Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades described Turkish aims over a two-state solution to the Cyprus problem as inconceivable, noting it is up to the UN Secretary-General to ascertain whether such aims, which fall outside the UN resolutions, could be satisfied.
“Once more Turkish intransigence and the aims it puts forward have been manifested,” Anastasiades said, invited to comment on Turkish President’s remarks that a future negotiating process on Cyprus should be carried out between two states.
“What I would equally like to convey it is that it is inconceivable or impossible to expect that they (the Turkish side) can achieve a settlement, outside the UN resolutions or the UN Secretary-General’s mandate,” Anastasiades said noting that “undoubtedly a new crisis is caused, a crisis that concerns not only us in Cyprus but also the European partners, the UN and of course the UN Secretary – General.”
In the April’s informal 5+1 meeting in Geneva on the future of the Cyprus talks, Turkey had put forward a two-state solution, as opposed to the position of the Greek Cypriot side that talks should resume from where they left off in Crans Montana, in 2017, over a bizonal bicommunal federal solution, with the UN Chief Antonio Guterres noting that not enough common ground was covered to enable formal talks to resume.
“It is up to the UN chief and the preparatory work to be carried out whether Turkey could be satisfied in any way,” he added.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results.
