Cyprus leads talks between FM, UN chief
The Cyprus problem and the prospect of resuming reunification talks was one of the issues that dominated Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Monday.
“The opportunity that is being given to have a discussion on the Cyprus issue between Cyprus and the Turkish-Cypriot community is important. With the personal intervention of the secretary-general, the personal envoy has been appointed, who has a mandate to engage in discussions. We remain firmly committed to the United Nations Security Council resolutions on the bizonal bicommunal federation. The opportunity that is presented should be seized by the parties to sit down at the table for dialogue. Greece will exhaust every possibility so that we can have positive developments on the Cyprus issue,” Gerapetritis said after the meeting, setting the framework within which Athens and Nicosia look forward to the new process.
Diplomatic sources noted the concern of the Greek side over the insistence of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots in their rhetoric for a two-state solution, and that this cannot be a precondition for the start of negotiations.
In the context of the new mobility on the Cyprus problem, the statement on Monday from Nicosia by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is on an official visit to the island republic, carries special significance. The German leader said, in particular, that it should often be made clear to Ankara that its attitude toward the Cyprus settlement also affects other issues of Turkey, such as its rapprochement with the EU. For his part, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides stressed that the EU can play a more active role in the Cyprus problem, as it has the necessary guarantees.
Apart from Cyprus, Gerapetritis and Guterres also discussed all major issues and crises currently unfolding worldwide, with special focus on the Middle East.
