Christodoulides calls for readiness ahead of Tatar meeting
In anticipation of an upcoming meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday emphasised the need for comprehensive preparations to ensure effective outcomes that will pave the way for the resumption of talks.
As discussions with Tatar, the UN, and the guarantor powers remain pending, Christodoulides stressed the importance of thorough readiness leading up to the meeting.
“Throughout this period leading up to the meeting, we should prepare ourselves to achieve effective results,” he said.
He reiterated that there can be no solution to the Cyprus issue or any discussion that deviates from the framework of United Nations resolutions,” he states emphatically, adding: “I know where we want to go. We know very well. We know what our red lines are.”
The president mentioned a specific proposal concerning one of the two checkpoints the government wish to open to facilitate the residents’ daily lives.
“If there is a positive response from Mr Tatar, we will proceed,” Christodoulides said during an interview with Euronews discussing the informal trilateral meeting on the Cyprus problem in New York on Wednesday.
He acknowledged that the positions expressed by Tatar were the well-known public positions.
However, he said the meeting was a ‘positive step’ even though it didn’t bring the desired results. “I believe the potential is there, and we have the means and the tools to do whatever is necessary to achieve a result, and that is exactly what we will do. We know very well, I repeat, where we want to go and what actions we need to take to reach our goal.”
The Greek Cypriot side came to the negotiation table with more suggestions concerning youth initiatives and the establishment of a new committee for the missing persons, but were met with resistance by the Turkish Cypriot leader, the president said.
A significant part of Tatar’s remarks focused on legal actions against individuals accused of illegally appropriating property belonging to Greek Cypriots. In response, Christodoulides clarified that there is no interference of the executive branch in judicial matters. “I also presented a joint statement from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot parties, which clearly states that this exploitation and appropriation of properties negatively impacts both the prospects for resolving the Cyprus issue and the content of any solution,” he explained.
Regarding the normalisation of Greek-Turkish relations, Christodoulides asserted that any constructive progress must be linked to the Cyprus issue. He emphasised that Turkey’s involvement in the Cyprus issue is fundamental, affecting all aspects and dimensions.
The improvement of Greek-Turkish relations can only be achieved through a resolution of the Cyprus issue, as is the position publicly expressed by the Greek Prime Minister in Nicosia, the president said.
While Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to take over informal talks regarding the Cyprus problem and visit the island soon, the president said that the Secretary-General wants to maintain a leading role in the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, viewing it as a personal challenge, especially given his Mediterranean background and belief in the potential for a solution.
Regarding the role of the European Union in the possible solution, the president stresses that Cyprus, as an EU member, will continue to be a member of the EU after any potential solution, making the Cyprus issue an EU concern. He highlights the importance of internal functionality to prevent future problems within the EU. He also notes that progress in EU-Turkey relations is tied to resolving the Cyprus issue. The president expressed satisfaction with the European Commission’s increased interest and urged the EU to take a more active role, which could help restart negotiations and shape discussions.