Resumption of talks is a priority President tells UN’s DiCarlo

President Nikos Christodoulides said lifting the deadlock in the Cyprus negotiations was his number-one priority and expressed his readiness to travel to New York if the UN Secretary-General deems this necessary, at his meeting on Wednesday with Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo.

Speaking after the one-hour meeting, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the President told DiCarlo that the number one priority for the Greek Cypriot side was to lift the deadlock and immediately resume negotiations for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, under the UN-agreed framework.

He said Christodoulides reiterated his readiness, whenever DiCarlo wishes and considers this useful, to have a joint meeting with DiCarlo and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, “even today”.

Asked about DiCarlo’s reaction to Christodoulides’ proposal for a more active involvement of the EU, Letymbiotis noted that the UN recognises that the EU will have a supporting role at the negotiations.

“They will not substitute the UN. Cyprus is an EU member state. The UN cooperates with the EU and the President made it clear that negotiations will always take place within the UN framework,” he noted.

According to Letymbiotis DiCarlo said that the EU and the UN have an excellent cooperation. She views in a positive way the fact that our side’s actions aim to create a conducive climate, he added.

Letymbiotis said DiCarlo’s visit to Cyprus sends a message about the UNSG’s commitment to the immediate resumption of the negotiations.

He added that President Christodoulides elaborated on his proposal for a more active involvement of the EU and about the benefits and motives that this can bring, and how it could achieve a win-win situation for everyone.

Christodoulides told DiCarlo that the EU is the common home of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cyprus and that Turkish Cypriots already enjoy some EU benefits and we should not see this proposal as negative but as a proposal which contributes in a very positive way to the climate that needs to be created, the Spokesman noted.

Furthermore, he said Christodoulides briefed DiCarlo on the meetings that he will have on the sidelines of the European Council next week and about the conversation he had with European Council President Charles Michel. He also expressed his will and his readiness to travel to New York if the UNSG considers this necessary.

Asked if DiCarlo was invited to convey another message to Tatar except from his readiness for a joint meeting, the Spokesman said she was asked to convey the sincere will of the Greek Cypriot side for the immediate resumption of negotiations, and that “we are already at the negotiating table and we expect from Mr Tatar to proceed to the negotiating table with a sincere will, with a view to achieve a settlement providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation within the UN framework.”

Asked if President Christodoulides will meet with the UNSG in Brussels next week, the Spokesman said that Antonio Guterres’ schedule in the Belgian capital will be very busy, however they will surely have an opportunity for an encounter on the sidelines of the European Council.