The UN Secretary General will not convene an international conference on the Cyprus issue if the necessary progress and an agreement on the internal aspects of the problem is not reached, President Demetris Christofias believes. Moreover, he clarified that the Greek Cypriot side will not participate in such a meeting, unless these conditions are met.
Speaking here Tuesday after a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu in the framework of the ongoing direct negotiations, President Christofias said that they discussed the property issue.
Asked if the meeting had any positive results, Christofias said that he could not say they had achieved progress. “No. We will continue on the property issue during the next meeting” on March 8, he added.
President Christofias said that the Turkish Cypriot side must provide more data on the issue of property.
Asked if there is a possibility the UNSG`s Special Adviser on Cyprus Alexander Downer may submit bridging proposals on the property issue, President Christofias said the Greek Cypriot side is not aware of such an eventuality. “We have no information on that”, he added.
On the future of the negotiating process, President Christofias said that we need to be more patient and avoid speculation.
“I believe it may be somewhat strange for the UN Secretary General to take the risk and call an international conference while there is lack of the necessary progress and no solution to the internal aspects of the problem, as such a meeting will fail, because we will not participate in an international conference if these conditions are not met. This is clear”, he stressed.
Asked if he has any idea what Downer`s position will be in his report to Ban Ki-moon on the Cyprus talks, President Christofias said he would not like to speculate. “I believe that we will not have any surprises”, he concluded.
