Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias has said that Greece and Turkey should first come to an agreement on the aspects of security and guarantees, before a new Conference on Cyprus is convened.
Speaking during a radio interview in Greece, Kotzias said that the Greek government had already underlined the need for such an agreement before the parties met first in Geneva and then in Crans – Montana. He expressed the view that responsibility that this preparatory work was not completed lies with UN special adviser, Espen Barth Eide.
“During a meeting of the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Beijing, President Erdogan had accepted that these issues should be discussed. But later on, Turkey did not follow this agreement and consequently – due to Mr. Eide– we went to Crans-Montana without having completed the necessary preparatory work on these crucial problems of the Cyprus Issue,” the Greek FM said.
Kotzias added that the need for a preliminary agreement between Greece and Turkey was discussed anew by both parts before the elections in Turkey. “I am hoping that the new Turkish government will follow the accord we had before Crans Montana for a preliminary agreement.” he said.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. A UN-backed Conference on Cyprus last summer in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana, aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof, ended inconclusivel
