President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides said Friday that the Greek Cypriot side is working to welcome the personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General in order to have concrete results towards the resumption of the Cyprus talks.
The President, who was arriving at an event in memory and honour of Cyprus first President, Archbishop Makarios III, was invited by journalists to reply to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s claims against the Greek Cypriot side, saying “I don’t have anything to answer to Mr. Tatar, I hope that no excuses -in quotes or without quotes- are needed due to the arrival to Cyprus of the personal envoy of the United Nations”.
“We are working to welcome the personal envoy, to have a very constructive, and I hope productive, discussion and to have concrete results towards the resumption of the talks from where they were interrupted in Crans Montana with one and only goal, being the solution of the Cyprus problem”.
Asked about the meeting he held earlier with British Secretary of St
ate for Defence, the President said that it was a good meeting during which they exchanged views about bilateral issues, how to further strengthen their cooperation in many areas, especially the areas that concern the Secretary, but also about the developments in general.
“Britain supports the effort of the Republic of Cyprus and the international community in general for the uninterrupted humanitarian aid to all those who need it in Gaza. Our contacts continue in various directions in Israel, countries in the region, the United Nations,” he said.
Asked if there was anything concrete about the humanitarian corridor, he said there was a discussion adding that both Cyprus and Britain are working in a specific direction “and we appreciate the fact that they are actually supporting this initiative of the Republic of Cyprus”.
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 neg
otiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia 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