The Greek Cypriot side has reaffirmed its commitment to the agreed framework for resolving the Cyprus issue, as outlined in United Nations (UN) resolutions.
Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis addressed journalists following a National Council meeting on Friday, emphasizing that proposals submitted by the Greek Cypriot leader are now before the UN, with the goal of ensuring a positive outcome at the upcoming expanded meeting in Geneva.
Letymbiotis highlighted that the primary objective of the Geneva meeting is to restart negotiations from where they left off in Crans Montana in 2017. “What we are conveying with our positions, in our meetings, is that there will be no departure from the agreed framework, as clearly defined in all relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council,” he stressed.
When asked about UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo’s discussions in Turkey, Letymbiotis noted that there has been no official update from the UN on the outcome of her meetings in Ankara. Addressing reports attributed to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, he pointed out that there is often a difference between public statements and what is actually discussed behind closed doors in preparation for the expanded conference.
UN Preparations Underway
He welcomed the UN’s intention to use the coming period—between DiCarlo’s meetings and the Geneva conference—to carry out essential preparatory work. Regarding her visit to London, Letymbiotis said no exact dates have been confirmed, but it is expected to take place at a later stage, separate from her recent visits to Cyprus, Athens, and Ankara.
Political Leadership in Geneva
On the question of whether the Greek Cypriot political leadership will participate in Geneva, Letymbiotis said the National Council is assessing the possibility. “The intention is to be there, but the final decision will depend on the composition of the UN’s representation at the conference,” he explained. While the exact date for the expanded conference has not been officially announced, he indicated that it is nearly finalized.
No Progress on New Crossing Points
Regarding the opening of new crossing points between the two sides, Letymbiotis said that, apart from ongoing meetings between negotiators, there have been no significant developments.
National Council Briefing
Regarding the National Council meeting, he said that the Greek Cypriot leader Christodoulides informed the political leadership of the country about the events that followed the dinner of October 15, 2024 in New York and the last National Council, which took place on October 22, 2024.
He said that the members of the National Council were informed both about the meeting of Christodoulides with UN Under Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo, but also more broadly about the preparatory work in view of the upcoming expanded meeting on the Cyprus issue, as well as about the meeting of Christodoulides with the Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in the presence of UNSG’s Representative in Cyprus Colin Stewart on the crossing points.
According to Letymbiotis, the members of the National Council were also informed about the negotiator’s contacts in New York, as well as about the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the broader preparatory work of the Greek Cypriot side.
He noted that very constructive specific views were exchanged between the members of the National Council, in view of the expanded meeting to be held in March in Geneva.
Reiterating the Greek Cypriot position, Letymbiotis stressed that their priority remains the establishment of a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality, one sovereignty, one international personality, and one citizenship, as described by UN resolutions and the European legal framework.
He stressed that safeguarding the interests of the Republic of Cyprus and preserving its state sovereignty are non-negotiable. The Spokesman added that both the upcoming multilateral conference and the period until it is convened are being approached “with due seriousness and responsibility”, while preparations are being made to be able to contribute even more to the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to resume negotiations
(Source: CNA)
