President reiterates aim to lift the deadlock in Cyprus talks, calls for unity

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides reiterated his aim to work towards lifting the deadlock in the UN-led talks on Cyprus, noting that a united front at home would support the efforts to resume negotiations.

Addressing a 10 September ceremony to reveal the busts of local heroes of the village of Tsada, Vladimiros Eracleous, Andreas Christodoulou and Herodotos Savva, who lost their lives during the 1964 intercommunal strife and the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the President expressed certainty that everybody understands the significance of unity “not only as our least obligation to the Cypriot people but also as an important factor strengthening us both in efforts to resume talks as well as at the negotiating table.”

He reiterated his readiness to work constructively and away from confrontations and blame games “to achieve the desired reunification of our country.”

“A strong united front at home is an absolute precondition if we were to achieve the lifting of the deadlock and resume talks which would lead us to a solution to the Cyprus problem,” he added.

Noting that the tragic outcomes of the Turkish invasion are in place for 49 years, Christodoulides stated “this cannot be the future of our country.”

For this reason, he said, immediately after assuming power, he began a great diplomatic effort aiming to resume talks as soon as possible to achieve freedom, reunification and to reach to the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Referring to his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly next week and the EU Summit in October, Christodoulides reiterated that these two landmarks “will be crucial and pivotal to our effort.”

“No plan B”

Furthermore, in the second part of his interview with daily “O Phileleftheors,” published today, Christodoulides said that from his first day at office he strived for the resumption of the UN led talks as “I firmly believe that the present state of affairs cannot be the solution to the Cyprus problem and the elapse of time creates new fait accompli rendering the solution of the Cyprus problem even more remote.”

He said he will not enter into discussion over a “Plan B” involving a different solution to the Cyprus problem other than a federation.

“If you ask me whether there is a Plan B concerning a different form of a solution I can clarify that this cannot be discussed. And I will not enter into a discussion for a different form of a settlement,” he stressed.

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.

(Source: CNA)