Negotiators meet in positive spirit
Negotiators from both sides of the divide met on Thursday night for the first time since the tripartite dinner in New York, kickstarting what is hoped will be a new momentum in Cyprus towards resuming talks.
According to the Cyprus News Agency, the meeting between Menelaos Menelaou and Gunes Oner was held in a “positive spirit”.
It said the two negotiators recognised the need to focus on the outcomes of the dinner and how to implement what was decided between the two leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while putting aside their polar opposite positions on the substance of the Cyprus issue.
President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar agreed to a five-party informal meeting in the coming months with the guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and the UK. They also agreed to discuss opening new crossing points.
Thursday’s meeting between the negotiators took place at the Ledra Palace hotel in the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia in the presence of Colin Stewart, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus
During the discussion, according to CNA, there was a consensus that good preparation should be done for the meetings going forward, for the informal extended meeting, and the meeting of the two leaders on the crossings.
The two negotiators did not discuss which new crossings might be opened. The Turkish Cypriot side is mooting Mia Milia in Nicosia and the Greek Cypriot side Pyroi near Athienou in the Larnaca district and Kokkina in the north-west of the island.
It was agreed at Thursday’s meeting that discussion on the crossings between the two leaders would begin soon, CNA said.
Sources told the news agency that for the informal five-party meeting, the assessments should take place following a visit to the island by whoever is appointed by Guterres to help move things forward. UN Under-Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to take over this process.
Menelaou told the CyBC on Friday that the important thing was the UN’s commitment to continue its efforts for a Cyprus solution.
Asked to comment on the Turkish demand that Britain not attend the five-party informal meeting, Menelaou pointed out that the international aspects of the Cyprus issue were being discussed between all those involved, that is, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, Greece, Turkey and Britain, which are the contracting parties to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.
Tatar was reported as saying on Thursday that the Greek Cypriots want the participation of Britain because it maintains two military bases on the island. “Britain can participate as an observer,” he said, adding, “we also discussed this with Turkey. I’ll see.”