We are ready for a tripartite meeting between the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar whenever the SG deems is the right time, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told the press on Friday, following a meeting of the National Council.
The political leaders were informed by the President on the latest developments ahead of his visit, next week, to New York for the UN General Assembly and his meeting with Guterres.
Letymbiotis said once again that our side maintains a constructive attitude in the efforts to break the deadlock and expressed the hope that the Turkish side will also revise its stance in order to achieve a tripartite meeting.
The Spokesperson also said that President Christodoulides informed the political parties about the participation of the Turkish Foreign Minister in the informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers, in Brussels.
He said that the leaders reiterated their support for the efforts
made by the President to resume the negotiations, within the agreed framework from where they were left, at a time when the international community recognizes the constructive attitude of our side.
He said that the President is visiting New York and the UN headquarters with the aim of achieving further mobility and with the hope that the SG’s new effort for a joint meeting will have a positive outcome.
Letymbiotis said that our side has taken initiatives and has proven that it seeks the dialogue, adding that we have absolute confidence in the rightness of our positions and aspirations.
He also said, replying to a question, that the parameter of the US elections is not linked with the efforts, adding that our side believes that the tripartite meeting should be held as soon as possible because it is the first obvious step for an exchange of views before the Secretary General.
The Spokesperson said once again that the agreed framework, the bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, as defined in
the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, can be the answer to any concerns the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots might have.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Guterres appointed last January María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar as his personal envoy for Cyprus, to assume a Good Offices role on his behalf and search for common ground on the way forward in the Cyprus issue.
Source: Cyprus News Agency