The decision for the appointment of a UN Secretary-General Personal Envoy is a significant development given that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Ersin Tatar, initially refused strongly to take this step, and accepted only after consultation with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, sources said on Tuesday after the conclusion of the informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format in Geneva.
According to the same sources, Tatar initially requested that the appointment of a Personal Envoy concern the confidence-building measures, something that the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, did not accept. According to the same sources, Hakan Fidan’s interventions in the discussion during the plenary session of the informal meeting at the Palais des Nations in Geneva left a positive impression, as he did not make any references that could flare up tensions.
The same sources also described as positive the fact that all sides, including the Secretary-General, except for the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot sides, referred to the basis of the solution to the Cyprus problem in the form of a bizonal, bicommunal federation and to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It is also considered important that there was no mention that there is no common ground, which is what the UN Secretary-General said in his statement after the dinner he hosted in New York for the two leaders on October 15, 2024.
The same sources said that President Christodoulides said during the plenary that he was ready to discuss the substance of the Cyprus problem, noting that a meeting in this format hasn’t been held since 2021. During the discussion he presented five scenarios for the process to move forward and requested the appointment of an envoy by the Secretary-General.
The President also stated that he was ready to discuss confidence-building measures with both the Turkish Cypriot side and the Turkish side, such as the delimitation of maritime zones, they noted, adding that this followed a reference by Tatar on the issue of hydrocarbons. The President of the Republic, according to the same sources, appeared ready to discuss the water issue – which was also raised as an issue of cooperation by Tatar – but with Turkey, as it concerns issues of sovereignty.
Tatar, according to the sources, proposed the creation of a “Cyprus Cooperation Council”, a proposal that was rejected by President Christodoulides as he considers that this also concerns issues of sovereignty. The President of the Republic also said that this suggestion was outside the framework of UN Security Council resolutions.
The same sources also said that the intervention of the Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, was supportive of the positions of the Greek Cypriot side, while the Turkish Foreign Minister, who referred to the history of the Cyprus problem, used non-provocative language “without this meaning that he changed his position”.
The UN Secretary-General, for his part, according to the sources, initially raised three points, the discussion of initiatives for cooperation, the date of the next meeting and the appointment of an envoy, and the sides discussed these points.
As regards the discussion on crossing points, the Turkish Cypriot leader referred in the plenary session only to the opening of the Mia Milia crossing in Nicosia, while the President of the Republic appeared ready to discuss the opening of four crossing points that would satisfy both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides, namely in Pyroi – Athienou, Louroudjina, Mia Milia and Kokkina.
According to the same sources, Tatar rejected suggestions for proposals from civil society to the two leaders, the establishment of a Truth Commission, while the issue of pollution in the Skouriotissa area from the mine would be raised in the context of the discussion on environmental issues.
On the issue of electricity, the President of the Republic said that the system has been interconnected since 2015, while on tourism, an issue raised by Tatar, President Christodoulides referred to the EU regulation on crossings.
The same sources referred to the UN Secretary-General’s initial statement that he wanted “meaningful steps forward” today and assessed that Turkey’s interest in the EU played a key role in today’s discussions.
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. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Also read: Turkish MFA on the Cyprus issue: The steps agreed in Geneva
Source: CNA
