Resumption of talks ‘depends on Turkish side’
It was clear from his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the resumption of negotiations depends on the Turkish side, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday.
“Both the secretary-general and the five permanent members of the Security Council have exactly the same approach as us, namely, that there is no question of resuming talks and resolving the Cyprus problem outside the specified Security Council framework,” he said in an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) before leaving New York.
It was the common finding of the representatives of the five permanent members of the Security Council that despite the disagreements observed between them on a number of international problems, “they have a common approach in relation to the desired form of solution to the Cyprus problem”, Christodoulides said.
“We expect to be informed through the United Nations about the Turkish side’s response to the secretary-general’s call for a possible meeting in October, which we hope will take place,” he added.
“With the necessary political will, we can reunite our country and lead to a mutually beneficial state of affairs not only for Cyprus, the Greek-Turkish issues but also for the wider region.”
During his time in New York, Christodoulides held meeting with the Greek government as well as France and the UAE on the Interconnector that will link Cyprus and Greece’s electriciity sytsems.
“The electricity interconnection project between Greece and Cyprus is one of the three pillars of our strategy to reduce the cost of electricity in Cyprus, in combination with the advent of natural gas and the further penetration of renewable energy sources into the energy mix,” Christodoulides said.
Discussions that took place in the US clarified “several points that we considered imperative to raise but also in drawing up a specific road map for the next steps.”
In the coming days, a meeting will be held at technocratic level to proceed with all the necessary processes regarding the joint participation of the UAE’s TAQA in the project.
Regarding Cyprus-US relations, Christodoulides said that they are going through their best period and have never before been so upgraded at all levels. A few months ago, Cyprus and the United States launched the Strategic Dialogue, while a roadmap for bilateral Defence Cooperation has been signed between the two countries.
“The role of the Republic of Cyprus as a reliable partner and as a factor of stability and security in the region is recognised through a coherent and consistent policy that we follow with concrete actions and not just wishful thinking,” Christodoulides said.
He said the government is working so that in the near future it will announce other agreements such as the participation of Cyprus in the Visa Waiver Program, the direct air connection between the two countries and the attraction of further investments.
In April Christodoulides will be in the United States for meetings exclusively related to attracting investments but also for his participation in an investment forum in relation to shipping.
Regarding the maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, he said “Cyprus has proved in practice that it is not part of the problem but part of the solution and that it can contribute catalytically to the promotion of peace and security in an area of particular strategic importance.
“Undoubtedly, this development also affects our efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, not only because it highlights the role of our country but also because through a possible solution of the Cyprus problem this role should not only be ensured but strengthened even more,” he said.