have been talking very specifically for a long time. And with the Secretary General, who I also saw recently in Paris and we had discussed this particular meeting, but also with Ms. Holguín, the Secretary General's personal envoy, with the EU, and all this led to the decision, as I announced last night, to make myself available for a meeting with the Secretary General and the Turkish Cypriot leader on 13 August in New York, precisely to discuss and open the way for the resumption of talks.

I repeat, I have not read Mr Tatar's statements, but, first and foremost, it is a disdain for our Turkish Cypriot compatriots, but also for the UN Secretary General himself."

In response to a journalist's remark that therefore no formal invitation has been extended by the UN, the President said: "Of course, it's a sounding board and a sounding board means officially, a specific date, August 13, to be in New York, to meet, just for this very thing. And to get there, there was a whole preliminary work."

Asked if there is a plan B, the President said: "We will continue. For us there is no second plan that involves not resolving the Cyprus problem. The stagnation favours Mr Tatar and all those who want there to be no progress on the Cyprus problem, no reunification of our country.

For us there is no plan B, apart from the reunification of our country. All this time, since the first day we took office, we have been working very specifically to achieve this goal. There are many problems, frustrations, difficulties, but we will not stop working in this direction for a minute.

I repeat, the statements that you have conveyed to me are a complete disparagement from the Turkish Cypriot leader to the UN, to the EU, but also to our Turkish Cypriot compatriots themselves."

Asked whether he will go to New York for a meeting with the UN Secretary General, even if there is no trilateral meeting, the President said: "If I need to go to New York, even tomorrow, to meet the Secretary-General, if he deems it necessary, I will do so. I had the opportunity to exchange views with the SG in Paris, we also talked about the specific meeting that was scheduled. From then on we will be in contact with the UN to see what the next steps are. If the SG decides, I am ready to go tomorrow as well."

Asked if there are any indications from Turkey that it may change its stance, the President said: "I cannot speak for Turkey and I don't want to say anything about Turkey's stance. We have a statement as you conveyed it to me, that is the essence of it. Beyond that, what Turkey will do to Mr. Tatar or to the UN, the Secretary General, I cannot know and I do not want to speak for Turkey."

Asked to comment on statements by the Foreign Minister of Greece on new evidence, for which there was a reaction from political parties in Cyprus, the President of the Republic said: "Mr. Gerapetritis was referring to the Turkish attitude and we are talking daily with both Mr. Gerapetritis and the Greek Prime Minister and myself and the Foreign Minister.

This effort, more specifically for the August 13 meeting, is in cooperation with the Greek Government, with the Greek Prime Minister, with the Greek Foreign Minister, which we have been working for a long time to achieve. Let me remind you that the Greek Prime Minister had seen the UN Secretary General in the United States, they discussed this particular meeting, what the objective was, how the UN would move, in what framework, the procedural everything, so that this meeting could take place, and it was in this framework that the sounding out took place."

Asked if the statement about the lack of political bravery was about Turkey, the President of the Republic replied. We are proving it in practice. Both the 14 unilateral measures of the Republic of Cyprus towards our Turkish Cypriot compatriots and the important messages with the participation of the Republic of Cyprus in the April European Council and our constant readiness, either for an informal private meeting with Mr. But I am not here to engage in a blame game, it does not favour us, and I want to be clear, even if the lack of progress is due to the Turkish side. It is our homeland under occupation and we will continue and we will do everything possible to achieve the goal of reunification."

(PM/EAth/NZ)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source