The meeting between the two leaders is scheduled to take place on September 9, next Wednesday, while on Monday, September 7, the two negotiators will meet, according to Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis, who noted that the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Maria Angela Olgin, will visit Cyprus after the first ten days of this month.
During a press briefing on Thursday, when asked whether developments in the occupied areas would affect the timeline for the Cyprus issue, Mr. Letympiotis said that the UN General Assembly milestone remains in place. “The deadline for the expiration of the UN Secretary-General’s mandate this coming December remains. Our determination is, of course, unwavering,” he said.
He described the decision on regular meetings of leaders as very important, “which we not only welcome but will seek to ensure continues,” adding that Ms. Olgin is coming to prepare for the next phase, following her meeting with the Secretary-General to further coordinate efforts to reach consensus at the next expanded conference.
Mr. Letympiotis reiterated his “deep sorrow over the unjust loss of several lives in a deadly shipwreck” and recalled that the Greek Cypriot side responded immediately, expressing its readiness to assist “in any way possible.”
When asked whether the President of the Republic would raise with the Turkish Cypriot leader the issue of arrest warrants for the murders of Isaac – Solomos “in light of the beheading of Erhan Arikli,” the Spokesperson said that the issue of international arrest warrants that have been issued and are pending does not pertain to the dialogue between the two leaders. “These are matters that the Republic of Cyprus, as a full member state of the EU and a member state of the UN, has addressed through established procedures and, through established procedures, is taking all necessary and institutional measures that can be taken.”
