The UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide remains a `realistic optimist` and believes that negotiations for a solution of the Cyprus problem will restart sooner or later, noting that when that happens, the moment of truth will have to be faced.
Speaking after meetings with political party leaders in Nicosia, Eide said `what I am doing now is trying to understand better the whole political landscape`.
`I have deep interest in and deep respect for the different positions that different parties have`, Eide said, pointing out that `some are more pro-solution than others, and others will point out what the challenges are`.
Eide said he was `trying to go through all this now`, adding that he remained `a realistic optimist`.
`I think there are many challenges that have to be solved in order to get the negotiations restarted. I also think that when they are restarted – and I deliberately say when because I think they will be restarted sooner or later – we have to move fast in order to face the moment of truth which will be in front of us. A choice has to be made, whether the societies, both the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot, actually want a solution. It will also be a question for important neighbouring states to make up their mind and then when there is a will there is also a way. If there is no will, we will not get anywhere`, Eide pointed out.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third.
President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades decided to suspend his participation in the UN-backed negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, after Turkish seismic exploration vessel Barbaros entered Cyprus` exclusive economic zone, a few days after Turkey had issued an illegal maritime order (NAVTEX) for the area.