International community recognises effort to resume talks

The international community recognises the constructive stance of the Greek Cypriot side on resuming Cyprus talks, said government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.

He made statements after Tuesday’s National Council meeting, during which President Nikos Christodoulides briefed political party leaders about his contacts in New York and meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Letymbiotis underlined that the Greek Cypriot side expects the appointment of a UNSG envoy, who will look into the prospects for the resumption of negotiations.

He said this was the position UN Security Council members expressed unanimously in their recent statement.

“The President briefed the National Council members about his meeting with the UNSG, to whom he reiterated ‘our readiness to have a joint meeting with (Turkish Cypriot leader) Mr Tatar as well as the added value that we consider the appointment of a UNSG envoy will have.”

Letymbiotis said the European Council Summit in December will discuss EU-Turkish relations.

“It is not only our position but also the position of our European partners that any issues which Turkey assesses as high priorities are directly linked with the resumption of the negotiations and their course.”

He said President Christodoulides sent very clear messages during his speech at the UN General Assembly to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the international community.

“It is our side that has undertaken initiatives, is it our side that has submitted concrete, constructive proposals, it is the Republic of Cyprus which remains committed to the agreed basis.

“What we can say right now is that the international community recognises our own constructive stance.

“The resumption of the negotiations is not only up to us…we will use all the diplomatic tools at our disposal, including our EU membership, to create the preconditions for a mutually beneficial situation for the resumption of the negotiations.”