Kombos: Cyprus ready for talks, Turkish side imposing conditions
Fact: Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos stated that President Nikos Christodoulides is ready to start talks on the Cyprus problem immediately.
Secretary-general’s personal envoy
National Council meeting shelved for , ‘when time is right’
The government has rebuffed calls to convene a National Council meeting amid secrecy surrounding the UNSG proposals that President Nikos Christodoulides has agreed to.
Tatar reiterates need for sovereign equality in Guterres meeting (updated)
Fact: Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar stated that only a state solution can be the solution to the Cyprus problem during a meeting with the UN Secretary-General.
Our View: Target date is needed for conclusion of Cyprob talks
Turkish Cypriot opposition politicians are against the open-ended peace process favored by President Nikos Christodoulides and support a two-state solution. There is no common ground for negotiations, and a target date for completion of talks is necessary for success. The UNSG’s envoy must find common ground urgently to prevent failure.
A , ‘love of loneliness’ marks demands for two-state solution in Cyprus
Fact: The Turkish Cypriot pro-solution camp believes that any new Cyprus negotiation process should have predetermined timeframes and clear consequences of failure to have a chance of success.
President optimistic envoy can find ground for Cyprus talks
President Nikos Christodoulides stated that the appointment of Maria Holguin as the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy could lead to the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue. He reiterated the government’s commitment to finding a viable solution for all legal residents on the island and to asserting the rights of all citizens of the Republic of Cyprus towards the liberation and reunification of the country. Christodoulides mentioned a specific strategy the government is following to address Turkish intransigence and to resume talks. He highlighted the Republic of Cyprus’s status as an EU member and its role in the region. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Holguin as his personal envoy for Cyprus to find common ground for advancing the Cyprus issue.
Truth commission in Cyprus is crucial to reconciliation
Achilleas Demetriades, a human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate in Cyprus, proposed converting the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) into a truth commission during a meeting in the UK parliament. His proposal aims to enable the CMP to investigate the circumstances and cause of death of missing persons, beyond its current function of locating and disinterring missing individuals. Demetriades suggests amending the CMP’s terms of reference to allow investigations into how 1,510 Greek Cypriots and 492 Turkish Cypriots disappeared. He argues for statutory immunity from prosecution for those providing information to the commission, noting that current guarantees might not suffice for the broader scope of a truth commission. Transitional justice processes like truth commissions, exemplified by South Africa’s Truth Commission established in 1995, are highlighted as effective in overcoming conflict and promoting reconciliation. The article also mentions the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy to Cyprus, Maria Holguin, and the potential for establishing a truth commission in Cyprus, with support from the UN high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, emphasizing the importance of truth for reconciliation and preventing the repetition of conflicts.
Technocratic level talks continue on EU-Turkey relations
– Consultations at a technocratic level with Germany regarding a possible reference text on EU-Turkish relations are underway, aiming for inclusion in the conclusions of an upcoming EU summit.
– President Nikos Christodoulides made these statements upon his arrival at the European Council.
– Christodoulides welcomed the inclusion of a reference to the Cypriot initiative for a maritime corridor to Gaza in the conclusions on the Middle East.
– He discussed specific next steps on the Cyprus issue with UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressing hope for developments by April towards resuming talks.
– Ongoing discussions follow Germany’s proposal to include a paragraph on EU-Turkey relations in the summit conclusions.
– Christodoulides had meetings with the Chancellor of Germany and the President of the Council, followed by consultations at a technocratic level.
– He emphasized the importance of positive developments in EU-Turkish relations that also involve Cyprus, advocating for a step-by-step approach with an enhanced role for the European Union.
– Other member states, including France, have shown interest in the consultations regarding EU-Turkey relations and Cyprus.
– The Cypriot initiative for a humanitarian corridor to Gaza was praised by all heads of states at the European Council, highlighting Cyprus’s role in the region.
– Christodoulides had a productive meeting with the UN Secretary-General, discussing the next steps on the Cyprus issue and hoping for developments within April.
– He expressed satisfaction with the European Council’s conclusions on security and defence, including the announcement of appointing a Commissioner for Defence in case of the current President of the Commission’s re-election, emphasizing the importance of advancing in defence and security matters for the EU’s strategic autonomy.
Christodoulides meeting Holguin
Maria Angela Holguin, the United Nations Secretary-General’s personal envoy, is meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides on Saturday morning. Holguin arrived at the Presidential palace at 9.35am for her second meeting with Christodoulides this week. She is expected to leave Cyprus on Sunday, having also met twice with Turkish Cypriot Leader Ersin Tatar. During her current stay on the island, she has met with political parties from both sides, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce (KTTO), both Nicosia Mayors Constantinos Yiorkadjis and Mehmet Harmanci, and various civil society groups. A close associate of Holguin is expected to remain on the island after she departs to act as her “eyes and ears.” The date of her next visit to Cyprus has not yet been confirmed.