New york: President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed a desire to resume Cyprus settlement talks from the point where they were last held in Crans Montana. This declaration came after a meeting at the UN headquarters involving Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides conveyed that Guterres emphasized his unwavering commitment to resolving the Cyprus issue, despite acknowledging the challenges posed by developments in the Turkish-occupied territories of Cyprus. The UN chief assured both leaders of his continued efforts to resume negotiations, stating, “Our goal… is to resume the talks from where they were left off in Crans-Montana.”
During the meeting, it was agreed that following the ‘electoral’ process in the Turkish-occupied areas, Maria Angela Holguin, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, would visit Cyprus, the guarantor powers, and Brussels. This initiative aims to lay the groundwork for an expanded conference, slated to occur before the year’s end, to restart substantive talks from the previous negotiation point in Crans-Montana.
When questioned about Ersin Tatar’s stance, President Christodoulides remarked on Tatar’s aggressive tone and accusations against the Republic of Cyprus but refrained from engaging in a blame game. He reiterated his political commitment to resuming negotiations, emphasizing the lack of alternatives to settling the Cyprus issue within the agreed framework.
President Christodoulides further highlighted the significance of Guterres’s initiative amidst ongoing global conflicts, framing it as a testament to the UN’s clear intentions. He stated, “At a time when both the UN and the UN Charter are being challenged by some, we have a double obligation through this effort… to achieve this goal.”
No discussions on Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) took place during the meeting, despite Tatar’s references to them. The focus remained on the resumption of substantive negotiations, with Holguin’s mission being to facilitate this process post-‘electoral’ developments in the occupied areas.
President Christodoulides expressed optimism over the Secretary-General’s reference to resuming negotiations on the substance of the Cyprus issue, deeming it “particularly important.” He noted the importance of the Crans-Montana reference as a foundation for future talks.
In response to questions about the potential re-election of Tatar and its implications, President Christodoulides stated that outcomes are uncertain and will require adaptive actions as events unfold.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the northern third of the island. Despite numerous UN-led peace efforts, a resolution has remained elusive, with the last round of negotiations in Crans-Montana in July 2017 ending without success.