Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders agree on multilateral, crossing point meetings

President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the outcomes of the informal dinner meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and UN Secretary General Antonion Guterres in New York, even though core disagreements between the two parties remain entrenched.

Political sources read the statements as indicative of the fact that the best possible results under the circumstances were attained and stated that it was evident that Ankara and Athens had been on board.

The main focus for Nicosia had been on securing earlier UN acquis and keeping dialogue ongoing between the parties, and this was assessed by top Greek Cypriot political sources as having been achieved.

Eyes are now turned to a new multilateral meeting involving the island’s guarantor powers, Turkey, Greece and the UK, as well upcoming meetings between Greek and Turkish statesmen, whose good relations are viewed as the key catalyst for any movement.

The path for EU-Turkish relations to progress has been greenlit, Christodoulides said, citing the conclusions of last April’s European council and recalling that the Republic had accepted Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s participation in an EU foreign ministers’ informal meeting.

Tatar was not initially onboard with the UK’s participation in the proposed multilateral meeting but the British had requested participation, according to the CyBC.

Sources speculate that the planned informal five-party meeting will take place after a planned meeting between the Greek and Turkish foreign ministers in Ankara in January.

Christodoulides who departed New York on his way to Brussels for a European Council meeting, had said various items had been “openly discussed” but he had not heard anything new from Tatar despite constructive dialogue.

“We are not there yet,” the president said when asked about positive developments.

“Our position was to secure the agreed negotiations with the UNSG’s six points,” he said.

The Greek Cypriot side insisted on the safeguarding of its position for single sovereignty, single character, and single citizenship. These, as well as the safeguarding of the Republic of Cyprus and the functionality of the state, necessary as an EU member state, were reiterated as non-negotiables.

The Greek Cypriot side also reiterated that its non-negotiable position on the withdrawal of Turkish troops. The foreign troop drawdown had already been negotiated and discussed at Crans Montana political sources said.

Guterres, at the time, had said a new security system was needed for Cyprus, based on s atble system of safeguards for Cypriots of both communities to feel secure.

It would mean ending the unilateral right of intervention of the guarantor powers and the Treaty of Guarantee of 1960.

Concerning continuation of the efforts to reach common ground and the preparation of upcoming informal meetings which the two leaders agreed to, it emerged that these will likely be coordinated and chaired by UN Under-Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo.

Tatar was not in support of special UNSG envoy Maria Angela Holguin continuing the mission.

The informal tripartite meeting with the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders had been described as “good” by Guterres.

Christodoulides and Tatar met in the early hours of Wednesday, Cyprus time, at UN headquarters in a meeting lasted about an hour and a half.

The outcomes of the meeting were an agreement to hold a future multilateral meeting and to discuss the opening of more crossing points.

Tatar spent close to half an hour, according to CyBC correspondent Thanasis Tsitsas trying to convince Christodoulides to halt arrests of business heads involved in the usurpation and resale of Greek Cypriot properties in the north, which political sources said was a dead-end proposal which violates international law.

Christodoulides reportedly replied that the executive power did not influence the judiciary in EU states.

The two leaders did agree to meet in Cyprus to discuss further confidence building measures, that is, the opening of additional crossing points.

However, political sources sought to point out confidence-building, though helpful, is not akin to a solution, and that the Republic already has in place fourteen such measures.

Meanwhile, Tatar said after the meeting that “many things were discussed”, that the next step will be a wider meeting with Turkey and Greece as guarantor powers, and that he had agreed to meet Christodoulides over the issue of the crossing points.

It is a known position of the Turkish Cypriot leadership that of three proposed additional crossing points, at Kokkina, Pyroi and Mia Milia, only the last stands a chance of being effected, as the Turkish Cypriot side deems the others sensitive military zones.

Tatar reiterated that his demand was for sovereignty and equal legal status for the ‘TRNC’.

“If our sovereign equality and equal international status are not confirmed, we will not sit down to continue official negotiations,” he said.

Speaking to journalists at the meeting’s conclusion Tatar said the Turkish Cypriot position remained the same as three years ago in Geneva.

He added that the UNSG had been present at Crans Montana and “knew very well why the process had collapsed there.” Tatar also said he had been elected in 2020 based on a new vision, which he had presented in Geneva.

“We have a responsibility to our people to explore ways forward and that is why I attended the dinner,” he said, underscoring it had been informal and without any agenda.

“We discussed many issues but […] I maintained my positions,” he said.

Tatar further thanked the UNSG’s special envoy for fulfilling her duties, claiming that she had done everything she could to see how the so-called 3D’s for the ‘TRNC’, that is, direct flights, direct trade and direct contacts with the international community, could be established.

“Unfortunately [she] failed and therefore our sovereignty claims were not recognised. That is why we cannot continue with formal negotiations,” he said.

He added that consultation with Turkey would bring the next steps.

The UNSG in brief statements underscored the UN’s commitment to participate in securing a peaceful resolution to the Cyprus issue, for the benefit of all Cypriots and future generations.

Guterres expressed regret that despite the involvement of his special envoy no common ground between the parties had been found.