Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has said that the government is ready to resume negotiations on the Cyprus issue after the completion of “elections” in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus.
In an interview on the Greek public radio station “ERT” published on Monday, Anastasiades noted that he is ready for the resumption of negotiations, based on the Joint Declaration of 11 February 2014, the agreed convergences and the six-point framework of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, presented in Crans-Montana. “I hope that Turkey will respond to the UN Secretary-General’s call. On our part, we are absolutely ready to return to the negotiating table – free from threats, of course”, he said.
As regards the UN Security Council’s recent statement, calling on the immediate resumption of dialogue, President Anastasiades commented that this call is linked to UN Secretary General’s explicit statement that after “elections” in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus he will continue his efforts for an informal Quintet Summit under the auspices of the UN, in order for all parts to agree on the appropriate procedures for negotiations.
Referring to the continued Turkish provocations, the President of the Republic of Cyprus underlined that “apart from the opening of the coastal front of Varosha, we have the renewal of the Navtex.” As he said, Turkish drilling vessel “Yavuz” – which made drillings into licensed blocs of the Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic– has only recently departed. Meanwhile, “Barbaros” is continuing its seismic research” and with a new Navtex “is now moving to the region, where Yavuz realized drillings”, he said. “These developments are disappointing”, Anastasiades stressed.
“Greece and Cyprus are in close consultation, with their relations being in complete harmony”, Anastasiades concluded.
