Nicosia: The Government is focusing its efforts on intensifying movement on the Cyprus issue ahead of the multilateral conference on Cyprus in July, with Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis stressing Nicosia’s consistency and commitment to resumption of negotiations. He also attached particular importance to the role of the EU, following the appointment of Johannes Hahn as its Special Envoy.
According to Cyprus News Agency, when asked during a media briefing at the Presidential Palace whether the climate had deteriorated following the meeting between the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, the Spokesperson said that since President Christodoulides took office, public statements by both Tatar and Turkey have never given cause for optimism. However, he noted that the progress sought by the Greek Cypriot side cannot be achieved through public statements and said that over the past two years, through consistency and continuity in the pursuit of objectives and the undertaking of initiatives by the Government, progress has been made and movement has been achieved, which the Government will seek to intensify even further.
He said that the Government is focused on the multilateral meeting in July, which the new Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General is tasked with preparing. “We will continue to be just as constructive and consistent in what we have agreed with the UN Secretary-General, but also in what we are seeking. And what we will continue to do is, by taking initiatives, to assist in the best possible way the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General himself and his Personal Envoy to resume negotiations,” Letymbiotis said. He also noted the important development of Johannes Hahn’s appointment as EU Special Envoy, adding that they believe that the interconnection between Greek-Turkish relations and the Cyprus issue can play a catalytic role.
“And the role of the European Union is essential and must be much more active,” he noted. Asked when Hahn would take up his duties and whether he would be able to deliver results by July, the Spokesperson replied that the role of the European Union had already been activated, even more so after the important developments in the April 2024 conclusions, with the clear link between progress in Euro-Turkish relations and progress on the Cyprus issue, and after the very important joint letter from von der Leyen and Costa last March, when the enlarged meeting took place in Geneva. Hahn, he said, “has already started preparations, his preliminary work to be able to make his first contacts and on how to move forward in the immediate future.”
Letymbiotis stressed the importance of the fact that Hahn reports directly to the President of the European Commission, which, “under the new structure, particularly of the European Commission, allows him considerable flexibility and mobility,” he said.
Asked if a new meeting between President Christodoulides and Holguin had been arranged, the Spokesperson said that a meeting between the President and Holguin will take place this week. “They are already coordinating the exact date and time of this meeting, and of course the meeting will be announced as soon as the date is finalised,” he said.
He noted that at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the meeting between Holguin and the Greek Cypriot negotiator Menelaos Menelaou had concluded, during which he briefed her on the progress of the meetings between the two negotiators, and on the progress and developments in the discussion on the six thematic areas agreed in Geneva and announced by the UN Secretary-General. He added that Holguin was expected to meet with the Turkish Cypriot negotiator and be informed whether a joint meeting of the two negotiators with herself would take place.
Asked about Holguin after her departure from Cyprus and about a possible meeting with Hahn, Letymbiotis said that what they know so far and has been reported publicly is that after her contacts in Cyprus, Holguin, who is leaving next Saturday, will make a series of visits to Ankara, Athens, London and Brussels, precisely in order to hold the necessary contacts, meetings and exchanges of views. ‘We are awaiting the finalisation of her schedule, which she will announce herself,’ the Government Spokesperson said.
Asked if a date had been set for the expanded meeting, Letymbiotis said that “the time frame remains the last ten days of July.” In response to a journalist’s observation that Tatar says there will be no expanded meeting in July, the Spokesperson said that “it is not only us who are saying that there will be a multilateral conference in July,” but that this has also been stated both by the UN Secretary-General himself, and Holguin, after her meeting with the President of the Republic and her meeting yesterday with Tatar.
‘Arrangements are already being made, we are in constant coordination with the UN Secretary-General on the necessary planning for the exact dates of the meeting,’ he said. He added that the new multilateral meeting will take place because this is precisely what has emerged as a development from the last multilateral meeting. ‘We have, all parties, committed before the United Nations Secretary-General, and we believe that this reflects our credibility and consistency. What we will convey once again is that we seek dialogue,’ he said.
He added that they want dialogue because they have absolute confidence “in the correctness of our positions and arguments, and we believe that the first obvious step towards achieving movement on the Cyprus issue and we are referring to the resumption of negotiations from the point where they were interrupted, is dialogue, the exchange of views, particularly in the context of a multilateral conference with the participation of the parties that took part in the previous conference.”
The point is to discuss substantive issues, he said, expressing his conviction that the agreed framework, the United Nations framework supported by the European Union and the entire international community, of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, can respond to the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots and the concerns of the Greek Cypriots. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held at the end of July, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island.
The UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres announced in early May the appointment of Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holgun completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.
The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holgun.