In a pointed remark directed at those who question the submission of the 19 proposals by the Greek Cypriot side to the negotiating table with the UN and the Turkish Cypriot side, the President of the Republic, Nicos Christodoulides, responded upon his return to the Presidential Palace following his four-hour meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, and the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, María Ángela Olguín.
During the meeting, it was agreed, among other things, to open two new crossing points and to convene a trilateral meeting with António Guterres and Tufan Erhürman within the coming weeks.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“We haven’t reached the ultimate goal yet, but we’re working step by step to achieve it. Today, an important step was taken.”
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Guterres Kept Informed
He emphasized that the Secretary-General was kept informed of both the talks and their results, noting that he had provided a written copy of the 19 proposals both to the Turkish Cypriot leader and to María Ángela Olguín. As he noted, the proposals had been submitted prior to his trip to New York and had been presented to the National Council. In this way, he said, he wanted to ensure that there would be no dispute as to whether they had been submitted.
At the same time, he announced that the 19 points would be made public once significant progress had been made in the dialogue, while expressing satisfaction that several of the initiatives announced after the meeting are included in the Greek Cypriot side’s proposals
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Why Athienou and Kokkina Are Not Opening
Referring to the crossing points, Nikos Christodoulides confirmed that progress had been made, though no final agreement had been reached on all the issues discussed. Specifically, regarding the issue of the Pyroiou-Athienou roadblock, he noted that discussions are ongoing and no final resolution has been reached. For this reason, he refrained from providing further details, emphasizing that the priority is to achieve a result.
When asked whether opening the Kampos-Karavostasi roadblock constitutes an alternative proposal to opening Kokkina, the President clarified that Kokkina remains on the table and is included among the 19 proposals put forward by the Greek Cypriot side. He also confirmed that the two crossing points agreed upon for opening will begin operating on the same day, following the necessary preparatory work.
Demining was not discussed
The President of the Republic also clarified that the issue of demining was not raised during today’s meeting, distinguishing this issue from the Greek Cypriot side’s proposal to examine specific areas, covering approximately 70,000 square meters, where explosives or landmines may be present. As she noted, this specific proposal had been submitted some time ago, following consultation with the National Guard.
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“Erdoğan’s statements do not throw me off course”
When asked about a new proposal submitted by the Turkish Cypriot leader that was rejected, Nikos Christodoulides declined to disclose its contents, noting that he does not consider it appropriate to do so at this stage and pledged to address the matter should Tufan Erhurman make a public statement.
When asked to comment on the statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as the illegal visit by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to the occupied territories, the President stated that he had listened to Ankara’s positions without downplaying or underestimating them.
However, he noted that they do not distract him from his goal, adding that today’s results could have been significantly better and more substantial. When asked whether Ankara’s intervention influenced the outcome of the meeting and prevented agreements from being reached, he declined to answer, saying that the issue had been discussed, but he does not wish to comment publicly at this stage.
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What will be discussed with Guterres
Regarding the upcoming meeting with António Guterres, Nikos Christodoulides stated that it is expected to take place in the coming weeks, while a specific date will be announced later. As he clarified, the agenda will include methodology, substantive issues, and confidence-building measures. The goal, as he explained, is for these discussions to create the conditions necessary for the Secretary-General to convene an expanded conference.
When asked whether the issue of a rotating presidency had been discussed, the President made it clear that this is a matter for the negotiations and that the Greek Cypriot side is ready to present its positions at the negotiating table.
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