A response regarding the government’s relations with the personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, María Ángela Olguín, following differing interpretations of the conditions for the 5+1 meeting, was provided by Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis during an appearance on the Alpha Summer program.
“The appointment of a special envoy was, from the very moment I took office, a goal that had been set—and had also been raised with the United Nations Secretary-General during President Christodoulides’ first meeting with Mr. Guterres. Furthermore, the reappointment, renewal of Ms. Olgin’s terms of reference as Personal Envoy was something we had also requested and sought from the very beginning, and our cooperation with Ms. Olgin is always guided by the terms of her mandate as set forth in her appointment by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.”
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“We wanted, and continue to want, this cooperation to be as close and productive as possible,” he continued, emphasizing that the government is focused on achieving progress on the Cyprus issue. “And this is nothing other than the convening of the next expanded conference, which would aim to resume negotiations,” he stated.
“The Secretary-General himself has noted and emphasized the role that the guarantor powers should play and do play; obviously, I think we can all understand the role played in particular by occupying Turkey with regard to the unacceptable claims it has been making and advancing over the past five years, unfortunately in a manner that is now openly declared; and therefore we remain committed to this effort while at the same time considering progress on confidence-building measures to be equally important, though not a prerequisite.”
He raised the issue of the failure to reach an agreement on opening two crossing points due to Turkey’s refusal, explaining that if there had been a positive response to the United Nations’ compromise proposal, we would have reached an agreement on both crossing points.
He maintains that the progress made on the MoUs is not sufficient to convene an expanded conference, noting that reaching the MoUs would be a positive step.
“We must never forget that the discussion on confidence-building measures cannot and has never been an end in itself, but rather a supportive measure toward the resumption of negotiationsor during substantive negotiations.”
When asked about the opening of a crossing point at Mia Milia, as requested by the Turkish Cypriot side, and whether this is on the table as a concession, he noted that it had also been raised at the last meeting as part of a series of scenarios that had been discussed, with the Greek Cypriot side’s stance once again being positive. “It goes without saying, however, that confidence-building measures must also be based on reciprocity,” he noted.
When asked whether the Mecca Agreement and the alliance between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are considered obstacles, he stated that we have demonstrated, at least in recent years, that the way we conduct our foreign policy is neither dictated nor determined by others, nor do we rely on a zero-sum foreign policy.
“You have seen—and I think everyone has seen in recent years, especially over the last three years—the deepening and strengthening of relations with countries with which we traditionally had no contact at all; we didn’t even have diplomatic relations—and now there are diplomatic missions from these countries in Cyprus, as well as from the Republic of Cyprus in those countries—and it is in this same way that we will continueto pursue our own multifaceted foreign policy, demonstrating that the deepening of the Republic of Cyprus’s strategic partnerships is in the interest of the entire region, and that it serves the security and stability of the entire region.”
Finally, when asked about Turkey’s position on a two-state solution and whether the Turkish Cypriot side also maintains this position following Guterres’s visit, he stated that “we are not where we would like to be, but we must not overlook the progress we have made.”
After highlighting key points of the progress achieved, he emphasized that we do not expect progress to be achieved through public statements alone.
“It is through contacts, meetings, and diplomatic efforts—which will continue and intensify even further at all levels—and under no circumstances will our efforts falter on the altar of Turkey’s intransigence or its disregard for international law. The path to a solution is a bizonal, bicommunal federation. We have said before that we are determined to support the Secretary-General in this effort because this is precisely what we want, and the current state of affairs cannot continue. If there is genuine political will on the other side as well, this will now become evident not only in the effort to strengthen and advance confidence-building measures but, even more so, through progress toward the enlarged Union.”
