The United Nations is heading full steam ahead toward announcing an impasse in the Cyprus issue. These announcements will not take the form of a dramatic finale, such as “good luck, Northerners, good luck, Southerners” from Crans-Montana, or what followed the rejection of the Annan Plan, but will be more subtle… artfully leaving the Cyprus issue to the next UN Secretary-General.
Information obtained by Alpha from diplomatic circles confirms that this is the most likely scenario during the visit of Guterres’s special envoy, Maria Olgin, to Nicosia.
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In any case, holding a five-party conference is now considered a long shot, as time has run out regarding António Guterres’s term.
The latest efforts
One of the latest efforts took place at noon in Brussels.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, reiterated—as she had a few months ago to Hakan Fidan— the need for progress on the Cyprus issue.
“We affirm that good neighborly relations and the advancement of the Cyprus settlement process are of the utmost importance.” Kaia Kallas, Head of EU Foreign Policy
However, there has been no reaction from Ankara.Neither regarding the substance of the Cyprus issue nor even regarding the approval of confidence-building measures, such as the removal of roadblocks.
Given this situation, on the eve of Olgin’s visit, Nicosia will make it clear that it is not responsible for the collapse of the Secretary-General’s initiative, who—as the Greek Cypriot negotiator pointed out to Alpha— the negotiator for the Greek Cypriot side—fought hard to achieve progress.
“He made an effort. But above all, he made an effort on the substance. Efforts were also made by the United Nations, and subsequently,During the High-Level Week in New York. We are not mentioning these things because our priority now is the allocation of responsibilities.This must be absolutely clear. At the same time, however, there must also be a clear picture of the reasons why this effort is encountering obstacles.” Menelaos Menelaou, Greek Cypriot negotiator
Olgin will make a last-ditch effort during the United Nations’ swan song under Guterres.It is telling that she is arriving in Cyprus on October 29 and has scheduled the joint meeting with the two leaders 12 days later.On November 9. Twelve days of preparations and consultations.
“He should come during this period and be here, since time is running out until the end of the Secretary-General’s term.Whatever happens, efforts must be intensified to reach a resolution as soon as possible.” Menelaos Menelaou, Greek Cypriot negotiator
Even today, the Turkish Cypriot leader explained that Christodoulides’ proposal regarding Famagusta is rejected because, as he said, it would not allow for direct trade with the European Union through the city’s port.
And for that reason, the proposal was not balanced.
Watch the report by Giorgos Georgiadis
