The new meeting held on February 24 at the residence of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus between President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman also ended without specific results.
This time, no joint statement was issued following the meeting, which lasted approximately one-and-a half-hours. According to statements by President Christodoulides, discussions continued on the Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), and there was also an exchange of views on substantive aspects of the Cyprus issue. President Christodoulides revealed in statements upon returning to the Presidential Palace that he had sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General requesting a meeting within March.
Asked whether there had been any progress during the new meeting, the President of Cyprus said: “We had an open and sincere discussion, during which we reviewed the progress on the Confidence-Building Measures and agreed to provide some further guidelines to the negotiators.
We exchanged views, discussed substantive issues of the Cyprus problem relating to its various chapters, and agreed to meet again soon. The negotiators will arrange the date.”
Christodouides then added: “Beyond that, I contacted the Secretary-General in writing last week and requested to meet with him within March. I also plan to convene a meeting of the National Council for briefing and exchange of views on the current state of affairs.”
Asked about the atmosphere of the meeting, President Christodoulides said it took place “in a very good climate.” Regarding the CBMs, he said: “We reviewed all the Confidence-Building Measures, the progress observed, where there are delays, and we will give guidelines to the negotiators to continue the discussion.”
Responding to a question, he said: “We have long proposed the Lideinis road as a new crossing point, as well as four other crossing points.”
When asked whether, on substantive issues, there was any specific reference to the proposals he had previously submitted – either for recording convergences or for reaffirming the basis of a solution – the President said: “Of course there was. Within the framework of the discussion on substance and the relevant chapters toward the desired goal, there was an open and sincere discussion.”
In response to a remark that before the meeting Erhürman had made a post expressing complaints and saying he would not engage in a blame game, and when asked whether he had received complaints during the meeting, Christodoulides clarified: “I am not entering into that discussion. As I said before going in, I am not distracted by anything. I have a clear goal in mind – what I seek and what the purpose of these meetings is. And I repeat, we will meet again very soon in order to see exactly this fundamental objective, which is the resumption of talks – substantive talks – with full safeguarding of the negotiating acquis, so that we can achieve the goal of resolving the Cyprus problem.”
Asked whether he detected the same willingness on the other side to continue the dialogue, the President of the Republic said: “Yes. As I said, we agreed to meet again soon in order to see how the conditions can be created for the talks to resume.”
In response to a question about whether there is an intention to reaffirm the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation also by the Turkish Cypriot leader, Christodoulides said: “On December 11, we reaffirmed political equality on the basis of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the resolutions speak very specifically about the solution to the Cyprus problem and the desired objective.”
Finally, responding to a question, he stated that he and the Turkish Cypriot leader did not discuss the issue of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Cyprus.
