The negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem will be resumed after the illegal elections in the occupied areas of Cyprus, the UN Secretary-General`s Special Advisor on Cyprus Espen Barth Eide announced on Tuesday.
Speaking in a press conference in the UN protected area in Nicosia, Eide also stressed that this year is of great importance for the solution of the Cyprus issue.
The Special Advisor of the UN SG although was not in a position to announce a specific date for the resumption of the talks, he said that it would take place with the next few weeks.
He also said that the first meeting between the leaders of the two communities will take place in Cyprus, adding that he is open to proposals the talks to be continued anywhere else.
Eide said during the press conference that President Anastasiades is ready to return to the negotiations since the reasons why he suspended his participation in the peace talks do not exist.
He reiterated the position that the talks is a Cypriot owned process and that all Cypriots should realise that is in their best interest a solution to be found.
President Anastasiades suspended his participation in the peace talks following a Navigational Telex or NAVTEX, issued by Turkey in October last year, as Turkish seismic research vessel “Barbaros” violated the Republic’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Greek Cypriot side has already said it is expecting to be informed by Eide about the state of affairs and Turkey`s actions, before making any decisions for a possible resumption of the talks.
The Greek Cypriot side has warned that if talks resume and Turkey violates again Cyprus` EEZ, it will have no other option than to suspend its participation to the talks once more.
The Turkish NAVTEX expired on Monday and Barbaros has left Cyprus` EEZ.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third.
