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The President of the Republic Mr.Nicos Christodoulides chaired a meeting of the National Council at the Presidential Palace today. Constantinos Letibiotis told reporters that during the meeting "the President of the Republic together with the entire political leadership of the country had the opportunity to discuss the latest developments, particularly the appointment of the envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG) for coordination and strategy for the next steps and her arrival in Cyprus, as well as for our even more constructive attitude in creating conditions for the resumption of negotiations from the point where they have been interrupted, in accordance with the agreed basis for a solution as provided for by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions."
"The very useful institution of the National Council is proving itself in practice and we hope that in the coming period the contacts of the UN Secretary General's envoy will be intensive and constructive in order to foster an even more positive climate and create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations as soon as possible", he added.
Asked when the UN Secretary General's envoy will come to Cyprus, the Spokesman said: "We are awaiting an update on the schedule of her arrival and her visits."
Asked if the President listened to suggestions from the parties, the Spokesman said: "Certainly, there has been a thorough discussion, an exchange of views on the next steps. The President has presented both the facts and his own thoughts and all members of the National Council have presented their own views and concerns which are obviously taken very seriously."
Asked what were the points of disagreement, the Spokesman said: "At the moment there is no disagreement. What we can point to as a common thread is the shared conviction of all of us that the conditions for a final, viable settlement of the Cyprus problem should be created."
Asked about the package of measures for Turkish Cypriots, the Spokesman said: "The measures have been prepared are very concrete, the final list has been prepared, it has also been discussed today in the National Council. The President of the Republic will announce them at the appropriate time when he considers it to be the most useful, most constructive time to announce them."
Asked to refer to the issue of the Cyprus Group, the Spokesman said: "Today this issue was also discussed. The President of the Republic asked those political forces that have not submitted recommendations to the President to do so in the coming days, so that they can be taken into account in the final compilation of the list for the Cyprus Group."
Asked whether all scenarios in relation to the resumption of negotiations were discussed during today's meeting, the Spokesman said: "We are approaching this period through this very important development, but at the same time we are realistic. We remain realistic. The President has discussed with the political leadership the scenarios, which, it goes without saying, he and his colleagues have worked out. There has been an exchange of views. We are approaching this process hoping that the other side will demonstrate the corresponding political will and constructive attitude, so that the conditions for the resumption of negotiations within the agreed framework can be created.
At the same time, however, the necessary preparatory work for all possible scenarios must be done, and is being done."
In response to a journalist's remark that the President of the Republic spoke of a serious crisis in the buffer zone with Turkish actions, the Spokesman said: "After the unacceptable incidents in Pyla, there is St. Dometios, the incidents that have seen the light of day, incidents that in no way we are going to downplay. We are following them very closely and with concern, as the President of the Republic himself has said. We are in constant communication with the peacekeeping force, whose terms of reference, as set out in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, provide for safeguarding the status of the buffer zone. This is something that we have seen in recent years, and in recent months it has intensified even more. And it is something that the President has conveyed to both the UN Secretary General and Mr. Stewart at their meeting last week."
Asked to comment on reports that Turkey is unloading firearms at the port of Famagusta, the Spokesman said: "We are closely monitoring any developments, we are aware of various elements, information, which we are evaluating, but we are also taking the necessary actions."
Asked if the President had a pre-consultation with his colleagues in the political parties on the issue of the reshuffle, the Spokesman said: "'As the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus itself provides and with the powers it grants to the President of the Republic, the persons who have been selected to participate in the new composition of the Cabinet were and are personal choices of the President of the Republic. He is, after all, the one who will work and collaborate on a daily basis with all the members of the Cabinet and it is the President of the Republic's programme of governance that they will be called upon to continue to implement."
In response to a reporter's remark that the PPP President said he had different views on the issue but they were not given the opportunity to develop them, the Spokesman said: "Obviously you understand that views are respected, particularly when it comes to parties involved in the coalition. But the final decision and the final assessment is up to the President of the Republic, who is also responsible for the implementation of the government's work, his own programme of governance."
In response to another question, he said: "What links the President of the Republic with all the members of the Cabinet and with the political forces that support the Government is the implementation of his programme of governance and it is precisely in this direction that the President of the Republic has taken any decisions. The goal and mission of all of us, of the partners who accompany the President of the Republic and of the parties that support the Government, is precisely to meet the expectations of society and to implement the President's programme of governance in its entirety."
He added that "we want once again to thank the outgoing members of the Cabinet for the work they have produced over these ten months, but also for the very close and good cooperation with the President of the Republic, and to wish the new members of the Cabinet and the Commissioners, who will take over from Wednesday, a good and productive term of office".
Asked whether Ms Marilena Rauna will also retain her position as Director of the President's Diplomatic Office, the Spokesperson said: "There will be announcements as to the position of the Director of the Diplomatic Office."
In response to a reporter's remark that the President had set conditions for the members of the Council of Ministers, the non-inclusion of party officials and a comment that one of the new ministers is a Vice President of a party and asked if the conditions he had set have changed, the Spokesman said that "the President both pre-election and post-election has set the outline of the conditions or data (for the members) that should make up his Council of Ministers and that is, they should not be party supervisors The political leaders themselves have mentioned it, this was not a product of party conciliation, it was based on the President's assessments. Yes, it is a Cabinet whose members have both political stigma and technocratic knowledge of the portfolio they are going to take on. What is important is that such decisions are not taken on the basis of partisan conciliations, or that people who are competent and can contribute to the portfolio they are taking on are not excluded."
To a reporter's remark that party collusion is one thing and the President's commitment that he would not appoint members of the Cabinet who are party officials is another, the Spokesman replied "in the sense that their only criterion, their only positive thing was that they would be party officials. That selection has not been made. The selection that has been made is on the basis of objective criteria as to how they can best serve and contribute to the work of government, and that has been done. And the political leaders of the parties that are in the opposition have said so a short time ago."
Asked to comment on a report that there is a conflict of interest for one of the members of the Board of Directors of DEFA with regard to his appointment, the Spokesman said: "The choices in the appointment of the DEFA Board members were in line with the recommendations of the Advisory Council. Let me remind you that also under the procedure provided for in the Advisory Council, each person expressing an interest signed an affidavit stating that there was no conflict of interest. At the same time, in accordance with what is provided for in the legislation and with the practice that has traditionally been followed, after the appointment to the Boards of the semi-governmental organisations, the Committee on Incompatibility examines whether this conflict of interest exists and takes a position. But at the same time we have also approached the legal adviser of DEFA for his position in principle and we are awaiting his formal position and there does not appear to be any conflict of interest."
(PM/EP/AF)
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