President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has stressed that the Greek Cypriot side will not participate in an international conference on the Cyprus issue without prior agreement on the internal aspects of the problem.
President Christofias arrived Friday in New York to take part in a two-day meeting (23 and 24 January) convened by UN Secretary General Ban Ki – moon on the Cyprus issue.
The UN Secretary General and the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, President Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu are set to meet UNSG at Greentree mansion in Long Island, New York. This would be their second meeting at the same venue. The first one took place on October 30-31, last year.
In statements to journalists on arrival in New York, President Christofias expressed his regret for the non progress on the core issues of the Cyprus issue, recalling that this was a condition set by the UN Secretary General.
«There has been no progress so far in the chapters of governance, property, territory and citizenship, meaning issues relating to Turkish settlers“, he pointed out.
He stressed the Greek Cypriot side`s readiness to discuss with good will and expressed hope for “a miracle” to happen.
Invited to comment on Turkish allegations that the Greek Cypriot side poses obstacles to the talks, he said that during the past two years Turkish propaganda has accused the Greek Cypriot side of being obstructive and intransigent, stressing that those accusations are false.
President Christofias noted that the Greek Cypriot side seeks the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, the High Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979 and the agreements reached with former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat on various important chapters, which provide for a bizonal bicommunal federal solution in Cyprus.
He said that the Turkish side has mobilised its propaganda in an attempt to blame the Greek Cypriot side for the lack of progress.
“I believe that at the first Greentree meeting our side has shown good will and we continued demonstrating good will. But unfortunately, the Turkish side has made no move forward“, he stressed.
President Christofias underlined that if the Turkish side shows good will and honors the agreements reached with Talat, this would pave the way for progress.
Concluding, he sent a message to those who want to impose strict timeframes or convene an international conference on the Cyprus issue without prior agreement on the internal aspects of the problem: “they should think twice“.
Talks will begin on Monday, in the presence of the UN SG, and continue throughout the day with separate meetings. On Monday afternoon, UN SG`s Special Advisor Alexander Downer will brief the press on the outcome of the first day of the talks.
Ban will host a dinner for the two leaders and their spouses on Tuesday, once the talks are over.
The official end of the talks will take place on Wednesday morning (New York time) at UN headquarters, with the UN SG reading out a statement, in the presence of the two leaders.
The first meeting between the two leaders and the UNSG took place in November 2010, followed by two more meetings in Geneva on January 26 and July 7, 2011, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to finding a comprehensive solution as soon as possible, while in Geneva, on 26 January 2011, the sides agreed to intensify the negotiations.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied its northern third. Since 1974 Turkey occupies 37% of Cyprus` territory in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, European Parliament decisions and resolutions, European Council decisions and other resolutions of international fora, which condemn the Turkish invasion and occupation.
Ankara has proclaimed a self-styled `state` in the occupied areas of Cyprus, which the UN have called legally invalid and asked the international community not to recognise or facilitate it. The illegal state is only recognised by Ankara.
The latest round of UN – led negotiations have been underway since 2008 between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus with an aim to reunify the island under a federal roof.
