A process marked by high expectations, promises, and resounding assurances that significant developments in the Cyprus issue were expected this summer is coming to an inglorious end. There were leaks regarding a strategic agreement, as well as reports that our side had managed, through its actions, not only to demonstrate its readiness, but also to bring the UN Secretary-General to Cyprus.
As today’s meeting concludes, it is becoming clear that the weekly meetings, have not yielded any progress but have reinforced the impression that the goal is purely for public relations, to make the process appear open.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Given these circumstances, the statement by the UN Secretary-General that a 3+1 or 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue is not expected to take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The Secretary-General was clear: for the five-party talks to move forward, progress must be made on the Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs), both in terms of methodology and substance. Apart from the fact that the United Nations undertook to facilitate convergence, no progress has been made that would justify convening the five-party talks. On the contrary, there is widespread mistrust between the two leaders regarding their intentions: Tufan Erhurman does not believe that the President is ready to take bold steps, while the President believes that Turkey is holding the Turkish Cypriot leader back.
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So, we are heading to the United Nations General Assembly without expecting anything substantial.
However, there is a serious problem arising from this failure and the passage of time: we risk losing important momentum. At a critical juncture, a United Nations Secretary-General had declared his commitment to launching the process. But as time passes without results, there is a risk that he will leave without a clear outcome—and with him, the risk that his achievements and legacy—namely, the six points—will be lost.
It is being lost, thus, once again, the opportunity to resume the talks—especially considering that the new successor will need a year to adjust, that elections will follow in Greece and Turkey, and that our own pre-election campaign will then intensify—which, as recent developments show, is now the political leadership’s top priority.
