Cyprus government has expressed its satisfaction as regards the conclusions on the EU-Turkey relations adopted Wednesday, during the European Council Summit, and points out that Ankara is now responsible to make the next step.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos speaking to the press Thursday, said that the outcome is really the materialization of the goal that was set by our side for linking the EU-Turkey relations with the Cyprus problem and a specific moment was picked as to make this effort a reality.
He explained that this is the beginning of a process for Turkey which has specific conditions and prerequisites and it is based on an evaluative basis of criteria that have to do with both general obligations and obligations related to Cyprus, but also issues that concern the Republic, something that was also reflected in the recent conclusions.
Kombos went on to say that Cyprus has made an important opening in this direction and now the Turkish side has to make a very specific choice. He said that we ha
ve conveyed to our EU partners the message that the Republic of Cyprus has responded in a way to give a revival to the effort to resume the Cyprus talks.
FM said that now the Turkish side has a choice either to go ahead and make the next step or to let things to affect the Euro-Turkish process.
Replying to a question of how this connection with the Cyprus issue will be put in practical terms, given the six-month timetable that the Turkish side is giving to the UNSG special envoy’s mission, Kombos said that the Borrell report on Turkey, which was the subject of the consultations in European Council, includes concrete steps in various sectors.
He explained that this process is one that can now begin based on the way the European Union works adding that COREPER was assigned the task for the next steps, always within the framework of the competences of the EU institutions.
Therefore, he continued, this effort begins, and each benchmark has requirements and one cannot expect that a period of time so short will
be sufficient to have a conclusion on all the issues raised in the report.
The Foreign Minister said that this was a principle that the Turkish side ardently pursued, and our side has now taken the position that we are willing to see all these possibilities that the report lists, which are within the framework of the way the EU operates, with the requirements and criteria that exist and apply to each of the cases.
Replying to a question about the approval on Tuesday by the Plenary of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of an opinion on the subject of Kosovo’s accession to the Council of Europe (CoE), the Minister said that this is not a pleasant development for Cyprus and the illegal entity in the Turkish-occupied areas of the island. He went on to say that certainly is not a pleasant development for any side committed to the international law.
He said however that it is a different case, if we take into account that the Kosovo side has been recognized. He said that last year when a
voting took place for the commencement of the process, Cyprus voted against and so it did a few days ago in the voting to approve the report for Kosovo to join CoE. Our position, the Minister said, is firmed and cannot be changed as it is based on principles.
He said however that a risk as regards our issue with the illegal entity does exist as we are in a position where we are trying to prevent the coordinated actions and initiatives of this entity.
Replying to another question if it is worrying that such a development comes from a country like Greece, the Minister replied that it is worrying that this particular effort has found wide support and therefore it is a development that does worry our side.
He went on to say that we are in contact with countries that had the same point of view as ours and with those which has a different approach. Asked if this is a development that can be overturned in the Council of Ministers Kombos said ‘let’s wait to see the results there’.
He went on to say that if we tak
e into account the initial vote last March to start the process ‘there’s a good indication of where things could go’.
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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Columbia as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.
Source: Cyprus News Agency