The United Nations acknowledges our side’s readiness and its constructive stance to resume negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem from where they left off, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters on Wednesday.
Speaking after the cabinet meeting chaired by President Nikos Christodoulides, the Spokesperson said Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Miroslav Jenča’s visit to Cyprus alone sends a clear message, that “the UNSG remains focused on efforts to resume negotiations”.
He said Jenča’s visit was arranged after the President of the Republic had a telephone conversation with the SG and following Antonio Guterres’ meeting with Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos. “What we note is that the UN acknowledge our readiness, the readiness of the President of the Republic and the constructive stance shown from the first moment he took up office, to undertake initiatives and submit specific proposals and has repeatedly reiterated our readiness to resume negotiations from where they were left off.”
At the same time, Letymbiotis added, “we note with satisfaction, as reiterated by Mr. Jenca as well – the unanimous statement of the members of the Security Council, in which beyond their commitment to the agreed framework on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, they also acknowledge the necessity and high added value of appointing an envoy by the SG, a position that we ourselves have been reiterating for months”.
Therefore, he continued, “we believe that within this very framework, we will continue to make those efforts to restart the negotiations as soon as possible,” adding that after the recent positions of the international community in the past few days, “it is evident that our sincere concern, our sincere commitment to a viable, final and just solution to the Cyprus issue is being recognised”.
The Government Spokesperson further said that Jenca will report directly to the SG while President Christodoulides will travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. “We will anticipate any developments”, the Spokesman concluded.
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