The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, will hold a new meeting today, Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the United Nations Good Offices Offices, near Nicosia Airport.
As announced by the United Nations following the two leaders’ meeting last week, “they agreed to meet again next week to continue their discussions.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
According to the statement, “the two leaders look forward to the upcoming visit of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, María Ángela Olguín.”
The statement also notes that the two leaders agreed to jointly participate in the upcoming meetings of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, the Technical Committee on Youth, and the Coordinating Committee of the Civil Society Advisory Body.
President Christodoulides stated yesterday that he is going to the meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader with one and only one goal: “to see positive developments,” and expressed hope that announcements would be made regarding the opening of a new checkpoint. He also announced a trilateral meeting between himself, the Turkish Cypriot leader, and the Secretary-General’s personal envoy sometime in October.
He said that discussions are underway and that some dates have already been set for Ms. Olgin’s visit and for her joint meeting with the leaders.
“We responded positively; I believe the Turkish Cypriot leader would also respond positively, and I truly hope that tomorrow (today) we will have positive news to announce,” he said. When asked about the exact date, he said it would be sometime in October and that it is up to the UN to announce the date.
When asked if there would be an announcement regarding the opening of a new checkpoint, he replied, “I hope so.”
“We are ready if there is a positive response, and of course we are ready to proceed with such an announcement, as well as on many other issues—I repeat—that the Secretary-General raised: substance, methodology, confidence-building measures,” said the President.
In response to another question about whether there is a positive response from the Turkish Cypriot side, he said he did not wish to speak on behalf of the Turkish Cypriot side.
“I think Mr. Erhurman has spoken publicly; he has expressed his views. I have commented on his interview; let’s wait and see, and we’ll be here after the meeting to discuss it,” the President said.
READ ALSO: Christodoulides-Erciyurman: After a brief thaw, relations have soured again; statements and interviews have “spoiled” the atmosphere | AlphaNews
A lot has happened leading up to today’s meeting at the old Nicosia airport. Enough to spoil the atmosphere created on Saturday night and to set off a flurry of mutual accusations, casting dark clouds over the negotiating table.
The headlines in the Turkish Cypriot press were telling.
“The wind of peace has shifted direction. They sat at the same table, ate and drank zivania, and then moved on to cold relations and mutual accusations.”
CHALKIN SESI
“The images from Pyla raised hopes. However, behind the positive atmosphere, tension still persists.”
GENI DUZEN
Tension from the very start
The blame game actually began that very evening, triggered by an article by Maria Olgin—who will not be present today either—with the President of the Republic taking jabs at the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, as well as against his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, regarding his stance on the issue of roadblocks.
This was followed by an interview with Tufan Erhurman in the newspaper “Politis,” in which the Turkish Cypriot leader cited the lack of trust as one of the biggest problems, against the backdrop of the government’s actions to cancel events in the occupied areas.
“Actions speak louder than words. The intensification of actions that undermine trust, of course, strains the relationship between the two sides. When I asked my interlocutor why the Greek Cypriot leadership is taking these actions, he told me that this is their duty as a state and that these actions will continue. “This is an even greater insult!”
Tufan Erhurman – Turkish Cypriot leader
In this regard, it should be taken for granted that the government will seek clarification from the United Nations regarding Guterres’s letter to Erhurman, which, according to the Turkish Cypriots, is in exactly the same vein as that of the European Union. That is, that these actions hinder confidence-building.
“Trust-building cannot be achieved through concessions on issues of the Republic of Cyprus’s sovereignty,”
Konstantinos Letympiotis – Government Spokesperson
SEE ALSO: President Christodoulides: I am going to Tuesday’s meeting with the aim of achieving positive developments | AlphaNews
